Methadone(definition from Wikipedia) is a synthetic medicinal product from the group of opioids, used as an analgesic, as well as in the treatment drug addiction.

Synonyms: amidone, anadone, phenadone, dolophine, physeptone, heptadone.

How to use methadone.

The fact that methadone is available in the form of mixtures, tablets and ampoules, and can be taken not only intravenously or intramuscularly, certainly attracts “newbies”.

What effect does methadone have?

Methadone, as a ready-made narcotic substance, appeared in the mid-20th century. Methadone (in slang method, honey) is a synthetic substance derived from opiates. It was synthesized by American scientists. At first, methadone was used as a strong pain reliever in medicine, because... The effects of methadone last from 24 hours to 72 hours. Methadone has an analgesic and sedative effect, i.e. the functions and processes of the body slow down, just like when taking heroin, but from methadone the impact is much stronger, and herself drug euphoria weaker.

The effect of methadone lasts at least a day, but also withdrawal after quitting methadone lasts 10-15 days and is very difficult, while after quitting heroin, withdrawal lasts up to a week.

Later, in the 60s, methadone began to be used as a way to “treat drug addiction.” The procedure was developed by American scientists and consisted of injecting a person addicted to heroin with methadone as a substitute. The idea was put forward that this would reduce the level of drug-related crimes. It was also believed that "Methadone program" will reduce the amount of illegal drugs consumed. But all these ideas were insufficient in themselves and did not lead to the desired results.

Methadone overdose.

Naturally, methadone went beyond the hospital walls and people began to use methadone uncontrollably and, accordingly, cases became more frequent overdose.

But since taking methadone in the form of tablets or mixtures, a person did not experience such euphoria as, for example, when taking heroin intravenously, most drug addicts still began to inject methadone and in larger dosages than heroin. Hence the overdoses, and most overdoses when taking methadone were fatal.

Very often the only method treatment of severe overdose methadone is artificial ventilation of the lungs until the drug is removed from the body in an intensive care unit. In case of opioid overdose, their antidote is used - naloxone.

Consequences of methadone use.

As a result, the result of a “methadone program” is a drug addict who has either switched from heroin to methadone, or uses both heroin and methadone. Thus, many countries have begun to phase out the use of methadone. Currently in the US, methadone is a Schedule II drug. narcotic drugs, i.e. use of methadone strictly in medical purposes, on prescription. Storage and use without a doctor's prescription is prohibited. In Russia, methadone is prohibited - List I of narcotic substances. It is also prohibited to conduct any “methadone programs” on the territory of Russia - this is not legal.

How long does methadone stay in the body?

In order to detect narcotic drugs, some biological fluids person, and specifically urine, saliva or blood. It is almost impossible to determine exactly how long a drug stays in the blood, because each body is designed individually.

Traceable whole line moments for both beginners and experienced drug addicts, affecting the removal of harmful substances:

• the amount of the drug taken.
• weight of a person who uses drugs.
• timing of drug use and frequency of taking them.
• general health, features of human metabolic processes.

On average, traces of methadone use remain in within 5-7 days.

Treatment of methadone addiction.

In general, at present, the situation with methadone in Russia and other countries is the same as with other illegal drugs. And it is, of course, necessary to fight methadone to the same extent as with heroin, cocaine, amphetamine and other drugs that are taking more and more people’s lives every day.

Methadone. Pros and cons of replacement therapy

What is Methadone

Methadone (6-(dimethylamino)-4,4-diphenylheptanone-3) - synthetic drug long-acting opioid group. Chemical formula methadone: C21H27NO.

Methadone, when consumed, affects the central nervous system, cardiovascular system and smooth muscles. The first effects begin to be felt 20-30 minutes after oral administration, and are comparable in euphoria and duration to the effects of other opioid drugs. Methadone produces a less pronounced euphoric effect than heroin, despite this it tends to induce a feeling of well-being, a feeling of warmth, drowsiness and a sense of calm. Methadone lasts from 24 to 72 hours, depending on the dose and individual metabolism. Tolerance to methadone develops slowly. After reading the article, do not forget to watch a film about methadone and the methadone program.

