I have been on methadone for almost 6 years and I am about to turn 24 I have only been clean from heroin for 4. I had been abusing opiates at twelve then right on track 14 15 started using heroin I didn't quit until I was almost 21 so that almost 9 years needles shooting up a close call on almost having to have an arm amputated due to am access and being refused treatment at detox facilities because they thought I would no longer benefit from a treatment program. I didn't stop back then because I wanted to quit forever I wanted a vacation and then to go back to my one true love once we had a short term separation. Methadone saved my life it took me almost two years to quit shooting up heroin after getting on methadone but once I got to a "stable" dose and I put that in quotations because some people will always feel a moderate amount of withdrawal. I tried to give up do heroin only again and I couldn't get well I stayed sick for two weeks and that is when I decided I was done. I was told over and over and over again I would be on methadone for the rest of my life and it took me four years to get the courage to try to lower my dose and four years to gain the support and trust of my counsellors. You are taking a heavy duty narcotic to suppress your cravings and help EASE your heroin withdrawals there is no perfect way to quit where you would not feel any pain ... And to get off of methadone is an even harder battle because you have to experience that suffering again over a long extended period of time but if you do it right you should feel very minimal discomfort. sometimes we may think they want to keep us on this drug forever so they can suck our insurance dry or for those who pay out of pocket dry. But in all reality who cares what their motivation is do you really think If you are on a daily dose someone is going to trust you with a vacations time worth of bottles when you have no susbstantial clean time under your belt. I haven't had a dirty drug test in over 3 years and I stay at one week worth so I can't see the pattern in my ua's you know why I want to stay clean and I know at any moment I could experience a form of weekness and the reason they have you in handcuffs so to speak is so they can catch you before you have the chance to relapse.
I don't necessarily think some of the people who are on methadone should be. I definitely feel it should be a last resort and people should know it could take ten to 15 years to get off of it or you could be on it until you die but would you rather be on methadone, shooting dope, in jail, or dead I know my answer. I'll take having my privacy invaded having to pee in a cup on a regular basis any day then all of the above.
Let's remember do you really want to make it seem like these clinics are doing something wrong when a lot of them provide treatment free of charge to those who meet certain criteria
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I don't necessarily think some of the people who are on methadone should be. I definitely feel it should be a last resort and people should know it could take ten to 15 years to get off of it or you could be on it until you die but would you rather be on methadone, shooting dope, in jail, or dead I know my answer. I'll take having my privacy invaded having to pee in a cup on a regular basis any day then all of the above.
Let's remember do you really want to make it seem like these clinics are doing something wrong when a lot of them provide treatment free of charge to those who meet certain criteria