Methadone is an FDA-approved synthetic opioid agonist. Practitioners most commonly prescribe methadone to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Methadone use often occurs within a patient-focused, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program alongside counseling and other forms of personalized care.
Methadone suppresses withdrawal symptoms and reduces drug cravings by acting on the brain’s opioid receptors. MAT is a proven effective method for combating opioid addiction and improving a patient’s quality of life during opioid addiction recovery.
The Road to Recovery With Medication-Assisted Treatment From BAART
You don’t need to walk the road to recovery from substance use alone. Medication-assisted treatment, combined with patient-centered care like behavioral therapy and counseling, is a proven safe and effective way to discontinue substance addiction.
How Does Medication-Assisted Treatment Work?
Withdrawal can be painful and debilitating. MAT stabilizes the body’s chemistry to drastically reduce an individual’s physical and psychological substance cravings for a safer, more comfortable withdrawal experience. It’s endorsed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA) — among many other organizations — due to its success in helping patients sustain long-term recovery.
The Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment
During MAT, medical professionals directly assist and supervise patients on their recovery journey. Because of this treatment’s highly person-focused approach, it empowers and strengthens people with addiction to stay the course of recovery. It does so by reducing pain and offering the emotional and psychological support they need when they need it.
Equally important, MAT reduces an individual’s risk of relapse and overdose. It can minimize or eliminate debilitating withdrawal symptoms. It also decreases the need for in-patient detoxification, allowing patients to resume normal day-to-day activities like work or school for an empowering sense of normalcy and self-direction.
Throughout an MAT program, certified addiction counselors also assist patients in identifying and addressing the trauma that led to substance addiction to help them gain the tools and insight to maintain recovery. BAART medication-assisted programs offer individual and group counseling, depending on the program or patient’s preferences or needs.
The Potential Side Effects of Methadone
Occasionally, patients may experience short-term physical or psychological side effects while taking methadone.
Physical Side Effects
The potential physical side effects of methadone include:
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Weight gain
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Constipation
- Lightheadedness
- Lowered libido
- Insomnia
Psychological Side Effects
Psychological side effects can include:
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Confusion
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Depression
Receive Personalized Medication-Assisted Treatment With BAART
Your emotional health while taking methadone is equally as important as your physical health. BAART Programs takes a whole-person approach to treatment for opioid addiction. Our compassionate, nationwide team holistically combines a patient-focused MAT program with counseling and more. In doing so, we create effective and long-lasting recovery plans.
When you or a loved one is ready to begin the road to recovery, find our nearest BAART Programs medication-assisted treatment facility or contact us.