Signs of methadone use:

Drowsiness, lightheadedness, weakness, euphoria, dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, slow breathing, allergic reactions, skin rash, hives, itching, headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, feeling drunk, confusion, depression, blurred vision , double vision, sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, hallucinations, muscle cramps, kidney failure

Methadone is as addictive as heroin. Methadone withdrawal takes 3-4 weeks, while heroin withdrawal takes several days. Methadone overdose is fatal in almost 100% of cases. Compared to heroin, methadone is easier to produce, cheaper, and because it does not require intravenous administration, it also protects drug addicts from HIV.

However, an addict who takes methadone in a dose calculated by a doctor orally does not receive the same euphoric sensations as when taking heroin, and looks for the opportunity to get them through other means. Therefore, drug addicts still prefer to administer methadone intravenously, in a higher dosage, which, along with the long period of “withdrawal” and high cost on the black market (which, in turn, is determined by a longer period of influence on the body than heroin (up to 2 days), makes the use of methadone controversial for rehabilitation.

Methadone was originally developed by the Nazis. When the opium supply was cut off, heroin Nazis like Goering wanted to avoid possible breakdowns and commissioned German pharmaceutical companies to develop a completely synthetic opiate that would not require poppy to produce. In 1937 German researchers Max Bockmühl and Gustav Ehrhart managed to synthesize “drug 8909” using diphenylacetonitrile and dimethylamine-2-chloropropane. He was named Dolaphine - believed to be in honor of Adolf Hitler himself.

Later the synthesis was changed to a simpler one where diphenylbutanesulfonic acid was used. In 1942 In 2009, industrial production of the drug amidon began, which was initially used for experimental purposes as an analgesic. Main feature methadone has become something that, unlike morphine, methadone is also effective when taken orally. At the end of the 40s, full-fledged clinical trials were carried out, and the drug began to be used in medical practice, as a replacement for morphine for severe pain.

Actually, it began to be called methadone only in 1954. The owner of the production patent (before its expiration) was the medical company Ely Lilly & Co.

In the early 1960s years, Vincent Dole (V. Dole) and Mary Nyswander (M. Nyswander) first developed a method of treating heroin addiction with methadone.

At first, methadone treatment produced impressive results. However, by the middle 1970s years, the number of deaths associated with methadone use has increased sharply. The fact is that wide use the drug in medicine provided him with access “to the streets,” and its use without medical supervision turned out to be much more dangerous than even heroin itself.

In Russia, methadone is included in List I of the List of Narcotic Drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors subject to control in Russian Federation(trade prohibited).

The information presented on the site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to

self-diagnosis and self-medication. Selection and prescription of drugs and treatment methods, as well as monitoring

Their use can only be monitored by the attending physician. Be sure to consult your doctor.

Preface: What is methadone? How did this drug appear on the drug market? Are there any signs of its use? The process of addiction formation: two main stages. Consequences of methadone use. Is it possible to provide first aid in case of an overdose? Principles of treatment under the supervision of specialists.

Methadone, like many other drugs containing opium, was created to reduce addiction to heroin. It was made in the middle of the 20th century. At that time, heroin was an illegal drug, and the number of drug addicts was constantly increasing.

Also back then there was really no effective techniques capable of rehabilitating a drug addict. Therefore, he was often transferred from one addiction to another.

Methadone is a synthetic substance created by using opiates. Accordingly, it only half belongs to the opium group. Naturally, the number of people who were able to recover through the “methadone healing program” is completely missing.

The scope of use of the drug was initially focused only on medicine. It was used as a pain reliever and anesthetic. It was also used to induce anesthesia during major operations. Of course, the drug did not remain within hospitals.

The effect of methadone on the human body is compared to heroin. It slows down all processes within a person, including mental ones. Therefore, my head seems to clear up. However, the state of euphoria is much less than when using heroin. At the same time, the harm to the body is tens of times more serious, since the drug is half synthetic.

Signs of methadone use

Methadone acts for 1-3 days, so identifying a drug addict is quite easy. The following signs indicate use:

• Slow speech, constant “jumping” from one topic to another, the idea of ​​the story is lost;
• Slowness in movements simple steps a person does things for too long, for example, brushing his teeth for hours;
• Increased irritability or friendliness. A person can react extremely aggressively to trivial requests;
• Lack or excessive appetite;
• Insomnia;
• Shortness of breath;
• Skin itching.

