Methadone is a very potent synthetic opioid. It is listed as a controlled substance and placed in the Schedule II classification. Although drugs in this classification are considered to have useful medical applications, they are considered to be dangerous drugs of abuse that can lead to serious physical dependence in a very short time. They also can result in potentially fatal overdoses. It is illegal for anyone to possess or use these drugs unless they have a prescription for them. Therefore, no one should attempt to obtain methadone without a prescription from a physician. A person cannot legally or safely use methadone if they are not under the treatment of a physician. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prescription rate for methadone increased until 2009, when it then tapered off and began to decline. Methadone overdose deaths followed a similar pattern, accounting for nearly one in three deaths associated with prescription painkillers in 2009. Currently, methadone accounts for about one in four overdose deaths associated with prescription painkillers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), individuals who are at an increased risk for an overdose on opioid drugs include:
Those who have previous opioid dependence, particularly individuals who have reduced tolerance following medical detox or some other period where they have not been exposed to the drug of abuse.
Those who inject opioids.
Those abusing prescription opioids.
Those who use opioids and have other medical conditions or psychiatric conditions, including depression or HIV.
Those who abuse opioids in combination with other substances that produce sedation, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines.
Those who live in the household of someone who has a prescription for an opioid.
Many people who are on MMT, or who are following a tapering strategy that uses methadone as an opioid replacement medication, are at an increased risk for overdose. They should only be using the drug under the supervision of a physician and as part of their overall treatment recovery program. The safest and most productive way to get involved in a methadone treatment program for opioid abuse is to discuss your situation with an addiction medicine physician or psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of addictive behaviors. The professional will perform a full assessment and place you in a substance use disorder treatment program or MMT. If appropriate, you can benefit from the use of methadone as an opioid replacement medication in a safe and productive manner.