When taken as prescribed, methadone can help reduce opioid cravings and prevent withdrawal symptoms. When misused, however, it can have deadly consequences.
Article at a Glance:
- Methadone should only be taken orally, as directed by a physician.
- Methadone misuse increases the risks of addiction and potentially fatal side effects.
- Methadone is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder, but misusing it can lead to expulsion from treatment programs.
Methadone Risks
For decades, methadone has been used in replacement therapy for people who are seeking to stop using other opioids. The drug can also be used as a pain relief medication. Although methadoneworks effectivelyfor pain and opioid cessation, using the drug in ways other than prescribed can lead to dependence, addiction and even overdose.
Methadone was designed to be taken orally. However, someone who uses methadone recreationally may inject, snort or smoke the drug to increase how quickly it works in the body. These delivery methods are dangerous and have led to countless overdoses (See More:Methadone Overdose).
Why You Shouldn’t Shoot Methadone Pills
Methadone is designed to be taken by mouth for the treatment of long-term pain or opioid use disorder. Injecting methadone tablets or liquid greatly increases the risk of overdose and death because too much of the drug is entering the body at one time. Intravenous drug use alsoincreases the riskof skin and heart infections (endocarditis).
Can You Inject Methadone? Is It Safe?
Injecting any form of methadone, including liquid methadone, creates an increased risk of overdose; a methadone overdose is amedical emergency that can have fatal consequences. In addition, intravenous methadone use can lead to other serious side effects. Injecting a foreign substance like methadone into the bloodstream can introduce bacteria and other materials that damage a person’s veins, arteries, heart and lungs. An infection of the heart, calledendocarditis, is common among people who abuse substances via injection.
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Can You Snort and Smoke Methadone? Is It Safe?
Smoking and snorting methadone is nearly as risky as injecting it into the veins. Additives can enter the lungs or sinuses just as they would enter the bloodstream. Prolonged lung damage due to smoking the drug is a common side effect. People who regularly snort methadonemay developsinus damage, holes in the septum, nasal sores and inflammation.
Is Methadone Effective?
Whenused appropriately, methadone is very effective at treating opioid use disorder. It is a long-acting opioid that does not create the same amount of euphoria as other opioids. However, misuse can lead people who are struggling with opioid addiction to become addicted to methadone itself.
There is a high risk of overdose for those who use methadone recreationally, and using a non-oral delivery method increases that risk even further. In addition, if someone is caught misusing methadone, they may be expelled from their treatment program.
Methadone Pills in Replacement Therapy
Whenused in replacement therapy, methadone is effective as an opioid blocker due to its long duration in the body’s system. Methadone stays active for 24 to 36 hours, allowing for controlled, daily doses that help a person function without feeling cravings or withdrawal symptoms.
While the drug remains active in the system for an extended time, the pain relief effects do not last for nearly as long. This can lead to people who use methadone as a pain reliever becoming dependent on the drug and then taking more than the prescribed dose.
Despite the risks of misusing methadone, it is still an effective option for people seeking to treat opioid addiction. If you or a loved one is struggling with opioid use or addiction, methadone treatment is available at The Recovery Village.Contact ustoday to learn more about our full continuum of care and how it can help you begin the path to a healthier, drug-free future.
