Is Methadone the Best Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction?
Fentanyl is one of the strongest and most intense prescription opioids that a person can abuse. Therefore, if you are suffering from fentanyl addiction, methadone may be the best pharmacological treatment option for you. Call 800-994-1867Who Answers? to find rehab centers where you can start treatment for addiction.
The Severity of Fentanyl Addiction
According to the National Library of Medicine, fentanyl is one of the more intense opioid drugs used to treat pain. It should “only be prescribed by doctors who are experienced in treating pain in cancer patients” and only for “breakthrough cancer pain” in those who are already tolerant to opioids. Otherwise, it can cause severe dependence and other issues.
Someone who has been abusing fentanyl frequently and in large doses is likely to experience a number of severe effects. Withdrawal symptoms are often very extreme, and the high caused by the drug is very similar to heroin, and in some ways, even more intense.
As a result, fentanyl addiction points to a severe need for safe, controlled rehab in a professional treatment center, medically assisted detox, and usually maintenance with a prescription drug.
Methadone for Fentanyl Addiction
While no one treatment option is right for every individual, those who have been abusing fentanyl to the point of addiction will likely benefit from being treated with methadone. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “Methadone is effective in higher doses, particularly for heroin users, helping them stay in treatment programs longer.”
- Fentanyl has many similarities to heroin when abused and can cause a severe dependence and addiction syndrome.
- Methadone is a safer option for this kind of disorder because high-need individuals in treatment often receive the results they need more easily with methadone.
- Optimal dose methadone is better for treating those with higher dependencies than buprenorphine.
- Naltrexone is not as well tolerated by most patients as methadone, and those who abused fentanyl specifically will likely need more time to work through their withdrawal symptoms before being put on a medication like naltrexone.
Methadone is arguably the best medication for fentanyl addiction, but it is always important to consult your doctor before beginning a treatment regimen and to stay faithful to their prescriptions.
In addition, those who attend methadone maintenance programs that provide behavioral therapies as well as other treatment options are the most likely to have strong recoveries. Medications like methadone are always more effective when they are part of a well-rounded treatment program.
Do You Want to Find Methadone Maintenance Treatment for Your Recovery?
Call 800-994-1867Who Answers? now to find rehab programs where you can recover from opioid addiction and begin a better, safer life. Get help finding the best facilities and programs for your needs as well as to answer any questions you might have about rehab. Call today to learn more.