You can also identify the main signs of drug use - dilated pupils, bruises from injections on the arms or legs, a constant need for money, vague and suspicious acquaintances.

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Formation of methadone addiction

If the average non-at-risk person begins daily methadone use, then the first stage physical dependence will develop after 2-3 weeks. The first dose of the drug begins to work within a few minutes. Warmth appears in the stomach, then a state of euphoria comes, a feeling of joy and bliss. This state lasts for a maximum of half an hour. If the dosage is maintained, the euphoria will decrease over the duration of action. At the end of 2-3 weeks it is completely absent.

This shows tolerance to the drug, as it requires a constant increase in dosage.

The first stage of methadone use lasts approximately 2-3 months. But this period can be shortened if the number of doses is increased to 2 or more per day.

Also, after the first use, it immediately forms psychological dependence. With each new appointment it grows.

After 2-3 months, the second stage or serious physical dependence appears. It lasts for 1-1.5 years. Now a person cannot live without a dose of literally. If he doesn't find the drug, then withdrawal syndrome could kill him.

The effect of methadone in the body is to slow down functions. Thoughts appear faster, images are clear, fantasy and imagination work perfectly. When the state of intoxication passes, thinking process starts working normally. That is, the brain “accelerates” again, because of this a feeling of anxiety appears and various manias appear.

Like other opiates, methadone has particular effects on the brain, lungs, liver and heart. All living cells in the brain die, the structure of the personality is disrupted. Organs begin to work worse until they completely fail.

Consequences of methadone use

Methadone was originally used to treat heroin addiction. But over time, it was recognized not only as a drug that causes new addiction, but also as a potent drug that can easily replace heroin on the black market. The consequences of using this drug are very serious:

1. Liver disorders. At long-term use cirrhosis and drug-induced hepatitis develop.
2. Vitamins and beneficial elements cease to be absorbed. Because of this, immunity decreases. Simple diseases become chronic and inflammatory processes begin.
3. Potassium is leached from bones, causing them to become brittle. Characteristic pains appear.
4. Thinking is disrupted, and as a result, the psyche is disrupted.
5. Infertility, frigidity or impotence develops.

Overdose: what to do?

In case of an overdose of methadone, you need to do the following:

• Rub the ears, make sure that the person does not fall asleep (wake him up), press on the point under the nose;
• Be sure to call specialists;
• If a person loses consciousness, you need to turn him on his right side, making sure that the vomit does not interfere with breathing. You also need to insert your finger into your mouth to prevent your tongue from sticking out;
• If you have the drug Naloxone on hand, you need to inject 1-2 mg intramuscularly (distributed by prescription);
• Perform artificial respiration or chest compressions if necessary.

If the ambulance is delayed, there is a high risk of death. Therefore, it is recommended not to let this happen and start treatment earlier.

Treatment of methadone addiction

It is difficult to get rid of drug addiction, and even more so from methadone addiction. Opiates are always difficult to quit, regardless of how long you have been using them. As in many other cases, treatment begins with detoxification. If the body is not cleansed of toxins, then withdrawal symptoms persist. It can cause more serious and rapid harm to health than the actual use of the drug itself.

An effective technique is to complex treatment carried out under the supervision of specialists. It is necessary not only to treat the drug addict’s body, but also his psyche. It is necessary to transform the personality, to get to the root of the problem. Only by knowing the essence of the problem is it possible to develop motivation and desire.

Conclusion

Do not despair if you or your loved ones have become dependent on methadone. This is a serious hard drug. However, if you try, you can overcome your addiction. Effective and effective techniques exist, but only a specialist should prescribe treatment. Trying on your own will not end well.

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In the practice of medicine, there are cases when some narcotic substances are developed to treat addiction to another drug. Methodon, which was invented by scientists from Germany, was supposed to act as a strong painkiller. The chemical formula of methadone is C21H27NO.

The use of methadone was ideally supposed to help heroin addicts fight their addiction, but in fact it only made the situation worse, and the drug became an even more dangerous drug.

