Methadone

Unfortunately, until evidence based drug rehabilitation treatment becomes available to all Americans, societal costs associated with drug abuse will continue to escalate with millions falling into the “treatment gap.” The current costs and the limited availability of drug rehabilitation/treatment eclipse all opportunities for the majority of addicts desiring such services (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2012, 15). Therefore; drug abuse rehabilitation funding, availability, and quality of care…

For decades, British governments have pledged to combat substance misuse to reduce the alleged cost of addressing the associated harms said to be diverting billions of pounds from more productive expenditure (Fordham et al, 2007). Yet with unknown numbers of children exposed to substantial ‘hidden harm’ living in adverse environments, there is no choice but to continue ploughing funding into substance misuse to enhance the prospects of the next generation (ACMD, 2003). Having tried and tested…

Similar to the study conducted by Gillberg, Terenius, and Lonnerholm, researchers concluded that treatment with the μ-opioid receptor such as morphine, methadone, and fentanyl enhanced social play behavior. However, administering an opioid antagonist such as Naloxone reduces social play behavior in rats. Social play behavior is important for development into adult social functioning. Examining social play…

hypodermic needles, education about drugs and basic health care, treatment referrals, and access to medical staff. Drug replacement therapy is another example of harm reduction. Replacing an illegal drug, such as heroin, with a lesser opioid like methadone is usually used. The drug is taken…

Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, which comes from the Asian opium poppy plant. Heroin ranges in how it looks. It is normally a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance. Heroin can be injected, snorted, or smoked. Heroin enters the brain and changes into morphine. It latches on to opioid receptors in the brain. Opioid receptors are also located in the brainstem which controls breathing, arousal, and blood pressure. Prescription drugs such as OxyContin and Vicodin have…

narcotic is morphine. Another type of analgesics are synthetics. This is a group with related compounds and additive properties, but with the hope of securing analgesia without proceeding addiction (Pharmacology of Health Professionals, Bryant). Methadone is a drug that has been given to individuals addicted to narcotics to substitute for morphine in order to prevent further addiction. Although this effort has not been the most…

91 Americans dying daily, half a million Americans dying over the last 15 years, and 15,000 people dying every year of overdoses. This is the ongoing epidemic of prescription drugs. When drug abuse comes to mind, you most likely think of illegal drugs like cocaine or heroin. While those are extremely dangerous/harmful, the most commonly abused drugs in America are prescription drugs that range from opioids, stimulants, and anti-anxiety. According to PBS Newshour, William Brangham, this is the…

in Schedule I are: heroin, LSD, marijuana, and ecstasy. Schedule II substances have a high potential for abuse, which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Examples of Schedule II narcotics include: morphine, opium, codeine, methadone and hydrocodone. Therefore, Schedule III have a potential for abuse less than substance in Schedule I or II and abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence. Examples of narcotics, products containing…

as a combination product—with or without the user’s knowledge—to increase its euphoric effects” (Cdc.gov, 2017). “Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, which includes fentanyl, increased by 72% from 2014 to 2015.3 Roughly 9,500 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids other than methadone in 2015” (Cdc.gov, 2017). Suggesting that our chances of encountering someone on or overdosing with fentanyl are high and it is extremely important that as medical…

Abstinence-based treatment for opioid addiction is a fancy way of saying that treatment should not involve the use of medications. To provide abstinence-based treatment, various therapeutic regimens are employed. Typically, the addict undergoes detoxification in an inpatient medical facility to rid the body of the opioids, typically over a 3 to 5-day period. After detoxification, the addict either enters into intensive one-to-one counseling on an outpatient basis (perhaps meeting with a…