Methadone Tapering, Are You Ready to Taper? Take this 10 Question Quiz to Find Out.
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Are you ready to get off methadone? It can be a tough road, and unless you're in a pretty strong mental "place" you may be putting yourself at unnecessary and premature risk for a relapse back to opiate abuse.
You gotta' want it pretty bad, and you have to want it for yourself! That's the number one cardinal rule of an opiate taper, cause if you are doing it for anyone or anything else; you have a terribly low chance of achieving long term sobriety.
The statistics are pretty sobering as well. Basically, if you are on methadone and doing well with it, you should think hard about whether getting off is worth the risk. Basically, once you start your slow withdrawal off of methadone your odds of a relapse skyrocket.
Sometimes though, you just want to get it over with. You've had enough of the daily ritual and the side effects and you're feeling strong and ready. Sometimes, it's just feels like the right time.
But is it?
Here are 10 questions to ask yourself to help you determine if you truly are ready to make a break from methadone.
- Are you staying clear of all illicit drugs or alcohol? Are you still looking for a high?
- Do you have a job, or are you a student?
- Is your family or home situation stable, sober and supportive?
- Do you have a strong peer support group of non-using friends? (Can you count on them?)
- Does your doctor agree that you are ready to taper?
- Do you feel mentally strong and physically healthy?
- Do you want to get off methadone?
- Are you avoiding using friends or "trigger" places?
- Are you on a relatively low dose of methadone?
- Have you found a beneficial form of counseling or other support?
The more yes answers you have, the more ready you are for an attempt at a methadone taper.
You don't want to go through the effort and risks of a methadone withdrawal until you are truly ready. Get you’re life fully back on track and get the sober support you'll need. Get physically and mentally healthy and get into an environment that minimizes your exposure to temptation. Take it slow, and taper slow – you can do it!
There is little benefit in rushing through the methadone taper. The greater the discomfort, the greater the risk of relapse - This is going to take some time.
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Comments
i want to get off sooooooo bad but mainly b/c i cant get take home b/c im on 2 prescribed benzos (i have a neurological issue + panic disorder), have no cravings, cant imagine ever sticking a needle in my arm again, actually, after only 4 months completely free IV or crack drugs, it seems like it was someone elses life not mine, like i never did those things. i grew up rich and privileged and there was no such thing as drug addicts where i was from (even though like 1/3 of my hs class smoked crack in like 10th grade), and my family has disowned me and stolen my children. i am fighting in court to get them back. i drink heavily (morning to night every day). but have used to illegal drugs in 4 mo. ive gone from 120 to 70 in that time. my urines are all clean for 6 mo. but i still dont have dr permission so i'm ama. so i go slow and BEG for every dose reduction. maybe im not ready to come off, but i sure as hell AM ready to go on vacation with my kids and stay a night with my parents (and kids) without having to make a 2-hr drive to the god forsaken clinic. what to do??????
my other dilemma, i lost my insurance and owe them $900 which means sooner or later they will put me on 30-day detox, so thats a major factor in my starting to taper.
I'm so sad that your family have disowned you and taken your children when you seem so ready to get clean. I also grew up in a well off, educated family and am reeling at the thought that I sank to such a low level.
I last took heroin almost 2 years ago and the biggest factor in my recovery has been my family. I appreciate that I don't know the whole story and can't really comment on what your parents have done but they (as well as you) can't keep dwelling on the past. By definition, an addict slips into this crazy drug fuelled life, stealing, lying, cheating, doing whatever you need to do just to feel almost OK but to help you move on they need to leave that behind. I lived that life for 10 years, both smoking and IV use of heroin and crack (and, lets face it, anything else I could get my grubby little hands on)and I'm almost off Meth now (down to 12ml from a starting amount of 90ml).
I know you'll want to do it for your kids but please make sure you're primarily doing this for yourself. IMO there's a danger you'll end up resenting them but like I said, that's just my opinion. If you are going to go it alone (without support from your parents), I so hope you have a decent circle of "drug free" friends or a good Rehab program as NO-ONE warns you about the emotional wreck you become as you near the end of the Meth Program! I can cry for three days straight no problem! I'm from the UK so Medical Bills aren't so much of an issue. If they do stick you on a 30 day detox - please remember it is shit but it DOES get easier. The hardest bit for me (apart from the tears!) is that the rehab program don't seem to know what to do with me. I'm beginning to wonder if they've ever had someone coming off Meth successfully as they can't seem to tell me ANYTHING about what I should or shouldn't be doing, feeling, taking.... I find this really frustrating. And a bit scary! I've been reducing at 2mls per fortnight (for the last 9 weeks) which is hard for 5 days then OK for the remaining 9 days before the next reduction. Last year, while still on 90ml meth, I got a stomach bug which meant I couldn't hold the full dose of meth down. After 3 weeks my Doc said it would be dangerous to keep me on such a high dose and reduced it to 30ml! I'm sure such a rapid drop is unheard of in the rehab world but I had no choice and although it was painful I came out the other side in one piece.
Someone once quoted this to me: "Keep peace in your heart, let nothing in this world disturb you. All things have an end." Can't think who's meant to have said it but it helps me when things are really grim!
Good Luck. Please get in touch if you think I can offer any advice. I'll not be offended if you don't!!
Norty says:
10 months ago
Great Great Post. 100% true .