Todd Lange asked:


There are two main drugs being used in heroin addiction treatment today. The first is methadone and the second is buprenorphine. When you are looking for an option on heroin addiction treatment, it is important to find out what kind of drug they will use for the treatment. This is important for the following reasons:-

1. The cost of the treatment will depend on the medication used,

2. The speed of the recovery according to the patient’s condition will depend on the medication used and

3. The intensity of the treatment will depend on the medication used.

Since different patients have different kinds of requirements and preferences, a treatment pattern that will be suitable to one might not be suitable to another person. Hence, it is wise that you find out whether methadone or buprenorphine will be used in the center you are choosing. You must educate yourself on how these medications work and make your decision on that basis. Remember that both have their pros and cons.

Here we check out some details on methadone and buprenorphine, both of which are used widely in the heroin addiction treatment in the US, albeit in different ways and with different kinds of effects on the patients.

Methadone Heroin Addiction Treatment

The first noticeable thing about methadone is that it is also an opiate just as heroin is. The principle of the treatment is this: when methadone is introduced into the system, the person will lose the craving for heroin, because another opiate is taking its place. As long as the patient is kept up on methadone treatment, the person will not want heroin that drastically. This is a great way to allay the temptation in the patient’s mind for heroin, which helps in their detoxification.

Slowly, as the person begins to lose the urge for heroin, the need for methadone will not be felt so direly. This is when the amount of methadone can be reduced. Usually, doctors will reduce the amount of methadone that is being administered to the patient gradually as the person starts coming out of the need for heroin.

However, there are several cons in methadone treatment. One of them is that methadone is a habit-forming substance in itself. It can happen that the patient loses his or her urge for heroin but gets hooked on to methadone. When that happens, it will become difficult to get the patient out of the methadone dependency. The doctors will have to use a very careful pattern of methadone reduction so that the person can be brought out of the methadone treatment without any drastic side effects.

Methadone also reacts with some prescription drugs that the person might be using. Some of these reactions can be fatal. For that reason, it is important to constantly supervise the patient when he or she is on methadone treatment. This is a drawback in the methadone treatment; most centers will not want to provide this treatment on an outpatient basis.

Hence, the methadone heroin addiction treatment, though used for about thirty years in the US now, has some disadvantages. It is a very serious kind of treatment and needs constant vigilance. It is this seriousness of the treatment that has made people veer towards other methods of treatment such as buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine Heroin Addiction Treatment

Buprenorphine is a fairly new medication used in heroin addiction treatment in the US. Its popularity has increased only in recent times, though it has been in use since about ten years. Recently, the FDA approved two medications containing buprenorphine for heroin treatment. These are Suboxone and Subutex. The introduction of these two drugs for heroin treatment has been met with favorably and it is a very good option of methadone.

Actually, buprenorphine is also an opiate and works principally in the same manner as methadone. It also attacks the same regions of the person’s brain as heroin does and replaces the heroin craving for a buprenorphine craving. But there is a major difference in buprenorphine and methadone. That is, buprenorphine is not half as addictive as methadone is.

This is where the treatment with buprenorphine proves to be more convenient. Doctors don’t have to worry about dosage as much as they have to with methadone. Buprenorphine is also safely provided in outpatient heroin treatment programs. In fact, it is right to say that outpatient methods of treatment for heroin addiction are possible only because of the presence of buprenorphine and its derivatives.

If you are looking for a medication for heroin addiction treatment, learn about buprenorphine and methadone well and then make your decision. Do not hesitate to ask a substance abuse counselor if you want to know better.



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Todd Lange asked:


There are several forms of alcohol addiction treatment in New Jersey. However, that does not mean looking for alcohol treatment programs in the state becomes any simpler. The great amount of diversity that is present in the state is what makes things confusing. It becomes difficult to select a program that will be appropriate for the needs of the patient. Here are some points that you must consider when you are looking for a rehab program for alcohol addiction treatment in New Jersey.

1. Look at what the program entails. This is extremely important. You must know that every program for alcohol addiction treatment in New Jersey is different. Some of these programs are more about conventional medication therapies, while some of these follow holistic and alternative treatment methods such as herbal medicines, spiritual therapies, etc. You need to make sure how the program will be implemented. You can read on their website to find out how the program will be conducted. This becomes a significant parameter to decide whether you would like to go ahead with the program or not.

2. You have to also look at what medications will be included in the therapies. The way in which the program proceeds will depend greatly on what medication is used. Also the costs of the treatment will depend on those medications. For example, there are two main forms of medications used in heroin treatment in New Jersey. These are methadone and buprenorphine. Both these medications work in different ways. While methadone is a stronger opiate medication, buprenorphine is milder. However, methadone has more side effects on the body of the addicted person while buprenorphine does not.

3. The third thing you need to check out is what facilities are included in the treatment program. Consider the detox treatment for example. Not all centers for alcohol addiction treatment in New Jersey have the detoxification phase. Some of these centers might refer the patient to an external center for the detox treatment. This will make things difficult for the patient. Nursing care is also different in different centers. Some of the centers will have a fulltime nursing care while some of them will have nursing care only for a few hours a day.

4. Also look at what kinds of licenses the treatment center has. It should definitely be licensed for providing alcohol addiction treatment in New Jersey and in addition it must have licenses if it is offering special kinds of treatment programs such as detoxification.

5. Accreditation is another thing that you need to look for. The treatment center must ideally have an accreditation from a federal institute, or at least from a state institute. If the program is accredited, it means that the external institute has checked the program of the center and has found it to be worthy. In a similar manner, if the treatment program has several affiliates, it bodes well for the program because that indicates the kind of support the treatment center enjoys.

6. Look at the qualifications of the treatment providers at the center too. You have to make sure that they are qualified to provide alcohol addiction treatment and have the necessary amount of experience. It is always considered good if the treatment providers are qualified through a center such as the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

7. For your own convenience, check if the program is qualified. A qualified program is a state approved program. A program for alcohol addiction treatment in New Jersey will also enjoy other benefits such as guaranteed insurance coverage and easier modes of payment. You can get a list of the qualified programs for alcohol treatment through the state health website or by visiting federal websites such as those of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the National Clearinghouse.

These are just some of the points that you need to consider when you are looking at a program on alcoholism treatment within the state of New Jersey. It is always a good idea to begin searching from the state health website, or you can start from the Facility Locator link found on the website of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This will ensure that you get a program that is qualified for treatment and is also authentic in the way it is implemented. Most importantly, select a program that will suit the needs of the patient in question.



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