Current Medication Treatment Options Currently, methadone is approved by the FDA for opiate maintenance therapy or MAT. Proper use of methadone has shown to effectively decrease illicit use related to drug dependence. Another drug called LAAM (1-alpha-acetylmethadol) has been clinically tested and approved for narcotic addiction (Hanson et al., 2012). The use of buprenorphine-naloxone (bup-nx) to treat prescription opioid dependence is increasing and the use of buprenorphine alone was recently approved by the FDA for narcotic maintenance therapy or MAT (Hanson et al., 2012; Nielsen et al., 2014). For those who abuse these drugs harm reduction and family support is essential. Family support can be lower due to the nature of their addiction, bad behaviors, and actions they took against the family while using (e.g. stealing family belongings and lying to family) (Hoffman & Froemke, 2007). This is something that therapy can help to ensure that relationships are rebuilt and that support is in place for the recovering …show more content…
Methadone, an opioid agonist, is a long-lasting and legal substitute for heroin and other opioids and aims to break the routines associated with heroin use and to provide stability in the patient’s life (Matthew-Simmons & Ritter, 2014). Research into methadone has shown that it is an efficacious, effective, and cost-effective treatment, but, overdose is possible and deaths have been associated with methadone treatment (Matthew-Simmons & Ritter, 2014). This is what is worrisome to me as a clinician I would want my client to use something that is safe for their overall well-being if needed to work towards less harm and ultimately abstinence if they are willing to do