The reality is, methadone can help those struggling with opioid and heroin addiction to overcome their addictions. Unfortunately, these same people may end up with a methadone misuse disorder during their addiction treatment.
Meanwhile, other people who’ve been prescribed methadone due to chronic pain may become hooked on the drug after misusing it recreationally.
No matter the reason for your methadone addiction, you realize that you need professional help to beat it. But how long does treatment for methadone addiction last? And what are the different options for rehab?
Here’s a rundown on the different choices for methadone addicts today.
Methadone Inpatient
Treatment for addiction to methadone requires medical detox as well as comprehensive therapy. As a result, in most situations, inpatient treatment is an important part of the recovery process.
What Is Inpatient Treatment?
Inpatient treatment allows you to get the help you need in a highly controlled environment. The environment also provides constant support and care.
A major question you need to ask yourself when it comes to inpatient care is whether you’d like to receive treatment close to home or in a different state or city. Going to a different location offers the benefit of getting you out of your current environment. Thus, you can feel as though you’re getting a brand-new start.
In addition, it’ll separate you from those triggers that were present in your daily life prior to treatment.
Once you get to your treatment center, you might need to undergo a comprehensive assessment. Then, the clinical and medical team will get you started on detox.
Following detox, you can take part in partial hospitalization or residential rehabilitation. Residential care is beneficial because it gives you access to a medical staff’s guidance and care around the clock. You also receive assurance that your affairs will remain completely confidential.
Treatment for methadone addiction may involve personal counseling, group therapy, and activities designed to boost wellbeing and health.
Integrated treatment is important because in many cases, methadone use disorder happens in those with mental health problems. Oftentimes a person receives treatment for one of these co-occurring disorders but not the other.
However, integrated treatment is designed to tackle the multiple factors contributing to substance misuse and mental illness. This helps to ensure that they’re treated appropriately.
Your treatment will be based on a custom plan created for your unique needs.
Standard Length of Methadone Inpatient Treatment
Your inpatient treatment process may last between a month to six months. It all depends on how strong your addiction is as well as the facility you choose.
Methadone Outpatient
With outpatient treatment, you live your day-to-day life including going to work and taking care of your family. But, you’ll also go to therapy. On average, you could spend 10-15 hours every week working on your recovery in an outpatient program.
This is different from inpatient rehabilitation, where your focus is completely on recovery. However, outpatient therapy is usually a latter part of the methadone recovery process once a person has already gone through inpatient therapy.
What Is Outpatient Treatment?
The point of outpatient treatment is to assist you in building life skills while simultaneously moving you out of treatment. You’ll still remain connected with the therapy, counseling, and other resources you need to stay sober.
Standard Length of Methadone Outpatient Treatment
As a general rule of thumb, outpatient participation that doesn’t exceed three months isn’t adequate. More time is needed to achieve significant results and experience freedom from methadone long term.
Ideally, your entire methadone addiction program will last at least a year or more. This is because this length of time is known to yield better results from treatment.
Methadone Sober Living
You may be worried about how you will handle methadone outpatient treatment. Fortunately, there is another option that may work better for you than returning home: joining a sober living home.
What Is Methadone Sober Living?
A sober living home for recovering methadone addicts can be a convenient way to transition from staying in a monitored inpatient facility to experiencing regular daily life.
Sober living homes do not offer the same structure level that inpatient facilities do. But, they do provide sober environments that encourage residents to build healthy habits and coping skills. This helps readjust them to “the real world” when they return home.
What to Expect
As a sober living home resident, you’ll likely be permitted to leave campus and return as you wish. This makes it easier for you to return to your daily responsibilities and tasks while still enjoying the support that the home provides. But you’ll still need to abide by curfews as well as attend group meetings.
You’ll also have the chance to form positive friendships that may help you to stay away from methadone. Other benefits are that you can get help with finding a job and locating housing.
Ongoing Recovery
After completing methadone rehab, you can take advantage of several options for helping you to stay sober.
For instance, you can meet regularly with a therapist to understand the underlying issues that drove you to methadone addiction. Then, you can address the addiction holistically. You can also check in with a reputable mental health professional to make sure that you’re staying on track.
Twelve-step programs and other types of support groups can also be helpful for staying clean long term.
How We Can Help
We can help you to choose the right addiction treatment center for your needs.
For starters, we’ll assist you in determining what center offers the services you want. Then, we’ll work with your insurance company to get you started with the treatment you need. Our goal is to get you into the best rehab center possible.
What makes us stand out? We have formed relationships with many reputable rehabilitation centers. As a result, you can rest assured that you have all the options necessary to overcome your addiction.
Our preference is for rehab programs that offer comprehensive treatment. This is because we’re serious about helping you to experience a full recovery. Also, we want this to happen in the most positive manner possible.
Get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you to break free from the grip of methadone. With our help, you can get your health and your life back.
