Methadone Addiction

As an opiate, regular use of methadone causes physical dependency - if you've been using it regularly (prescribed or not) once you stop you will experience a withdrawal. The physical changes due to the drug are similar to other opiates (like heroin). If you are a woman using methadone you may not have regular periods - but you are still able to conceive. Methadone is a long-acting opioid; it has an effect for up to 36 hours (if you are using methadone you will not withdraw for this period) A Personal story of methadone withdrawal: “I've been on both ends of withdrawals, heroin and methadone, every patient of methadone will always tell you the same, as I do; I can kick heroin anytime, but methadone that is something else. In 15 yrs of heroin addiction, I've kicked 3 times, 'cold-turkey'. In 10 years on methadone I've never kicked methadone.”

Rehabilitation Centers are facilities where the problems of addiction and alcoholism are addressed. Rehabilitation is defined as returning to a previous state or condition or an improved state or condition. With this in mind truly effective and successful rehabilitation centers will address much more that mere cessation of drug or alcohol use, though this is a vital and important starting point. The issues of cravings, guilt, and depression that led up to the addiction and then continued it should be fully confronted and resolved, as well as full detoxification of the body following use cessation. Narconon Arrowhead rehabilitation center fully addresses all these point and many more to ensure the best chances possible for a lifetime of drug free productiveness.

There are several things necessary in order to affect addiction recovery for a life time. One of these is a drug free withdrawal and full detoxification program. Substitute or maintenance drugs are not a viable long term option. Ask any heroin addict who is now using methadone in addition to heroin, or ask any meth addict who now finds themselves abusing anti-depressants on a regular basis. Using additional drugs does not handle the barriers to continued drug use, but only adds to them. At Narconon Arrowhead most of our participants who have completed the New Life Detoxification Program report and end to cravings, have removed all drugs and toxins from the body, and show a marked resurgence in overall sense of well-being.

MDMA or "ecstasy" is a Schedule I synthetic, psychoactive drug possessing stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. MDMA possesses chemical variations of the stimulant amphetamine or methamphetamine and a hallucinogen, most often mescaline. MDMA can cause adverse effects including nausea, hallucinations, chills, sweating, increases in body temperature, tremors, involuntary teeth clenching, muscle cramping, and blurred vision. MDMA users also report after-effects of anxiety, paranoia, and depression. An MDMA overdose is characterized by high blood pressure, faintness, panic attacks, and, in more severe cases, loss of consciousness, seizures, and a drastic rise in body temperature. MDMA overdoses can be fatal, as they may result in heart failure or extreme heat stroke.

Effective drug or alcohol rehab starts with really understanding exactly what rehabilitation is. Rehabilitate in its broad sense means to restore to a previous condition. Any rehab to be effective needs to address the three factors which lead up to and cause addiction to continue. These are mental and physical cravings, quilt, and depression. Drug and alcohol abuse stems from mental or physical pain an individual does not wish to confront or deal with. The drugs or alcohol only appear to alleviate these conditions and after a time contribute to them as well as creating new sources in and endless cycle and trap known as addiction. Confronting and effectively handling the conditions brought about by cravings, quilt, and depression allows the addicted individual to truly ‘rehab’ him or herself and so be restored to a previous condition or at least as close as possible. Narconon Arrowhead is much more than a detox center where the individual simply quits using for a period. Narconon Arrowhead drug rehab methodologies fully handle the above factors allowing one to truly rehabilitate a previous condition and so remove the need for further drug or alcohol use as a false solution to living the life they want.