Unfortunately, methadone synthesis is a fairly simple process.. Therefore, many unscrupulous traders make business on a drug called “street methadone”, which is even more dangerous to human life than the pharmacy drug. An overdose of methadone is very dangerous, so this article includes information on how to avoid this dangerous disease, and how methadone treatment occurs if addiction cannot be avoided.

Methadone is one of the most powerful synthetic drugs

Effect of methadone

When ingested as syrup or tablets, the drug is absorbed very quickly and almost completely (up to 95%) by the stomach. After half an hour, the substance reaches the blood and the body feels the analgesic effect. The maximum concentration in the body occurs after three hours.

When injected under the skin, the speed of onset of the effect increases threefold. The effect of a narcotic substance can last a day, a maximum of two days - it all depends on the dose taken and the characteristics of each organism. Drug use can be detected within five days using a drug test by providing urine for analysis.

Beware - fake!

In addition to the pharmacy version, there is also a street version of the drug - “metal”, which is more dangerous in properties than heroin. It is a powder-like opium drug or acid that accumulates human body. Used in several ways: smoking (sucking through the nose), intravenously.

The last option is the most effective, and therefore the most dangerous. Street powder often contains all sorts of added impurities, making it much more dangerous than pure methadone. The type of impurity determines how harmful the effect it will have on the body - there are often cases of severe poisoning even when taking the drug for the first time.

Overdose

An overdose of methadone can cause death.

Methadone has a significant effect on the human body; withdrawal symptoms are not long in coming and affect a person in the form of severe muscle pain, profuse vomiting, attacks of hallucinations, and a state of panic. Only a new dose helps to temporarily get rid of the torment. This is how a person gets into vicious circle, from which it is very difficult to get out. As is known, an exaggerated dose leads to an overdose. It is very dangerous due to its consequences:

• the brain dies;
• the addict cannot speak, see or hear;
• the addict may fall into a coma or die.

Chronic overdoses lead to disability, dementia or death.

First aid for overdose

During an overdose and subsequent poisoning, the victim cannot help himself. People nearby must act very quickly, because the life of a person in opiate trouble depends on their actions.

Treatment of methadone poisoning

There are a number of steps you need to take:

• First of all, call an ambulance;
• bring the victim to his senses at all costs. Use scream or loud voice, use ammonia, pain points;
• clear your mouth of vomit, remove your tongue from your mouth to avoid suffocation;
• The drug Naloxone works well against opiates; it must be administered in a dose of one or two milliliters. The device’s action begins in almost a minute and lasts about an hour;
• perform artificial respiration if necessary;
• if the heart has stopped, start performing indirect massage.

Alternative to heroin

Most countries have a taboo on the sale and use of the drug. Nevertheless, methadone is quite successfully used in a number of some countries, as part of a program to combat heroin addicts, but it also has a lot of opponents of this treatment method. The main arguments of the opposing camps are presented below.

Useful properties of the drug:

• the drug is perfectly dosed to avoid overdose;
• long-term effects on the body allow the patient to follow all the instructions of the attending physician;
• the ability to use tablets and syrup orally without using injections;
• low cost of the drug and free distribution by some medical institutions.

In some countries, methadone is used to “treat” heroin addiction

Negative properties of the drug:

• low price is a threat to purchase it in large quantities and the emergence of dependence on excessive use;
• treatment of addiction to this opiate is very complex and lengthy;
• Frequent use of opiates leads to rapid addiction and an increase in consumed doses, which can lead to an overdose.

Methadone: consequences

Drug use is never without consequences. initial stage contains complications:

• obesity, rapid weight gain;
• lack of appetite;
• swelling of the limbs;
• attacks of suffocation;
• infertility, impotence;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• sleep disturbance;
• stomach cramps;
• heart failure.

Visual consequences of drug use: before and after photos

After two months of opiate use, next stage– withdrawal syndrome, containing:

• visual impairment;
• profuse vomiting;
• outbursts of aggression;
• irritability;
• breathing problems;
• shortness of breath, tachycardia;
• fever;
• severe muscle pain.

At this stage, a person ceases to control himself. If withdrawal occurs, which is guaranteed to occur within four days after the last use of the substance, I am ready to do anything to get a new dose.

