One aspect of the holidays is that people drink.  This can lead to alcohol cravings for those who engage in alcohol abuse, suffer from alcohol dependence, or are in recovery and want to avoid relapse.  So reducing alcohol cravings could be a part of the solution for many individuals during the holidays.

It is our purpose to not only honor the holidays with a message of good spirit, but also to keep our readers informed.  We like to use our web presence to share research that we believe will be helpful to those with whom we work.

An interesting study conducted by Dr. Sandra Lapham found value in using injectable naltrexone to decrease alcohol consumption during the holidays.  Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has been using Vivitrol in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), and we have seen results to support this.  Please click the link below for an article about Dr. Lapham’s research.

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/2008/December/Are-Naltrexone-Injections-a-Cure-for-Holiday-Drinking-.html

Tarzana Treatment Centers held a conference on this same subject in November, 2009.  Attendees learned all about Vivitrol and how it is used in alcohol treatment, the use of Suboxone and Methadone in opiate addiction treatment, and how anti-depressants and atypical anti-psychotic medications are best used to treat mood and anxiety disorders.
 
MAT has been proven to improve outcomes for patients in alcohol and drug treatment.  During the holidays it can help those with previously unsuccessful treatment episodes, and encourage others to enter treatment for the first time.  In either case, loved ones would agree that the holidays could be more joyous without the presence of alcohol or drug abuse in the home.

For help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

People who don’t suffer from drug addiction, and most who do, do not understand the process of this disease.  Even if they are curious, it seems like a daunting task to even begin learning about how the addicted brain works.  So it is fortunate that the potential cocaine vaccine is in the news because the information is currently widely available.

Many individuals are content with the knowledge that drug addiction is a physical and psychological disease that operates on obsessions and cravings, if that much.  When the disease hits home, though, that information just doesn’t seem enough.  By then their attention is focused on the visible problem rather than the processes that make it happen.

As interest grows among the general public, more will be written and reported about the cocaine vaccine.  Each new article reveals a piece of the puzzle that makes up the processes of the addicted brain.  This is important for those seeking understanding because the research is bringing many facts to light about the underlying disease of addiction in an easy-to-read manner.  

A basic understanding of the normal brain processes may be necessary in reading some articles.  But most articles on the subject are taking that fact into account and giving brief explanations.  So just starting to read articles about the cocaine vaccine should yield better understanding of the disease of addiction.

An article has been posted on Sciencedaily.com about computer models of cocaine addicts’ brains.  A portion is copied below.  It is a good example of an article that may seem complex, but is understandable and can encourage further reading.

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Glutamate is the major chemical released in the synaptic connections in the brain; the right amount present determines the activity of those connections. Using the computational model, MU researchers found that in an addict’s brain excessive glutamate produced in the pleasure center makes the brain’s mechanisms unable to regulate themselves and creates permanent damage, making cocaine addiction a disease that is more than just a behavioral change.

“Our model showed that the glutamate transporters, a protein present around these connections that remove glutamate, are almost 40 percent less functional after chronic cocaine usage,” Mohan said. “This damage is long lasting, and there is no way for the brain to regulate itself. Thus, the brain structure in this context actually changes in cocaine addicts.”

-- Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160104.htm --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides addiction education and medication assisted treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with drug addiction or alcohol dependence, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

The trials on a possible cocaine vaccine may lead to promising new developments in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).  One piece of good news is that this vaccine may lead to more that reduce cravings for other drugs, like heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana for example.  Also, the research to date indicates that we will learn more about how the addicted brain works.

MAT enhances outcomes in alcohol and drug treatment by reducing high-risk factors for relapse.  The potential cocaine vaccine, and possible others down the road, could help patients focus more on treatment without the distraction of cravings.  So even if this vaccine doesn’t succeed in trials, these advancements bring hope to those suffering from drug addiction.

Already, we’ve seen positive results from the use of Vivitrol for alcohol craving reduction.  While these medications should not be considered a cure for alcoholism and drug addiction, they help individuals in treatment to achieve long-term recovery.  The impact can be great in terms of having more recovering individuals participating positively to the community.

The following is a portion of an article posted on Behavioral Health Central’s website.  The full article contains some very interesting details.

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It’s important to note that much of the cocaine use that continued was to test the blockade effect. This testing showed that euphoric effects were blocked even when if a participant used 10 times the amount of cocaine they used in the past. “They were describing that they were not getting a high from it, and then they eventually just ran out of money,” said Dr. Kosten. “So the optimal treatment will require repeated booster vaccinations in order to maintain these optimal antibody levels, probably every two to three months.”
 
