How does methadone act for heroin detox treatment?
Methadone is an opiate like heroin itself. It is used to reduce the temptation that the person has for heroin. Strange though this may sound, this is the method in which the program works. Heroin, being an opiate, can be weaned away only when another opiate is introduced into the body and methadone fits the bill quite nicely. As long as the patient is kept on a maintenance medication with methadone, they will feel a reduction in their craving for heroin, and as this craving diminishes, the amount of methadone provided to the patient can be gradually reduced. This is not done all at once; rather it is done quite slowly, because methadone can produce withdrawal effects of its own. That is the reason why methadone treatment always needs to be provided under strict medical supervision. Methadone is a habit forming drug and reducing its amount drastically can cause withdrawal. Also, methadone can react with some other substances that the person is consuming. Hence, medical care in an inpati
