Drug abuse and addiction are common problems that are affecting millions of people in the United States today. There is a wide variety of practical treatment protocols that are useful in helping these individuals overcome addiction. Methadone is common in the rehabilitation process to make breaking the addiction to harmful substances easier. Yet this substance presents abuse risk of its own. How long does methadone stay in your system? The information below will answer these questions more fully.
What is Methadone and Why Do People Use It?
Methadone is an opioid medication that can be used to treat pain effectively. This substance is also frequently used in the process of treating individuals suffering from drug addictions. This is because the drug can have helpful benefits in the process of tapering individuals off of similar drugs that they may be addicted to.
Methadone is often a part of the opiate detox process. This substance contains specific compounds that work on the portions of the brain that opioid use effects. Therefore, methadone can effectively block the pleasurable sensations achieved by abusing opioids. In essence, this medication can reduce the powerful cravings for drugs that a person may feel. Also, methadone may help to decrease the likelihood of relapse following successful treatment. Methadone therapy for the treatment of substance abuse can occur rapidly in under one month or gradually over a period of several months.
How Long Does Methadone Stay In Your System?
Methadone can stay in a person’s system anywhere from 8 hours to a couple of days. Some sources say that the drug can be detected in your system for up to 2 weeks after using it. Still, the drug is not usually active for longer than 60 hours after use.
The length of time this substance stays in a person’s system might depend on several factors. The amount of methadone a person ingests, the age of the individual, and the overall health status of the person can all have an effect on how long methadone stays in the body. A person’s metabolism speed could also be a contributing factor.
The fact that methadone has such a long-lasting effect makes it useful in reducing cravings. Unfortunately, methadone might also present some risk of abuse on its own. This risk is lower than the risk posed by the drugs it treats though, making it more beneficial for therapeutic purposes. But how long does methadone stay in your system? As we mentioned earlier, it depends a lot on different factors, such as the amount a person takes and how long they’ve been taking methadone.
The Importance of Quality Rehabilitation
Opiate addiction is a serious problem in America today. Professional substance abuse treatment programs can help those who are addicted to opiates to gain insight into why their addiction occurred in the first place. Treatment can also help individuals to gain a deeper understanding of the recovery journey and its challenges.
Throughout the recovery process, individuals may encounter very difficult situations. They will likely experience some withdrawal symptoms as they’re working to end substance use. This is where medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can be helpful. This approach to detoxification allows patients to work through the effects of withdrawal in a safe and effective way.
But, professionals understand the importance of taking the possible outcomes of MAT into account. Substances such as methadone and buprenorphine (Suboxone) are considered opiates. So, they can certainly be addictive if they are not controlled. Methadone withdrawal symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable. So, it’s best to make sure patients do not become dependent on any of the substances used in MAT.
Thankfully, professional and knowledgeable treatment centers like ours here at Crest View Recovery Center work to take a safe and preventative approach to detox and treatment. Quality drug rehab programs provide access to effective medical therapies to help end addiction and prevent future addictions.
The process of weaning oneself from the opiates becomes much easier to endure when going through a medication-assisted treatment process. Following a properly administered program will ensure a lifetime of successful abstinence.
About Crest View Recovery Center
Crest View Recovery Center is a substance abuse rehab center located in North Carolina. Our serene and relaxing facility specializes in providing the perfect escape from everyday life so that proper recovery can begin.
A combination of effective treatment protocols and home-like amenities come together to ensure each individual has everything they need to make a full recovery. Amenities include the following:
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
This treatment approach helps those who are living with co-occurring disorders. In many cases, dual diagnoses that involve addictions also involve mental health disorders. For example, a person who suffers from heroin use disorder may also suffer from an anxiety disorder. Treating only one of these disorders will not be effective for the individual. It will only leave the remaining disorder in place or it may make matters more severe.
For instance, if the individual only gets treatment for his or her addiction without gaining the necessary skills to manage the symptoms of anxiety. Those symptoms might have been contributing factors to the person’s addiction. So, leaving them in place may cause the individual to relapse, resorting back to substance abuse.
A dual diagnosis program works to make sure that doesn’t happen. Instead of treating only one disorder, these programs address all of the co-occurring disorders a person is experiencing. This helps individuals who are suffering from dual diagnoses to successfully overcome addiction while also developing helpful skills regarding the management of their mental health symptoms.
Trauma Therapy
Sadly, many people who experience traumatic events encounter life-altering difficulties. The challenges and effects of trauma can cause day-to-day activities to become difficult. The effects of trauma can cause problems in relationships and affect the way people interact with others. Trauma can also lead people to abuse drugs or alcohol in an attempt to cope with the impact trauma has on their lives.
Thankfully, individuals who are dealing with trauma and addiction can benefit from trauma therapy. This type of therapy works to address people’s traumatic experiences. It also helps individuals to become more aware of the ways in which trauma has affected other areas of their lives. Through trauma therapy, those who suffer from addiction can develop healthy ways to cope with trauma and begin overcoming addiction.
Holistic Options
While medication is often a helpful part of treatment, it’s also important to consider a more holistic approach to addiction rehab. For many people, holistic methods can be just as effective and even more effective than other types of treatment for addiction.
Here at Crest View Recovery Center, we believe that holistic treatment can be very beneficial for those who are working to overcome substance dependence. Holistic methods may include the following:
All of these holistic therapy approaches present specific and unique benefits and advantages for those who are working to recover from addiction. Each of these approaches offers a drug-free approach to substance abuse treatment, eliminating the threat of addiction development.
Family therapy
Often, individuals get help for their addictions but their families are left wondering how to move on from the past. Family therapy works to help bring healing and peace to the family unit. Family members can gather to speak with a therapist about the effects of their loved one’s addiction. They can also learn ho to support their family member throughout recovery.
The fact that addiction directly and tremendously affects the individual who suffers from it is irrefutable. But, while this is certainly a fact, it’s also true that a person’s addiction will affect his or her loved ones, too. An individual who struggles with substance dependence may not realize that this is the case. But, as a person’s life changes due to substance use, so do the lives of his or her family members.
The spouses of those who suffer from addiction feel the effects of the individual’s substance use. Likewise, an addicted person’s parents, siblings, children, and other loved ones will experience these issues.
Addiction can change a person’s behaviors, causing him or her to become irritable, angry, violent, irresponsible, and more. Those who love the struggling individual may feel the need to “cover” for the person, lying to friends or family members in order to hide the truth about the person’s substance use. Or, family members may have to work more or find ways to meet the financial needs of the home as the addicted individual becomes less and less able to do so.
Let Crest View Recovery Center Help You Today
Hopefully this article answers the question, “how long does methadone stay in your system?” If you are struggling with opiate addiction, we can help you here at Crest View Recovery Center. Whether you are looking for therapy and treatment services for yourself or for a family member, we are here to help! It may be difficult to believe, but recovery is absolutely possible! You can overcome your addiction by seeking treatment from a facility that cares about your long-term success.
Ready to take a step toward recovery? If you’d like to finally leave addiction in your past and pursue a life of sobriety, our staff is ready to assist you! Just contact us here at Crest View Recovery Center today to find out how we can help you recover from substance abuse. We look forward to working and walking with you as you end addiction in your life for good!