How to get off methadone?

It is important for an addicted person to lend a helping hand in time

The consequences of methadone use are not difficult to notice - just take blood or urine tests. The earlier the disease is detected, the more chances save a person, restore him to his former state. It is impossible to correct the problem on your own; long-term treatment therapy is required, lasting approximately a year. It contains a number of measures:

• elimination of withdrawal symptoms - while the drug addict is experiencing withdrawal, he cannot be treated;
• patient rehabilitation: psychological courses recovery, detoxification of the body, treatment with medications;
• adaptation in society - often narcotic dependent people narrow their social circle, remaining either alone or communicating with similar drug addicts.

It is vitally important to break down the barrier that has arisen between the victim and the world around him. It is important to remember that the effectiveness of treatment most depends on the desire of the victim to recover from the disease.

Video

Watch a shocking video about the most dangerous synthetic drug, methadone.

This drug is used to maintain the health of drug addicts during substitution therapy in case of opiate or heroin addiction. Chemical structure Methadone is in many ways not similar to morphine, but both substances have approximately similar effects on the body.

History of methadone

Methadone was obtained by German researchers M. Bockmuhl and G. Erhart in 1937. The first name for methadone is dolaphine. German scientists have given The substance is named in honor of A. Hitler. The drug was put into production and by 1942 it had found its niche in the pharmaceutical market. It was used as a potent analgesic. The main feature of the drug was a strong and rapid reaction when taken orally. By the end of the 40s, everything laboratory research were completed and dolaphine began to be used as an effective replacement for morphine.

The substance received the name “Methadone” by 1954. In the early 60s, W. Dole and M. Niswander proposed the use of methadone as a substitute in the treatment of heroin addiction. The results at the beginning of the experiments were impressive. But by the mid-70s the number of deaths associated with methadone use. The reason was the uncontrolled production and sale of it in regular pharmacies. Uncontrolled use of this substance has become even more dangerous than taking heroin.

What does methadone look like?

It is supplied to the pharmaceutical market in the form of syrup, tablets and solutions for intravenous injection. The injection drug is a 1% solution of the active substance.

Methadone obtained in makeshift laboratories looks like large crystals white, reminiscent sea ​​salt or small translucent white crystals resembling sugar.

The effects of methadone on the body

In a therapeutic dose, methadone is intended to have a sedative and analgesic effect. It affects smooth muscles, the central nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. After oral administration, the maximum effect occurs after approximately 30 minutes. The maximum analgesic effect appears 6 hours after administration.

The substance has an effect on the body for 72 hours. The duration of exposure is influenced by the metabolism and individual characteristics of each organism. Tolerance to methadone develops extremely slowly. The narcotic action potential can only be compared with morphine. Minimum lethal dose is 50 mcg.

Side effects include:

• sweating
• nausea,
• dizziness,
• bouts of vomiting.

An overdose can cause respiratory depression, as well as:

• depression of blood circulation, expressed in a decrease in heart rate and falling blood pressure,
• pulmonary edema of cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic nature,
• spasms of the sphincter and bladder,
• acute renal failure.

In severe cases, depression of the respiratory center can cause suffocation, and disturbances in heart rhythm, together with suppression of central nervous system activity, can cause coma. Deaths are common.
In case of overdose and poisoning, naloxone is used as an antidote. It is able to correct the situation within 1 hour after administration. But in especially severe cases, even 2 hours after taking naloxone, patients may lose consciousness and fall into a coma again. In this case, the only hope for recovery of the body is to place the patient in intensive care unit and the use of intensive therapy techniques and cleansing the body of poisons.

Symptoms of abuse include:

• relaxation,
• hyperglycemia,
• increased body temperature,
• rare and irregular breathing,
• bradycardia,
• spasms of the biliary tract,
• constipation

In some cases, patients experienced generalized pain of unknown etiology and chronic insomnia. Deaths from cardiac arrest during sleep are common among methadone addicts. The risk of death for such addicts participating in substitution therapy programs is increased by apnea - stopping breathing during sleep.

Cases of pulmonary granulomatosis have been reported. This disorder develops as a result of intravenous administration of tablets ground into powder and dissolved in water.

