Sunday, May 22, 2016

Out Patient Methadone Clinics Sucess or Not?

Typically called, Medicated Assisted Treatment. These are outpatient treatment options. Yes, we have one of those here in Martinsburg. I assume that some of those against the in-house treatment program that our petition is calling for have told me, "but we already have one." They mention the Martinsburg Institute. Some call it The Methadone Clinic. This is a detox process using medically assisted treatment.

The methadone clinic and program we have here are for outpatient treatment. It is very costly and it didn't work for our son. We don't know why other than it is very easy for them to get what they need on any street in this town.

Now I'm not saying it doesn't work for everyone. It is likely needed for those who may have just left a thirty-day in-house program.
Our son went there. My sister paid for his first months of treatment there. This was done on the promise that he would be clean enough to find employment and be able to pay his own weekly payment of which I believe was $20.

None of those expectations happened.

For a time I was giving him $20 because I believed that is what the money was being used for. Uh No!!! He had stopped going there several months prior. He was able to obtain the suboxone and methadone on any street corner in this town.

Honestly, we never saw any progress. I guess maybe he really wasn't ready to give up the demons of heroin and opiates yet. We don't know.

The methadone clinic became his lie to hopefully convince us. It was used to keep us off his back. As long as we believed the lie everything was great.

Eventually, the lies make a full circle and we learned he never stopped chasing the dragon.

For our son, this is why I know he needs inpatient treatment for 30 days or longer. This time if we get the chance we are also pushing him to get out of the State of West Virginia.
Is this a guarantee? Nope, we know that. He has proven that he cannot stay here away from those old friends and vices. Of course, the ultimate decision will be up to him.

After taking our Naloxone class with Dr. John Aldis I have had the opportunity to read some information on Vivitrol.

Naltrexone For Heroin and Opiate Addiction

I wonder why this isn't being studied more and used as a treatment option here in Berkeley County?

I am not putting down medically assisted treatment. I'm just saying it didn't work for our son.

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