Methadone Treatment
For more than 50 years, methadone treatment has been the gold standard of care for those seeking to recover from opiate addiction. Methadone treatment is most effective when combined with substance use counseling and other supportive services.
Opioid use treatment with methadone alleviates the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Methadone is a full agonist opioid, meaning it will act similarly to other opioids by activating the receptors in the brain. In other words, it satisfies your body’s need for opioids without the risks associated with abuse. This effect makes it useful in preventing the painful physical effects of opiate withdrawal. It reduces cravings that often lead to relapse, increasing your chances of success.
A proper dose in methadone treatment is different for each client, but the goal is to no longer feel withdrawal or a “high.” Methadone lasts longer than other opiates — typically for 24 to 36 hours. A single daily dose is sufficient for effective treatment. Our patients’ first phase of recovery will focus on finding the ideal dosage. They may then concentrate on the behavioral aspects of addiction therapy.
All MedMark locations are licensed methadone treatment centers. Our certification as an opioid treatment program gives us the qualifications to offer methadone. Every client undergoes a medication-assisted treatment program with medicine and behavioral therapy. We take a comprehensive approach to treatment that tackles all aspects of recovery. You’ll manage your physical and mental symptoms to work toward a life without opioids.
Most people who experience methadone side effects report them as mild. If you have any adverse effects from methadone, talk with your doctor or counselor. Adjusting your dose may help you manage these symptoms. Methadone treatment can require multiple changes to find the correct dosage. Its side effects can include:
- Cold or flu-like symptoms
- Headache
- Sweating
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Nausea
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood swings
- Decreased libido
The staff at MedMark can teach you more about methadone treatment for opioid addiction. They understand its interactions with other medications and precautions for patients to take. Your clinician and counselor will monitor your dosage to ensure your safety and optimal recovery. To prevent unwanted interactions, please tell your doctor about any other medications you use. Taking methadone as prescribed reduces your risk of side effects and helps you progress through treatment.
To begin your methadone treatment at MedMark, you can contact us or make a walk-in visit for a tour. We offer same-day admissions at select locations. For the best results, contact your closest clinic to check availability. During your first appointment, you’ll complete an intake with medical and clinical staff. This first visit will take about two to three hours. Once we create your individualized treatment plan, we’ll administer your first dose of methadone.
During the first stages of recovery, we’ll ask you to visit the clinic every day. Your regular appointments will include a daily dose of methadone and support services. A physician will work with you to find a dosage that relieves withdrawal symptoms. Throughout your treatment, we will conduct alcohol and drug screens required by law. We’ll offer help if you receive a positive result on one of these tests.
Once you and your doctor learn the right methadone dose, you can focus on the behavioral aspects of recovery. Your counselor will help you develop skills to handle life’s difficulties without drugs. They’ll help you identify any issues that remain after you stop using opioids. Depending on your needs and location, you may also receive group or family counseling.
Our Licensed Methadone Treatment Centers Across the United States
Every MedMark location has a certification to offer methadone treatment for opioid dependence. Our medical professionals dedicate themselves to improving their patients’ lives by providing medication-assisted treatments, counseling and other supportive services to help clients overcome an opiate dependency. We believe everyone deserves individualized care and attention. We serve several states:
- Alabama
- California
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Michigan
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- West Virginia
What Is Methadone Treatment?
Methadone is a medication that can treat an opioid dependency by decreasing withdrawal symptoms and reducing cravings for drug use. Methadone is a safe, effective medication-assisted treatment for helping you along your recovery journey. In most cases, methadone is one component of a comprehensive treatment plan that often includes behavioral therapy and counseling.
Research has shown that approximately 2.1 million Americans have an opioid use disorder. When prescribed and taken under supervision from a medical professional, methadone is a safe treatment that can help those dependent on various opioids, including heroin, oxycodone or fentanyl. Methadone can minimize unpleasant withdrawal symptoms to allow you to focus fully on your recovery journey.
How Does Methadone Work?
Methadone for opioid addictions manages withdrawal symptoms and helps relieve drug cravings by altering the opioid receptors within the brain. These receptors are the same that respond to opioid misuse, including heroin and morphine. While methadone occupies, stimulates and activates these receptors, its effects last longer and do not produce a sensation of euphoria.
Some patients may worry about substituting one opioid dependency for another, but this is not the case. Methadone is a medical treatment that helps restore balance to the parts of the brain affected by opioid dependence, allowing you adequate time to heal while you continue to work toward recovery.