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Physical dependence

In the case of methadone use during substitution therapy, the formation of physical dependence was not observed. This is explained by maintaining the amount of administered substance at the same level. In some cases, the dose of the drug during replacement therapy is constantly reduced.

But most drug addicts are unable to forget the euphoria after taking heroin and strive to achieve the same state with substitution therapy. To do this, they purchase methadone, heroin and other psychoactive substances on the black market and use them themselves. Often such combinations cause severe poisoning - overdoses that end in death.

A constantly increasing dose leads to the formation of an addiction similar to heroin. Since the effects of methadone are longer lasting than those of heroin, overdoses occur much more frequently.

Impact on the psyche

The use of methadone causes persistent mental dependence. In case of cancellation the following occurs:

• anxiety,
• anxiety
• and sudden, uncontrollable mood swings.

Long-term withdrawal symptoms can lead to severe depressive states. Marked obsessive states with constant thoughts about taking the drug.

Constant regular use leads to mental destruction. States of apathy, depression, and unclear perception of what is happening are observed. There has been a sharp drop intellectual abilities. Overdoses can cause exacerbations similar to delirium tremens. In case of withdrawal, narcotic psychosis is observed. Psychotic states manifest themselves unmotivated aggression in relation to others, hallucinations, the desire to harm oneself. Drug addicts “see” foreign objects inside own body, which prevent them from living normally and strive to get them and remove them.

How to quit using methadone?

Methadone addiction is subject to the same treatment as any other. The key to success in achieving your goal has always been a clearly formulated desire to quit taking medication and start leading a healthy life.

You should not think that you can stop taking drugs on your own. In some cases, people, exhausted by the severity of their situation, tried to quit taking the drug on their own by switching to another psychoactive substance. Most often it was alcohol. This method does not allow you to get rid of drug addiction, but it gives by-effect in the form of dependence on two drugs at once.

The first step to fixing the problem is to seek professional help.

Treatment of methadone addiction

It must be carried out in inpatient conditions under constant monitoring doctor Treatment for methadone addiction is carried out in two stages.

• Elimination of physical dependence.
• Rehabilitation and social adaptation.

The physical component of the disease is removed through medication. This program is called "detoxification". Removing from the body the poison itself and its breakdown products that poison the body helps normalize work internal organs, restore good health. The body seems to “forget” that it was recently poisoned with a psychoactive substance.

The second stage is much more difficult. The human psyche is much more difficult to treat than its internal organs. Unfortunately, memories of euphoria may accompany former drug addict for many years. The second stage is accompanied by severe depression and a persistent desire to start taking methadone again. And only a strong desire to quit taking drugs helps fight addiction.

The modern market of narcotic substances is regularly replenished with new “products”. Surprisingly, the majority of street drugs are drugs that were invented with good intentions. Designed to relieve pain or eliminate anxiety and depression, they sooner or later come to the attention of those who are looking for new ways to get drunk. And methadone, developed to produce a strong analgesic, is just such a substance.

What is methadone? Chemical formula of methadone.

Methadone (6-(dimethylamino)-4,4-diphenylheptanone-3)- a long-acting synthetic drug from the group of opioids. For medical purposes it is used as an analgesic, as well as in replacement therapy, in the treatment of drug addiction.

Chemical formula of methadone: C21H27NO.

Synonyms and analogues of methadone: amidone, anadone, heptadone, dolophine, phenadone, physeptone.

History of Methadone

Initially, methadone had nothing to do with the drug business. In 1937, a group of German scientists created a drug called Dolafin. The substance was synthesized from dimethylamine-2-chloropropane and diphenylacetonitrile. Subsequently, diphenylbutanesulfonic acid was used as the starting product for the synthesis, which significantly simplified the process of obtaining the drug.

Methadone, being relatively cheap and easy to produce, began to be used as a replacement for the more expensive morphine in pain therapy. And already in the 1940s it was put into mass production under the trade name “Amidon”.

The main advantage of amidon was its ability to exert its effect even when administered orally (unlike morphine, which provided an analgesic effect only in the form of injections).

