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There are substance abuse programs offered in or near Ames that cater to both methadone and buprenorphine clients only, drugs that are dispensed in what is known as opioid maintenance therapy. Methadone is a full opioid agonist just like heroin, and buprenorphine is a partial agonist, meaning the same nerve cell receptors that cause an individual to feel high from heroin or prescription pain killers are activated by these two drugs so that an opioid addicted client will ideally not engage in drug seeking behavior and won't have withdrawal symptoms. There are risks of drug interactions, side effects, and even overdose with both buprenorphine and methadone, which is why they are heavily regulated and can only be prescribed in a clinical setting.
Methadone and buprenorphine clients are on these medications regularly so they don't experience cravings, withdrawal, etc. but ideally at a dosage which isn't at the same time making them feel high. Euphoria occurs at at higher dosages, more so with methadone than buprenorphine. At programs which treat methadone and buprenorphine clients only, actual rehabilitation activities and therapies are limited beyond this and the primary treatment objective is to address the withdrawal symptoms and put an end to the illicit drug use. Some centers do deliver a small amount of counseling and group therapy as secondary treatment, and this is recommended and encouraged.