Methadone Safety
When taken as prescribed by a medical professional, methadone can be a successful form of medication-assisted treatment. However, it carries a potential for misuse. To avoid this issue, a trained professional administers methadone once a day at a treatment center or clinic, tracking usage and providing appropriate dosing and instructions.
Medical administration also does not allow any opportunities for a patient to catch a missed dose, which may be a sign of relapse or misuse. In outpatient care at a methadone treatment center, clients who miss a dose will have their dosage evaluated and changed if their treatment team believes it will help their recovery process.
Methadone Cost
Methadone is a cost-effective option for those looking for care and medical assistance with opioid dependence. The overall cost of methadone varies depending on individual treatment plans and the clinic where you are seeking help. Your health insurance plan may cover some or all of your methadone treatment.
Some critical considerations affecting the price of your methadone treatment include type, duration, location and your health insurance policy. Speaking with your medical insurance provider can help you understand what costs your plan may cover if you are looking to start methadone treatment.
Why Choose MedMark’s Methadone Program?
The effectiveness of methadone treatment may vary depending on where you seek help. At MedMark Treatment Centers, we provide the highest level of care and outpatient medication-assisted treatment for patients with a dependence on opioids. Our team of experts offers evidence-based practices in addition to counseling, community resource referrals, case management and other supportive services to help our patients reclaim their lives.
Our mission is to help improve the lives of all the patients we serve, focusing on offering enhanced resources and support to patients while also increasing methadone treatment accessibility for those who still need help. Addiction counseling and our track record of proven, scientifically-backed treatments make us a leading methadone treatment clinic. Here are some of the benefits of methadone treatment at MedMark.
- State-of-the-art treatments: First and foremost, we are proud to offer innovative and effective treatments to help people recover from an opioid dependency. We strive to stay at the forefront of innovation and continue implementing the latest research into our treatments to provide the highest possible level of care.
- Individualized care: At MedMark, we take an individualized approach. We understand each client, their story and the care they need are unique. We can customize treatments to meet your needs and help you along your recovery process.
- Numerous treatment locations: There are numerous MedMark locations throughout the country, allowing patients from all over to access high-quality opioid dependency treatments.
- Combination treatment: While methadone is an essential aspect of medication-assisted treatment, we take a combination approach when helping people recover from a dependency. We pair methadone with counseling and numerous other services to help our clients heal on multiple levels. Our methods can equip you with healthier coping strategies and lower your risk of potential relapse.
Is It Time to Start a Methadone Treatment Program?
If you or a loved one are experiencing an opioid dependency or missing an opioid, it may be time to consider the advantages of a methadone treatment program. Methadone can help minimize withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings to misuse opioids, allowing you to focus entirely on your recovery journey.
It’s crucial to seek professional medical care and treatment for an opioid dependency as soon as possible. If you or a loved one can address and receive treatment for opioid dependence in its earliest stages, you can minimize the amount of damage opioid misuse can cause the body. Even if someone does not think they have become dependent on an opioid, a treatment program can help prevent this problem from worsening or developing further.
Facts About Methadone Treatment
Methadone is a safe and effective treatment for opioid dependency administered by medically trained professionals and physicians. Every year, methadone-assisted treatments save the lives of many people battling opioid addictions. Additionally, methadone has helped many patients recover and live full, healthy lives. Here are some of the most compelling methadone facts.
- Opioid overdose deaths decreased by 59% for those receiving methadone than people who did not.
- Clients taking methadone had 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests and were also more than four times more likely to remain in treatment.
- Research has shown methadone was effective in reducing heroin use, injection practices and improving social function and physical symptoms.
- One study indicated prisoners who received methadone treatment were more likely to continue participating in programming after their release.
Methadone Treatments for Opioid Misuse
MedMark Treatment Centers nationwide provide medication-assisted treatments and substance abuse counseling for those with an opioid dependency. Our team of medical professionals can help you or a loved one who struggles with opioid addiction. Each of our MedMark programs provides methadone maintenance treatment, with some locations also offering buprenorphine. To learn more about medication-assisted treatments, contact us online today.
“The staff here at MedMark Treatment Centers are very friendly and helpful. I have felt welcomed here since day one.”
“I am truly grateful for this program and every staff member employed here. The combination of treatment staff and counseling has changed my life for the better.”
“I love MedMark Treatment Centers, everybody is super awesome. It’s almost like my home away from home.”
“Thank you to the whole team! I absolutely love the staff here at MedMark they have always been so open to talk anytime I need to, even when they are busy… they are the reason I have made this far.”
