I was at a friends house the other night and we watched an episode of "Addiction" on HBO, I don't have HBO at home and we were looking for something to watch, so I asked him to click on the "Opiates" episode. Anyway, the show was a counselor talking to a group of recovering(?) Heroin/Oxy users. He explained very clearly what opiates do to the brain and he said that heavy use actually shuts down the part of your brain that produces dopamine and after long-term use, that part of your brain cannot be stimulated like a 'normal' brain would be, so basically he was advocating methodone treatment to keep the receptors in the brain 'working' enough to keep the addict from going into depression, losing motivation, and generally to function without the opiate. He said that it takes at least 2 years before the A is even ready to begin coming off the Methadone and sometimes Methadone treatment will have to continue for life!?
This info was very discouraging to me, but during th episode they also put up a 'sticky' saying that the brain has the ability to repair itself in time. I don't see how the brain could get a chance to repair itself if it is drowning in Methadone? It seems to me that continuing medicating the brain with this opiate would keep this from happening. Also scary to me because AS has been doing well lately (I'm not niave enough to think he is being perfect), but his AGF is in methadone treatment and he came off the heroin basically on his own. I know he went through the withdrawal period (I wasn't around, but he told me he went through hell...welcome to the club
and I know he isn't using contantly or on a daily basis because he is here with us most of the time and has even spent weekends fishing with his dad. Something that was impossible to do when he was heavily using because he needed to use regularly or got sick. He also has NO money or anything left to sell...So he's made progress at least. He and AGF have even been attending Church with us regularly, which can only be good for both of them...my faith has grown strong since I learned to hand over the 'big stuff' to my HP, and he really does carry us..
What discourages me is the info that he has damaged his brain forever and this counselor basically said that it's not likely his receptors would recover without methadone or Suboxone.
I guess I'm just rambling, but this info really disheartened me and I was hoping someone, somewhere, has had experience with a truly recovered opiate addict who doesn't depend on methadone to function.