Methadone Maintenance Treatment vs. Rapid Opiod Detox Method
Methadone Maintenance Treatment versus Rapid Opioid Detoxification Amber Dawn Phillips University of Phoenix
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that close to three million people in Europe and the US are addicted to some type of opiate, and in the US alone, over two million people are addicted to prescription opiates, and opiates make up 83 percent of admissions for intravenous drug addictions. This has given rise to many treatment methods to address opiate abuse. Two of those treatment methods are Methadone Maintenance Treatment or MMT and Rapid Opioid Detoxification ROD. While ROD is dangerous, and costly with few lasting results, Methadone Maintenance Treatment offers opiate addicts a safer, less expensive alternative with high success rates. While the argument persists that MMT programs are allowing the addict to trade one substance for another, the means of this justifies the end, and offers the addict a way out. Rapid Opioid Detoxification (ROD) is based on the theory that persons addicted to opiate based substances, only continue to use because the withdrawals are often too harsh and painful to safely make through. Nausea, vomiting, tremors, fever, cold and hot sweats, convulsions, and seizures are what awaits an opiate addict upon coming off of the drug. The ROD program promises to obliterate. Upon intake the addict is asked to provide information on medical history, as well as drug abuse background. They are then asked to give a urine specimen, so that a positive need for treatment can be obtained. Once that need is established, an appointment is set. Usually within 72 hours after intake. On the day of the detox session the patient is expected to have abstained from illicit drug use for 24 hours. This reduces the risk of drug interactions. If the patient fails to do so, they will be asked to reschedule. Vital
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that close to three million people in Europe and the US are addicted to some type of opiate, and in the US alone, over two million people are addicted to prescription opiates, and opiates make up 83 percent of admissions for intravenous drug addictions. This has given rise to many treatment methods to address opiate abuse. Two of those treatment methods are Methadone Maintenance Treatment or MMT and Rapid Opioid Detoxification ROD. While ROD is dangerous, and costly with few lasting results, Methadone Maintenance Treatment offers opiate addicts a safer, less expensive alternative with high success rates. While the argument persists that MMT programs are allowing the addict to trade one substance for another, the means of this justifies the end, and offers the addict a way out. Rapid Opioid Detoxification (ROD) is based on the theory that persons addicted to opiate based substances, only continue to use because the withdrawals are often too harsh and painful to safely make through. Nausea, vomiting, tremors, fever, cold and hot sweats, convulsions, and seizures are what awaits an opiate addict upon coming off of the drug. The ROD program promises to obliterate. Upon intake the addict is asked to provide information on medical history, as well as drug abuse background. They are then asked to give a urine specimen, so that a positive need for treatment can be obtained. Once that need is established, an appointment is set. Usually within 72 hours after intake. On the day of the detox session the patient is expected to have abstained from illicit drug use for 24 hours. This reduces the risk of drug interactions. If the patient fails to do so, they will be asked to reschedule. Vital