Since 1954, the drug became known as methadone, and in the 1960s. M. Niswander and V. Dole developed a system that made it possible to use methadone as a replacement for heroin in the treatment of heroin addiction. The impressive effect that this system demonstrated at the beginning quickly became a collapse. Already in the 1970s. everything started to register large quantity deaths caused by methadone. It didn’t take long to look for an explanation for this phenomenon: the use of the drug for medical purposes opened its way to the streets, where it began to be used en masse and uncontrollably by drug addicts. Only then did it become clear that methadone was no better than heroin, and as for dire consequences- even more dangerous than him.

Today, the most active participant in the methadone substitution therapy program is the United States, where this substance began to be used as part of the fight against HIV infection and crime among drug addicts. But even there there are more and more opponents of this method of treatment.

Narcologists of the Russian Federation consider it inappropriate to treat heroin addiction with methadone, and speak quite sharply on the topic that replacing one drug with another is not treating addiction, but its transition to a more dangerous level.

Methadone is on the list of narcotic substances prohibited for circulation on the territory of the Russian Federation, and therefore is not used for medical purposes.

However, it is worth noting that for some time methadone was still used in treatment in Russia as a substitute for heroin (in the 90s of the 20th century), however, after the drug was included in the “List of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors Subject to Control in the Russian Federation and prohibiting its circulation”, ceased to be used. Fast development addiction to the drug, as well as its use for other purposes in order to obtain narcotic pleasure, were the main reasons for this decision.

Because the Federal law No. 3 dated 01/08/98 “On narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances» drug addiction treatment drugs is prohibited (Article 31, paragraph 6), methadone in Russia cannot be used in medical practice at all.

Effect of methadone

When taken orally, methadone is absorbed through the walls gastrointestinal tract and quickly enters the bloodstream. With this method of use, it begins to act within 30 minutes, having a massive effect on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as causing relaxation of smooth muscles. Its highest concentration in the blood is observed after 4 hours: the analgesic effect (when taking a therapeutic dose) occurs after 20-30 minutes and lasts about 4-6 hours.

When the drug is administered subcutaneously, the narcotic effect occurs within 10-15 minutes, and the concentration of methadone in the blood approaches peak values ​​after 1-2 hours.

Just like other drugs of the opioid group, methadone causes a feeling of complete relaxation and safety, euphoria, and its effect lasts from 1 to 3 days, depending on the individual characteristics CNS and the dose taken.

With regular use of methadone, the drug creates a “depot” in the tissues of the body. This means that with each subsequent use of the drug, its concentration in the body increases, and at the same time the likelihood of an overdose increases.

Harm and consequences of using methadone

As already mentioned, at a certain stage in its history, methadone was legal and even managed to try on the role of a panacea for heroin addiction. But experience in the treatment of drug addiction in general, and the use of methadone in particular, confirmed what was initially obvious: such substitution therapy did not lead to anything. Or rather, one addiction replaced another.

Moreover, compared to methadone, heroin turned out to be somewhat more “humane” - withdrawal symptoms (“withdrawal”) when quitting heroin last for several days. And without the opportunity to take methadone, the addict experiences all these symptoms (muscle and headache, convulsive syndrome, nausea and vomiting, extreme apathy, followed by attacks of aggression, etc.) for 3-4 weeks.

Like most drugs, methadone is addictive: over time, the degree of intoxication and euphoria after its use becomes weaker, which forces the addict to increase the dose. But addiction doesn't mean that Negative influence This substance weakens in the same way as the acuity of sensations. On the contrary, the body, already worn out by endless attempts to utilize the breakdown products of methadone and prevent it from causing irreparable harm, suffers even more. As a result, even a small overdose of this drug almost guarantees death.

The terrible consequences of using methadone and death await every person dependent on this substance. The only question is how soon the irreparable will happen.

But the causes of death as a result of methadone addiction are not limited to overdose. The effect of the drug on the central nervous system and smooth muscles often leads to suppression of the cough and gag reflex, which, in essence, are defense mechanisms. When "switched off" or ineffective in people using methadone, these reflexes lose their ability to stimulate the elimination of pathogens and toxins from the airways and stomach. As a result, death from sudden pneumonia, respiratory failure or elementary food poisoning- not uncommon among people addicted to methadone.