Dr. Kosten indicated that most patients would need about two years of treatment, some perhaps even longer because of a history long-term cocaine use. He said, in the general population, many patients don’t show up for treatment until they’ve been dependent on cocaine for 6 to 8 years.
 
“It’s at about week eight in the vaccination process that [participants] are getting a sufficient level of these blocking antibodies present. For the future, we see this as a very promising step towards an effective medication for cocaine addiction.”

-- Source: http://behavioralhealthcentral.com/index.php/2009100698964/Special-Features/lead-investigator-in-cocaine-vaccine-study-talks-about-promising-results.html --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides medication assisted treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Alcohol and drug treatment has seen a new promising advancement in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).  With the successful use of opioid replacement therapy for heroin addicts and Vivitrol for alcohol cravings, there is now hope for those suffering from cocaine addiction.

MAT is not the pursuit of miracle drugs that cure alcohol dependence and drug addiction.  It is type of therapy that has proven to enhance cognitive behavioral treatment.  When patients add MAT to the alcohol and drug treatment regimen, they are less distracted by the physical and craving aspects of the disease.

Cocaine addiction is driven by strong cravings.  Physical withdrawals are not as much of a factor, as would be the case with alcohol, heroin, or prescription drugs like Vicodin and Xanax.  So reducing or eliminating those cravings can have a significant effect on a cocaine addict remaining abstinent.

The vaccine being tested has shown to reduce relapse rates in enough cocaine addicts to give it a promising grade.  The full study has been published on the Archives of General Psychiatry website at this link: http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/10/1116.  And while trials continue on the vaccine, this is promising news for cocaine addicts everywhere.

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A vaccine to treat cocaine dependence yielded good results in a phase-2 clinical trial and will be tested next year in a larger study, researchers reported today.

The cocaine vaccine is not intended to prevent addiction but instead is designed for use with other treatments, such as behavioral therapy, to assist people in recovery. The vaccine is among a number of research projects relying on similar technology to treat nicotine, heroin and methamphetamine addiction.

-- Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/10/cocaine-vaccine.html --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides medication assisted treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcoholism or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles and Professional Psych Seminars will present a seminar titled Medication Assisted Treatment in Addiction and Mental Health at the Luxe Hotel on Friday, November 13, 2009.

Participants will learn about the latest advances and methodologies in medication assisted treatment for alcohol craving reduction, harm reduction, and mood and anxiety disorders.

Click the link below to view and print the flyer and registration form:

Medication Assisted Treatment Seminar Flyer

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is participating in Recovery Month 2009, in part, with articles about recovery during the month of September.  Most individuals suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction begin their recovery with alcohol and drug treatment.  So it is our pleasure to help bring awareness to the general public about the benefits of recovery to individuals, their families, and everyone with whom they interact.

Studies on alcoholism regarding the urge to drink alcohol are plentiful.  But no consensus has been achieved due to widely conflicting variables during testing, therefore in the results.  While it would be helpful in a clinical sense to know what drives these urges, alcoholics in recovery need to focus on the solution rather than the problem.

An urge can be defined as a strong, restless desire.  Anyone in recovery from alcohol dependence understands this feeling.  Urges can last for a moment or longer, can recur, and, more important, can lead to obsessions and relapse if they are left alone.

Urges occur over the lifetime of all alcoholics.  The good news is that the intensity and frequency of urges decrease significantly over the first few months of recovery.  Building a strong foundation in recovery is important during this time so that decreasing trend continues.  

Urges, in this context, are a function of alcohol cravings.  Alcohol Cravings decrease to a tolerable level within the first few months in recovery as do urges.  Medications, like Vivitrol, are being used to reduce these cravings so they don’t interfere with the critical foundational days in recovery.  And if cravings can be reduced, then the urges tend to go with them.

A free program by Alkermes, the makers of Vivitrol, called Touchpoints Recovery Support can be helpful to even those not taking Vivitrol.  The website at http://www.touchpointsrecoverysupport.com not only offers some tracking tools like the Urge to Drink Monitor and Recovery Status Monitor, but also offers useful activities like the Drink Refusal Exercise.

As sober days add up to 1 year, 2 years, 5, 10, and beyond, the urge to drink decreases at a slower pace, which is almost unnoticeable.  It gradually loses power over alcoholics with each passing year in recovery, although alcohol never completely loses its grip on alcoholics.  Instead of being a threatening experience, urges can be a reminder of what once was and how life can again be after “just one drink”.

When an urge hits an individual whose life has improved significantly in recovery, it tends to be for only a fleeting moment that may even bring laughter.  Keeping a fresh memory of how bad life was with alcohol makes the thought of drinking absurd.  These are especially good times to talk to others in recovery as they will benefit as much as you will.

Building a strong foundation in early recovery is the best overall defense against urges during the sober life of an alcoholic.  Medication assisted treatment with Vivitrol in early recovery can help reduce cravings and urges so the focus can be on laying that foundation.  Setting this stage for your future recovery will decrease the power of urges, and allows for meaningful and laughter-filled conversations.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides Vivitrol in alcohol treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare.  If you or a loved one needs alcohol detox or alcohol and drug treatment, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

In general, the choice of medication used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction is based on safety and efficacy, patient preferences, and treatment goals.  These goals can either be harm reduction through a maintenance program or to achieve abstinence through medical detoxification.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has provided detailed information about various heroin treatments.  Some excerpts are below, followed by the link to the page.

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A variety of effective treatments are available for heroin addiction.  Treatment tends to be more effective when heroin abuse is identified early.  The treatments that follow vary depending of the individual, but methadone, a synthetic opiate that blocks the effects of heroin and eliminates withdrawal symptoms, has a proven record of success for people addicted to heroin.
…
The primary objective of detoxification is to relieve withdrawal symptoms while patients adjust to a drug-free state. Not in itself a treatment for addiction, detoxification is a useful step only when it leads into long-term treatment that is either drug-free (residential or outpatient) or uses medications as part of the treatment.
…
Methadone treatment has been used for more than 30 years to effectively and safely to treat opioid addiction.  Properly prescribed methadone is not intoxicating or sedating, and its effects do not interfere with ordinary activities such as driving a car.  The medication is taken orally and it suppresses narcotic withdrawal for 24 to 36 hours.
…
Buprenorphine is a particularly attractive treatment because, compared to other medications, such as methadone, it causes weaker opiate effects and is less likely to cause overdose problems. Buprenorphine also produces a lower level of physical dependence, so patients who discontinue the medication generally have fewer withdrawal symptoms than do those who stop taking methadone.
…
Although behavioral and pharmacologic treatments can be extremely useful when employed alone, science has taught us that integrating both types of treatments will ultimately be the most effective approach.

-- Source: http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/heroin/heroin5.html --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides heroin detox using methadone and buprenorphine as well as outpatient methadone treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with heroin addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is participating in Recovery Month 2009, in part, with articles about recovery during the month of September.  Most individuals suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction begin their recovery with alcohol and drug treatment.  So it is our pleasure to help bring awareness to the general public about the benefits of recovery to individuals, their families, and everyone with whom they interact.

Early recovery brings many challenges for those suffering from alcohol dependence.  Relapse, the biggest challenge, has the power to reverse and possibly erase all progress during this time.  Since alcohol cravings are a major relapse trigger, it is a good thing that advances are being made in medication assisted treatment.

For those who do not suffer from alcoholism, these cravings may be difficult to understand.  An easy way to get the picture is to think of a favorite food.  Did your mouth begin to water? The difference, of course, is that alcohol is deadly to the alcoholic.  But even after many years of abstinence, the sight of James Bond with a martini can bring similar reactions to an alcoholic in recovery.

Although these cravings subside in frequency over time, they can be downright overwhelming in early recovery.  Motivation for recovery can help carry individuals past cravings as they occur.  But most of the time, a relapse is the result.  When questioned as to why they drank, they answer with an indication that they were only trying to satisfy an intense craving.

Researchers understand craving for alcohol in different ways depending on their disciplinary backgrounds.  Psychologists may use concepts of reinforcement, social learning or cognitive processing to explain why we crave alcohol.

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Many theoretical models attempt to explain the phenomena associated with craving. Although no single model accounts for all aspects of craving, each has elements that may eventually contribute to an overall, comprehensive model. Key characteristics of selected models are described below.

