People in medication assisted therapy programs are a cross section of society from all walks of life. It’s tempting to assume that if you’ve met one person who takes methadone, you’ve met them all. But the one thing addicts have in common is an inability to abstain from opioids, and just because you’ve never [...]
Addiction is often described as a family disorder because it shapes how a family unit functions and how family members interact with one another. Acknowledging that you love an opioid addict is similar to the stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. But it’s important to know that these stages aren’t necessarily [...]
Opioid addiction is a biopsychosocial issue. Since there are biological, psychological, and social components, the choice to slowly get out of a medication assisted therapy is complex and individualized. In this post, we’ll look at the separate aspects of tapering off of methadone (medically supervised withdrawal) and examine the best way to get off [...]
Relapse is very common in early recovery. It is also very frightening for the person in recovery and for their loved ones. In early recovery, the recovering person is afraid of relapsing and may even isolate themselves to prevent relapse. The family is excited about the person entering recovery, but fear of relapse quickly [...]
Are you considering Methadone for opioid treatment? Methadone has had a negative stigma for decades, but it has produced positive results for many in recovery. You may have heard that Methadone is the same thing as heroin, but it is not. You may be afraid of becoming addicted to Methadone, but methadone is much [...]
Most people don’t know what the signs of heroin use are, unless they’ve been in this situation before. Often times, family members or close friends will first search on the internet for signs of heroin use because they don’t know what it looks like. Friends and family who are unsure if their loved one [...]
When someone enters a Methadone clinic, they are usually only thinking about the relief from withdrawal symptoms once they receive the medication. And who can blame them? Experiencing withdrawal symptoms from opioids is miserable. Most people who try to detox themselves end up using again to stop the withdrawal symptoms. However, in order to [...]
The decision to stop using opioids can be terrifying. There is usually a fear of withdrawal symptoms. (Withdrawals from opioids can be compared to the flu times 100!) It’s miserable, and most people are unsuccessful in quitting on their own for this reason. There’s also a lot of shame that comes with addiction. People [...]
Are you familiar with Suboxone? Do you know the facts? Suboxone is considered Medication Assisted Treatment, which is medical treatment by a licensed physician. It’s important to know that an opioid use disorder is a medical diagnosis and some form of treatment is needed in most cases. Suboxone is a medication containing buprenorphine and [...]
Medication Assisted Treatment is becoming a preferred level of care for opioid dependence because our country is dealing with an opioid epidemic. Individuals struggling with an opioid addiction may be considering Suboxone or Methadone as a form of treatment to help them get sober. This level of care allows the individual to be treated [...]