Methadone video

7 facts about methadone

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Methadone addiction

Methadone is an “adult” drug. Its price on the black market is high enough for the most vulnerable category - children and adolescents - to be protected from it to some extent. But the area of ​​distribution of addiction among the adult population is almost limitless. Not only people who already use any drugs can become dependent on the drug (although this sharply increases the likelihood of developing methadone addiction). Often, people who use methadone and its derivatives for medical purposes and neglect the doctor’s recommendations about the dosage and frequency of use of the drug become involved in drug addiction.

Dependence on methadone develops according to the classical pattern - drug use is resorted to against the background of any personal problems in order to alleviate psychological discomfort, or according to the principle “you have to try everything in life.” The first dose of the drug makes a person feel more relaxed, feel a sense of security and calm. Problems recede into the background, euphoria sets in - a state of bliss, joyful, spiritual uplift, inexplicable by external circumstances and reasons. After just one dose of methadone, a kind of “reminder” is formed in the psyche that there is a way to quickly and easily get rid of problems, mental or physical pain. And when negative feelings return, the decision to take another methadone seems natural.

But this does not last long: after 2-4 uses of the drug, a person ceases to need external incentives to take methadone - the addiction has already developed and requires “support” in the form of another dose.

Attention, methadone addiction develops very quickly: 2-3 injections are enough! If you are offered to try this drug, do not agree under any circumstances! The addiction to methadone develops rapidly, and it will be extremely difficult to quit using it on your own!

Symptoms and signs of methadone use

The use of methadone as a drug quickly manifests itself as dysfunction of internal organs. Especially noticeable are the symptoms indicating the effect of the drug on smooth muscle, which is a “component” of almost all systems and organs human body. Smooth or visceral muscles are the muscles of internal organs, muscles of the skin and skin glands, walls of blood vessels, excretory ducts of the genitourinary system, intestines, pharynx and heart.

The following are observed symptoms methadone use:

• breathing disorders (slow and shallow, and during sleep there is apnea, which often causes a complete stop of breathing);
• disturbances of heart rhythm and blood pressure caused by changes in the tone of the vascular walls;
• negative changes in the gastrointestinal tract (intestinal atony, constipation, increased spasticity of the bile ducts, etc.);
• dysfunction of the urinary tract (urinary retention, painful spasms of the sphincter and bladder walls).

External signs that will help loved ones of a drug addict identify the problem are:

• An abnormally carefree attitude of a person towards everything that happens to him and what surrounds him. Ease of judgment can affect absolutely everything - from a broken cup to death loved one. A drug addict on methadone reacts equally complacently and calmly to both situations.
• Disorientation in space. Dependence on methadone can lead to loss or severe impairment of the ability to navigate the terrain. Even in familiar territory, for example, in one’s own apartment, a person may need some time to “remember” where the front door, kitchen, etc.
• Excessive sweating, not conditional physical activity or hot weather, which is accompanied shortness of breath- in general, one gets the impression that the person is extremely tired and exhausted.

Less obvious, but characteristic features addiction is absent-mindedness, inability to concentrate and maintain a conversation, unreasonable mood swings, gradual changes in a behavior pattern (a person begins to act in a way that is unusual for him). These manifestations become more obvious the longer the addiction lasts. At the so-called “point of no return,” changes become irreversible—some dysfunctions of the central nervous system cannot be treated—and certain personality characteristics may be lost forever.

Diagnosis and treatment of methadone addiction

Diagnosis of methadone addiction is carried out using special psychological, psychiatric and drug tests. So, to make a diagnosis, clinical picture should include the following items:

• the ever-increasing need for the drug;
• addiction to the drug and the need to increase its dosage/frequency of use;
• withdrawal syndrome that occurs when you voluntarily give up a drug or when you are unable to get another dose.

Treatment of methadone addiction usually carried out in a hospital setting, since the withdrawal syndrome is characterized by a long duration and extreme severity. Thus, if the drug is abruptly discontinued, cardiac, respiratory, and renal failure can quickly develop and coma may occur.

The duration of the course of therapy directly depends on the duration of methadone administration and the effect on the body that it has had time to have, but in general, treatment rarely takes less than a year.

Although great importance has a composition individual programs therapy, they necessarily include the following stages: