Methadone is a synthetic drug used as an anesthetic, but in some countries it is also used to treat drug addiction. In our country, this drug is prohibited for use in medical practice, because, according to experts, the effects of methadone can be even more dire than that of conventional drugs, since it causes addiction even stronger than the same heroin.
The history of the drug
Methadone was created during World War II as directed by one of the senior leaders of the Third Reich, Hitler’s right hand, Hermann Goering. Goering was drug-addicted at that time and sat on opiates. Since things were not going well during the war with the supply of such drugs, he encouraged specialists to create a synthetic agent that would not include poppy opiates, but it would fully possess all the properties of these substances.
Pharmacists have practically succeeded. They synthesized a drug that had a much longer effect and at the same time completely stopped the addiction to ordinary opiates. They immediately began to use it for the treatment of drug addiction, although in itself getting used to it turned out to be even more persistent and dangerous than to the opiates themselves.
Methadone as an anesthetic
In countries where such a drug is permitted, it is often used as a potent painkiller along with oxytocin and "Vicodin", on which, by the way, the famous Dr. House "sat". And the consequences of prolonged use of methadone can be found in the same series, since all the aggravating consequences of this drug are completely similar to taking the same drug.
Being an opioid antagonist, that is, a drug that stops the perception of receptors of certain effects, methadone completely suppresses the effect on the receptors of natural opioids, such as, for example, heroin. But at the same time, it stops any pain, regardless of the nature of their occurrence. The effect of the drug is already evident within the first half hour from the time of administration.
Methadone as a remedy for addiction
Not for all addicts, the drug will be useful. It can only relieve withdrawal from opiate addicts. For example, if a person is addicted to morphine, methadone will be useless. He is able to relieve pain, but withdrawal is associated with other processes, and only an antagonist created specifically for the drug on the basis of which it is made will help to cope with them. For example, for morphine, there are a number of its antagonists, one of which is naloxone.
Methadone, on the other hand, is only set up to block breakdowns, that is, a response to the body's natural signals, indicating a lack of heroin or other opium-based drugs in it. That is, if you are a cocaine addict, taking methadone will not help you, because cocaine is not an opioid, but an alkaloid. It requires its own antagonist.
The consequences of self-medication
Treatment with such drugs should be carried out in accordance with programs specially developed for each individual and only in special rehabilitation centers. Self-medication with such drugs is unlikely to be effective. And the consequences of an overdose of methadone (after all, often in the hope of quickly relieving pain, a drug addict can take a larger dose than expected or earlier than it should) can be disastrous. The drug is very rapidly absorbed by the mucosa and after 10 minutes it is already detected in the bloodstream. Since, after an hour, a peak in its concentration in the blood has already been reached, gastric lavage will be effective only for the first half hour (depending on the dose taken).
An overdose is cumulative. Why should a healthcare provider prescribe a dose? Because if the dose is taken to be larger, the organs in full may not be excreted, but partially accumulate in the body. In the end, there will come a moment of pronounced intoxication, which will lead to death. Therefore, the drug should be taken only under control and only after the previous dose is completely removed from the body of the drug addict.
The concept of methadone replacement therapy
Substitution maintenance therapy began 30 years ago when street drugs were used to replace street drug addicts with methadone-like antagonists. The goals were good:
- Firstly, it reduced the risk of various infections through injections, since methadone and other drugs of this type are not a solution that must be administered through a vein, but tablets that are taken orally and washed down with water.
- Secondly, methadone therapy relieves withdrawal pain and reduces the craving for taking drugs bought on the street, which you always had to doubt about.
- Thirdly, drug-related crimes were supposed to be several times less.
Experts hoped for the following. A drug addict comes and receives his daily dose of methadone for free, after which he stops injecting street rubbish and behaves like the last scumbag, ready for the dose to strangle his neighbor.
Practice has shown ...
As practice has shown, such therapy has been completely failed. The drug addicts, having received their on-duty dose at the medical center, returned to the street and simultaneously injected with other rubbish, from which the doctors tried to save them. And from the combination of methadone with street "solutions" it became even worse.
In addition, we must not forget that methadone is a drug, and even a synthetic one, which is even more addictive. Therefore, the number of methadone-dependent began to grow, for which a single dose of methadone per day was not enough.
