I've heard similiar things about meth, not that you need to be on methadone, but just about the brain and dopamine. I do believe what they say about dopamine and the brain, etc. I'm almost at a year and a half, or wait maybe I already am
, lol, and can't wait to get past the 2 year mark.
But the last year and a half has been a roller coaster.
What I DO know is that they say meth addicts don't recover or the ratio is low, that they rarely recover on their own, that 30 day treatment centers don't work, etc.... Which I agree w/to a point...
But it can be done.... I recovered, as many other meth addicts have, I did not go to treatment, and I found my own way to recovery....
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.
I've heard the same thing about meth. I've been on the rollercoaster that has made me think of going back to meth often, but I won't....
That's why I personally believe you have to find "Your Own" recovery road,
whether that be NA, Smart, Counseling, whatever it is, but "Find it and work it". It bothers me when I hear people constantly say that the only thing that works is NA and the steps, that's not true for everyone. I did counseling and some other things, and still work my recovery in the way I need to.
So the times when I do go into depression, lose motivation, etc.
I have learned other ways to deal with it rather than going back to meth.
So yes, that may happen, but given the right tools, you Can make better choices, but if you are not given or taught different ways you probaby will go back to your old ways.
It's up to the user to find their own way of recovery. If the 12 steps aren't working for you, then find something that does, if your not working the 12 steps and you haven't tried, then give it a try, don't cry and whine about opening up to a counselor when you've never tried it or you've had one bad experience, or one bad NA meeting, If you keep looking for your own way to recovery you will find it, and you will make it through the trying times.
So don't give up hope is what i am saying.
Have you seen The Secret? If a man laying in a hospital bed told he was going to be paralyzed for the rest of his life can walk out on the day he told himself he was?? Then how can an addict not repair his life?
My grandpa was told he was going to paralyzed after a Horrible Horrible accident, first they said he wouldn't make it, then they said paralyzed,
he's a stubborn man, he wouldn't not accept that, he does more in a day than most people do in a week.
It's all in how you manage yourself, IMO. I just don't believe that addicts can't repair their lives, I've seen too much in my life for that to be true.
Addicts are Not that helpless, but they do lack the self esteem to believe that they can do it, that's where recovery comes in.
JMO