Methadone is a regulated drug which similar to morphine or heroin is a full opioid agonist, meaning the same nerve cell receptors in the brain are activated when someone uses methadone. But unlike heroin, methadone is used in facilities to treat opiate dependent clients so that they don't feel they need to become involved in illicit drug use activities, won't experience intense cravings, and won't undergo the effects of opiate withdrawal. So alternatively to quitting cold turkey, programs which treat methadone clients only are authorized to dispense methadone to these clients daily. This type of treatment is called methadone maintenance therapy.
Clinics which treat methadone clients only are not usually designed to offer a broad array of extensive recovery services beyond daily dosing, although some clinics may offer group and individual therapy and counseling. Methadone use is associated with side effects, potentials for overdose and drug interactions because it is a full opioid agonist. For this reason, it is also a drug that is abused and misused by opiate addicts. Seeking supplemental treatment services in Nora is suggested, such as therapy, counseling and psychotherapies which are successful at long term recovery and preventing relapses.