Methadone Maintenance Treatment

By Jill Gonzalez

In the United States, about 980,000 people are addicted to opiates such as heroin, Oxycontin, and morphine. What many people do not realize is that when these addictions are left untreated, the costs to the taxpayers are staggering.

Roughly $20 billion per year in expenses are racked up through a combination of factors such as Medicaid, emergency hospital visits, incarceration, mental health costs and the ramifications of crimes that addicted individuals commit while searching for money or drugs.

With the nation facing such as huge problem that impacts all citizens on some level, it is important that we seek affordable, reliable solutions to help those who are addicted to opiates become drug-free. Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) is believed by many to be an ideal solution to address this problem.

How MMT Works

Methadone is a synthetic opiate that mimics the effect that heroin, morphine and other opiates have on certain receptors in the brain. It essentially works by blocking the sedating and euphoric effects of opiates. It also helps to eliminate the cravings that are so strongly associated with opiate addiction, which plays a huge role in determining whether a patient will make it through opiate withdrawal or will suffer a relapse.

Withdrawal from opiates isn’t just difficult - it is dangerous. For this reason, it is recommended that addicted individuals seek professional assistance to help them stop using these types of drugs rather than simply trying to stop on their own.

The cravings that are associated with opiate addiction are so strong, in fact, that they are the primary reason why so many people relapse while trying to break free of their addictions. With Methadone Maintenance Treatment, the cravings are eliminated, which helps patients to stick to the program all the way through.

In addition, patients do not experience feelings of euphoria or intoxication while undergoing a MMT program, so they are able to function as normal adults while being treated for their addiction.

This is important because it allows them to work and function as a contributing member of their families during treatment, and this helps to make the entire treatment process much more effective than it would be if patients had to be isolated and alone during treatment.

Facts about Costs

In addition to being the safest and most effective treatment for opiate addiction, methadone is also the most cost effective treatment. The average monthly cost for most methadone treatment programs is less than $300. This puts annual costs at no more than $3,600.

When compared to other types of treatment, as well as the costs associated with patients who do not receive any treatment, Methadone Maintenance Treatment is clearly the best option.

Why MMT is So Important

Methadone Maintenance Treatment is the most effective opiate addiction treatment program that is available today.

When you consider the fact that the costs of this treatment are much lower than the costs that we, as a society, are already paying each year, the choice becomes quite clear. It is much better to encourage addicted individuals to participate in Methadone Maintenance Treatment so that they can rid themselves of their addictions and become fully functioning members of society again.

It is important to realize that these addictions are chronic illnesses just like heart disease or high cholesterol. They are not “character flaws” or obstacles that can be overcome through will power alone.

Because of this, it is essential that treatment programs also incorporate unique ways of working with patients to help them transition back into a “normal” way of life as they go through recovery. Methadone Maintenance Treatment programs help patients accomplish this.

Though MMT has been helping individuals overcome opiate addictions for decades, success depends upon the willingness of the patient to commit to the program. Methadone Maintenance Treatment is not a magic solution that suddenly and miraculously “cures” opiate addiction; instead, it is a solid treatment program that requires dedication and effort by patients who want to be free of their addictions.