• The reinforcement model is based on alcohol's ability to produce an elevated mood or to help relieve an unpleasant mental state such as stress or anger. An unconscious learning process called reinforcement leads to repetition of the behavior (i.e., drinking) that produces the positive experience. Eventually, objects, environments, or emotions consistently associated with alcohol consumption can produce a similar response as powerfully as can alcohol itself. Such stimuli (i.e., cues) may include the sight of a bar, liquor store, or beverage advertisement; the company of friends who drink; or exposure to alcohol itself. An abstinent alcoholic exposed to appropriate cues will experience a conscious urge, or craving, for alcohol.
• According to the social learning model, cue-elicited craving during or after treatment can trigger conscious coping strategies aimed at maintaining abstinence. The success of coping depends on the drinker's confidence in his or her ability to resist the urge to drink. This model acknowledges craving as only one of several factors necessary to induce relapse.
• The cognitive processing model postulates that alcohol use becomes a habit which requires little conscious effort or attention, just as driving down a familiar road can become automatic. In this model, craving represents the effort involved in mobilizing conscious problem-solving skills needed to block the automatic drinking behavior. Such a situation may occur when a drinker finds that his favorite bar is unexpectedly closed. Similarly, following treatment, an alcoholic who is motivated to remain abstinent might experience craving while consciously attempting to avoid cue-induced relapse.

-- Source: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa54.htm  --

Neuroscience explains craving based on brain chemistry, specifically on the regulation of the neurotransmitters endogenous opioids and dopamine.  So medications have been developed with a purpose to reduce alcohol cravings for those in recovery.  Simply put, when the spigot of chemicals is turned down or off, cravings are less likely to manifest.

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Medications to interrupt the process of reinforcement are being investigated. The key neurotransmitters involved in reinforcement include the endogenous opioids and dopamine. The endogenous opioids are a group of brain chemicals similar in action to morphine. They appear to amplify the pleasurable effects of rewarding activities and have been shown to help maintain drinking behavior. Naltrexone helps prevent relapse and reduce craving by blocking certain opioid receptors, presumably reducing the pleasurable effect of alcohol.

-- Source: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa33.htm --


Tarzana Treatment Centers Los Angeles has been using Vivitrol with patients for over a year beginning in September 2008.  We’ve provided the medication to over 120 patients in the past year.  Vivitrol is Naltrexone in the form of a monthly injection which blocks the euphoria associated with alcohol use.   Patients report that cravings for alcohol and other drugs are reduced.

Tarzana’s experience with Vivitrol began with participation in a pilot project sponsored by Los Angeles County Alcohol and Drug Program Administration and Alkermes, the manufacturer of Vivitrol.  Use of Vivitrol at Tarzana has been greatly expanded through the Alkermes Touchpoints program.   Touchpoints provides the initial Vivitrol injection to any patient free of charge.   

Follow-up interviews with Vivitrol patients in treatment indicate positive results overall.  Patients who have relapsed on several prior occasions, with little recovery time, reported greater motivation and hope after being injected with Vivitrol.  So Vivitrol does indeed appear to aid those in alcohol treatment toward long term recovery.

At Tarzana Treatment Centers we use the Urge to Drink Scale to assess patients for medication assisted treatment with Vivitrol.  During the admission process they are informed about the use of Vivitrol and given literature explaining details about the medication.  We are also finding that our Vivitrol patients are privately recommending it to other patients who are approved for use.

While Vivitrol is not a miracle drug, it has proven to be effective for many patients as a helpful tool on the road to long term recovery.  This medication assisted treatment may not stop relapse from occurring, but it offers a solution to alcohol cravings which tend to lead to relapse in early recovery.  This is not just about reducing an annoyance.  With reduced alcohol cravings patients can focus more on other issues that may trigger a relapse, thus giving them an even greater chance at long term recovery.

If you would like more information about medication assisted treatment with Vivitrol at Tarzana Treatment Centers, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

By James Heller

Tarzana Treatment Centers has been offering Vivitrol injections to patients in alcohol treatment for some time now.  In an effort to raise awareness of medication assisted treatment, and as a professional courtesy, we would like to share some patient experiences.

How We Obtained Information
Four informal interviews were conducted with patients who had received an injection of Vivitrol during treatment at Tarzana Treatment Centers.  No effort was made to collect statistics in this case.  FDA guidelines were followed with each of these patients, but not addressed in interview questions.  Each was reminded of the FDA approved use of Vivitrol if the patient mentioned other perceived benefits.  The point was to collect candid feedback that may be helpful to those considering Vivitrol as a tool in their own recovery, and those treating them.  

It appears that patients see Vivitrol as a good tool in recovery for more than just alcohol craving reduction.  They report a common sense of hope that they will remain sober, as well as a stronger motivation for recovery compared to non-Vivitrol patients.  This was consistent in a range from first-timers in treatment to chronic relapsers.

Vivitrol Gives Hope to Patients
A 50 year old patient who had been drinking since age 10, in treatment for the first time, stated that he will continue with Vivitrol injections even though he did not know if it was working.  Vivitrol brought him hope that he will remain sober using any tool available.  Another patient who suffers chronic relapses said that treatment is more effective on her after taking Vivitrol, and that she feels a sense of hope for the first time.

