My Cousin Is a Drug Addict and Is on Methadone Treatments?

Published February 12, 2014

Question by Siraco&Sophie: My cousin is a drug addict and is on methadone treatments?
My cousin is a major drug addict and is trying to get off of heroine so they are giving her methadone treatments. My family was just told that my cousins money is running out now to still recieve her methadone injections and that if she doesnt get the money to still take her methadone treatments then she is going to die. I know nothing about drugs or understand any of it so if my cousin can not get the money to pay for her injections will she really die and why will this cause her too die? My mother is the one who told me this and dont know alot of information on all of this or why they say she could die from this so if someone knows any information on any of this please let me know. Im really worried about my cousin now so could this really be true? Could she really die?

Best answer:

Answer by RobsTea
Opiod withdrawal is non-lethal. So she cannot die directly from not receiving methadone, that’s not true.
Perhaps there is more to the story, like the speculation that if she doesn’t stay on methadone she’ll go back to using and end up killing herself.

Edit: I checked the site referenced, scrolled through the in memorium section and was unable to find any deaths directly related to withdrawal. Mental illness/living around violent elements are separate issues.
Withdrawal seizures do not typically happen with opiod abuse – opiods affect the enkephalin and endorphin systems. Withdrawal seizures are associated, rather, with alcohol withdrawal, which can be lethal.

I did searches for opiod/opiate withdrawal and death/lethality on scholar.google.com, which searches medical journals among other things.

From the journal “Addiction”
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1360-0443.1994.tb03745.x

You’ll need access (usually through a university) to view the full text.

“Opiate withdrawal has been described as akin to a moderate to severe flu-like illness. Opiate withdrawal is appropriately described as subjectively severe but objectively mild.”
“… The risk of death from unassisted opiate withdrawal is negligible…”
keeping in mind that the risk of dying from the flu is also negligible/not at all likely.

Also, keeping in mind that if your cousin is/was on managed doses of methadone, the withdrawal will not be as severe as coming down from an abused opiate. It is accepted in the addictions community that opiate withdrawal itself is not lethal, and also that alcohol withdrawal can be far more dangerous. Withdrawing from opiods has very little effect on the systems that would make you seizure, that would happen from using/ODing.

However, I’m sure withdrawal is a horrific experience and certainly would have an effect on mental health/the urge to use/being self-destructive. You don’t, and I’d go as far as saying you can’t die from withdrawing from methadone.

Another risk that is negligible: crossing the street.
Anyway, hope that’s reassuring.

Answer by kphelps2012
There have most certainly have been cases of death from Heroin & other opiate withdrawal. Just because the cases may have been indirectly proportional to the heroin (ie…death was related to withdrawal seizures or suicide during harsh physical withdrawal) doesn’t mean the cases don’t exist just the same.For the past 40yrs. Methadone has been acknowledged as the safest, most effective treatment available for Heroin addiction. Unfortunately, the treatment is very expensive and although addics are protected in the U.S. under the “American with Disabilities Act” insurance companies still refuse to cover substance abuse treatment involving “opiate replacement”. I know the U.S. doesn’t offer the injections of Methadone anymore for treatment so you must be in another country therefore, I don’t know whether or not they treat addiction treatment the same. Finacial assistance can be obtained here in certain circumstances but you might get help at …
http://www.readybb.com/nama_wespeakmethadone/index.php
I believe your family meant that without the Methadone tx. your cousin (like many of us) would end up back on drugs and either die from overdose, HIV, HCV,etc. Although the cost of treatment is enormous it is justified by manyof us because we were spending much more during active addiction. I hope one day there is enough understanding that this form of treatment is offered free of charge. God Bless!

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