A large number of drug addicts appeared, who were initially addicted to heroin, and later to methadone, seduced by its long action and protection from breaking. The consequences of methadone, that is, from therapy with this remedy, were only worse. And therefore, today more and more countries are beginning to abandon the use of this drug and from substitution therapy itself.
The situation in the USSR
This practice was not adopted everywhere. While in European countries and in North America it was already elevated to the rank of compulsory medical care and was widely used in the rehabilitation of drug addicts, in the Soviet Union they did not hear about maintenance methadone replacement therapy.
This was primarily due to the fact that the number of drug addicts in our country at that time was ten times less than in Western countries. Therefore, the Ministry of Health did not take this issue to heart and believed that we did not need to bother about the “threat of drug abuse”. The percentage of drug addicts was already very low in the country.
With the collapse of the USSR, the problem began to grow like a snowball. The mess touched everything, and warehouses with medical drugs as well. A huge number of opiates then went hand in hand and the number of drug addicts at once equal to the West, and in some regions completely broke all conceivable records.
How is it now
Now the dose of methadone in our country is much more expensive than the dose of heroin. But despite this, the number of methadone-dependent is becoming more and more. And since this drug is not always at hand, yesterday’s drug addicts are very tempted to again drown out the shortage with any available drug.
But substitution therapy in our narcological dispensaries still began to be carried out, although it is carried out on the basis of other drugs. The only synthetic drug that is legally permitted in our country is Vivitrol (an antagonist - naltrexone).
What you need to pay attention to first
In pursuit of the introduction of substitution therapies into practice, some experts are addicted and, sometimes, simply forget that methadone is a drug and that having removed the addict from the heroin needle and transplanted to methadone, he will have to be treated for dependence on methadone itself. The calculation that with the help of this tool you can cure an addict from addiction to heroin and he still does not have time to get used to methadone, has no soil underneath. They get used to it even faster than heroin. But in any case, the root of all ills with therapy lies much deeper and is located in the field of psychology.
Rehabilitation of drug addicts
But the effectiveness of replacement therapy is not reduced to zero. The clearly verified practice of using methadone in the proven Western drug treatment clinics shows that it is still possible to discourage some drug addicts from drug use. True, only special relapse prevention programs can protect them from subsequent breakdowns by 100%.
First of all, treatment is based on the methods of socializing yesterday’s drug addicts, their constant help and control, along with the use of special psychotherapeutic drugs – antidepressants, such as Aurorex, Coaxil, Zoloft and the like.
Root of Failure with Methadone
The main root of the failures with the Methadone medicine is that although it is addictive, the addict does not “get high” from him as such. Therefore, many, having come for the duty dose, do not swallow the pills, but only pretend to hide them under the tongue, and then exchange them for cheaper street heroin or sell them to buy a dose of opiate and fully get high.
Any drug addict who has fallen off a heroin needle does not need protection from breaking (especially when they have already passed), but still a thrill, and therefore they are not happy with taking an antagonist. They are not interested in the fact that withdrawals have disappeared, and their mood has improved, they just need to have fun. Such people really need the support of psychotherapists, and not further treatment with drugs. In addition, the consequences of methadone, or rather, from its long use, can lead to more disastrous results.
Methadone dependence is akin to nicotine dependence. The smoker smokes, but does not get any pleasure from it. He just needs to smoke his pack a day. The effects of methadone are the same. No buzz, but the dose is needed before the cut, and breaking up from a lack of methadone is a hundred times stronger than in the case of the smoker and nicotine. Why speak in vain - worse than with heroin. And what now to treat a drug addict? Heroin? Vicious circle...
Conclusion
The treatment of drug addiction with the help of antagonists should be carried out by experienced specialists under the vigilant supervision of psychotherapists. Only then will such substances have a positive effect. And that is not a fact. A lot in the recovery of a person depends on the person himself. And it is completely optional that he was initially 100% tuned for full rehabilitation. And if not? Is it worth it to transplant it from one needle to another, or even to both at once, if it is already clear from the outset that the matter will end in failure?
Some Western drug dispensaries think it's worth it. Although what leads them is not clear: the endless altruism or money of relatives of drug addicts that they bring to these centers in the hope of a return to normal life for their relatives? After all, you can always say at the end: “We did everything we could. But nothing can be done if your loved one does not want to ... "