Vivitrol Improves Motivation for Recovery
The degree of patient motivation for recovery is a major factor in successful treatment.  With each new treatment episode, motivation tends to diminish for an individual.  So it is interesting that patients with more than one treatment episode at Tarzana Treatment Centers reported higher motivation for recovery after taking Vivitrol.

Vivitrol Reduces Alcohol Cravings
Tempting situations are everywhere for alcoholics early in recovery.  The cravings that result at these times are a major factor in causing relapse.  So if cravings don’t manifest completely, it can mean the difference between relapse and continued sobriety.

On cravings, those in treatment for the first time credited fellowship and commitment to a program for reducing them, and acknowledged that they had no experience with which to compare.  Others with several treatment attempts fervently attributed the reduction in cravings to Vivitrol.

Two patients admitted to relapse on day 34 after receiving the first injection.  Both were scheduled for a second injection, but chose instead to attend an event out of town.  Interviews were conducted with these patients on day 37.

When asked if a second injection would have prevented relapse, both quickly answered in the affirmative.  Each relayed that they had been in more tempting situations during the first 30 days than when they drank on day 34.  This is an indicator of Vivitrol’s success in reducing cravings in the 30 day period.

Reported Side Effects are Mild
One of the patients who relapsed on day 34 reported getting sick after drinking only 3 beers, which is inconsistent with the other who relapsed the same day.  Another reported injection site pain and mild shakes for the entire 30 day period.  These are considered to be due to factors not shared in the interviews, as opposed to being side effects of Vivitrol use.

Unexpected Benefits Reported
Some patients reported benefits outside of those expected from Vivitrol.  A patient stated that she did not feel an urge to use methamphetamines as well.  And each patient used terminology at times that referred to relief of the mental obsession rather than the physical craving.

Another surprising report comes from a staff member who helps patients to quit smoking.  At least one patient has refused nicotine replacement patches, stating that she does not feel like smoking since receiving the Vivitrol injection.

Conclusions
From these interviews, it can be concluded that patients do indeed experience a reduction in cravings for alcohol with Vivitrol whether or not they credit the drug.  Motivation for recovery appears to be bolstered if it is not already strong.  And side effects were consistent with those expected, minus two that were unlikely to be a result of Vivitrol use.  

It is also plausible that the reduction in cravings has a positive side effect on a patient’s mental state in treatment.  Just the belief that their obsession has been lifted will improve motivation and hope for patients using Vivitrol.

Methadone has proven to be a safe and effective drug for the treatment of opioid withdrawal symptoms.  It has been used for decades in Medication Assisted Treatment or heroin replacement therapy, and for medical detoxification.  With both types of treatment, patients are monitored to prevent overdose and minimize opioid withdrawals.

Opioid withdrawals are the same no matter which opiate based drug an addict uses.  Symptoms can include chills, cough, severe diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting, high blood pressure, cramps, and dysphoria, among several others.  The severity of opioid withdrawal symptoms depends on the addict’s habit, meaning the daily amount taken and strength of the drug.

Tarzana Treatment Centers offers methadone for medical detoxification from opioids.  Patients are assessed upon admission to determine a course of treatment.  During detox treatment patients are monitored by medical staff as doses are tapered until they are drug free.  Outpatient or residential drug treatment is always recommended for aftercare.

Medication Assisted Treatment is a viable alternative to detox and abstinence, and allows addicts to live normal lives and avoid opioid withdrawals.  Doses are closely monitored to ensure patient safety and prevent overdoses.

However, using methadone for pain management puts a patient at risk of accidental overdose.  Since these individuals tend to have multiple doses in their possession, not being monitored by a medical professional, mistakes are more likely to occur.

The following excerpt from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website announces their commitment to educate the public about safe methadone use.   It is important that the distinction between safe methadone dispersing for opioid withdrawal symptoms and unsafe pain management prescribing is understood.

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Methadone may be best known for use as an addiction treatment medication, but the bigger problem and concern has been with the more recent use as an analgesic.  The risk of methadone overdose is partly due to the way the drug metabolizes in the body. People who take methadone normally feel relief within four to eight hours.  However, unlike other narcotic pain relievers a single dose of methadone can remain in the body anywhere from eight to 59 hours. As a result, the drug builds up to toxic levels if it is taken too often, in too high an amount, or with other medications.  

-- http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/0904284456.aspx --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.