Methadone maintenance is a method of treatment for individuals in Como who are dependent on heroin or prescription opioid medications. This method of treatment has been around for decades now, and the overall concept is that individuals are no longer engaged in the drug using activities that was driven by their addiction due to the methadone they are taking satisfies cravings and prevents withdrawal. Similar to heroin, methadone is a full opioid agonist and stimulates the same receptors in the brain as heroin. This is what makes methadone so successful as a substitute for heroin and prescription pain killers.
Individuals enrolled in methadone maintenance therapy must take it daily to avoid withdrawal from the methadone itself. This may be financially and logistically challenging, but some people feel it is a better option than a heroin addiction. Nevertheless, people beginning methadone maintenance therapy should know that methadone detoxification is considered way more challenging than even heroin detoxification and withdrawal. Once on a moderate dosage of methadone, there are some detoxification facilities that will not take methadone maintenance clients seeing that detox can be so difficult and relapse rates are very high.