An Alternative to Methadone Clinics in Arizona
Purpose Healing Center: Your Holistic Alternative to Methadone Clinics in Arizona
A Guide to Methadone in Arizona and Reasons to Choose Purpose
If you are seeking help with an active opioid addiction for yourself or a loved one, you might have noticed an abundance of methadone clinics in Arizona. While medications can be helpful, especially for controlling withdrawal symptoms in early recovery, here’s what many Arizona methadone clinics don’t advertise: Tapering down from the methadone itself can take weeks – or months!
Many community medical services offer this treatment to their clients. Whether you come to us from Tucson, Arizona, or from 20 minutes away near Main Street, Mesa, Purpose offers what we believe to be a compelling alternative to methadone with Suboxone-based MAT.
And Purpose Healing Center is a Joint Commission-accredited medical detox and recovery center that accepts AHCCCS and most major insurances in-network. Our Phoenix, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ locations put us central to most Arizonans.
Keep reading to compare and contrast Suboxone to methadone treatment centers, and remember you can reach out at any time for a confidential insurance verification with our welcoming Admissions team!
What Causes an Opioid Addiction or Opioid Use Disorder?
Are you reading this article to find help for someone you love? It’s helpful first to understand that an Opioid Use Disorder is not a choice someone makes. According to the American Psychological Association, this addiction has “increased dramatically over the past two decades.”
On the surface, it might appear that your loved one is choosing drugs over the more important aspects of life. However, know that opioid use is not a lifestyle choice. Individuals can heal with a combination of treatments and the guidance of a qualified counselor, like you’ll find at our Phoenix and Scottsdale treatment centers.
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What Drugs Are Considered Opioids?
It’s also good to know that not all opioids are illegal. Indeed, we have successfully treated many clients who became addicted to legally prescribed opioids to manage pain. Here are the types of opioids:
Prescription Opioid Drugs (Pain Relievers)
Doctors will often prescribe these drugs for pain relief, especially after an injury or surgery. Their patients don’t realize that the treatment for the pain can lead to long-term consequences like addiction. Common prescriptions include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, and fentanyl.
Synthetic Opioids (Manufactured Medication)
Synthetic opioid drugs might be prescription or street drugs. They include fentanyl and fentanyl hybrids, which are incredibly addictive and can lead to dependence quickly.
Illegal Opioids (Heroin)
Heroin is perhaps the best-known of the illegal opioid drugs abused in the Phoenix, AZ, area. It is a semi-synthetic and made from chemically altered morphine. The manufacturing process is illicit and results in widely different strengths of heroin.
A Suboxone Treatment Center vs a Methadone Clinic
Both Suboxone and methadone clinics in Arizona can help control drug cravings to minimize suffering while quitting. This section will give you information on the unique differences of each medication-assisted treatment:
Benefits and Risks of Methadone Therapies for Recovering from Opioid Use Disorder
Here are some key facts about methadone treatment, often dispensed by community medical services:
Composition and Mechanism
Methadone is a full opioid agonist. That means it fully activates the opioid receptors in the brain to cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It mimics the effects of other opioids in a controlled manner.
Administration
Methadone is usually administered in liquid form at local clinics that provide easy access to treatment. It requires great effort, as it requires daily visits. Daily dosing ensures proper dosage and reduces the risk of misuse.
Efficacy
Methadone is highly effective in reducing opioid use and improving social functioning. On the other hand, it means a risk of dependence and potential for abuse.
Side Effects
Common side effects include constipation, sweating, and drowsiness. Some people have experienced weight gain on methadone as well, although studies offer mixed findings in this regard. There’s also a risk of respiratory depression without close management.
It’s also worth noting that while community medical services can help people quit opioid use with methadone, the clinic may not provide counselors. Without counseling, the client is not achieving lasting and full recovery.
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An Example of the Benefits and Risks of Attending a Suboxone Treatment Center
Here’s what you should know about using Suboxone for recovery from opioid addiction:
Composition and Mechanism
Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine (a partial opioid agonist) and naloxone (an opioid antagonist). Buprenorphine partially activates opioid receptors. That means it provides relief from cravings and withdrawal without the full opioid effect to reduce the risk of dependence. Naloxone prevents misuse by causing withdrawal symptoms if injected.
Administration
Suboxone is taken as a sublingual tablet or film, which can be prescribed and taken at home. It provides far greater convenience and privacy compared to methadone.
Efficacy
Suboxone is highly effective in treating OUD. It also has a low potential because of its partial agonist properties and the use of naloxone. Suboxone supports long-term recovery and can be part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Side Effects
Common side effects include headache, nausea, and constipation. The risk of severe side effects, such as respiratory depression, is lower when you compare it against methadone.
At Purpose Healing Center, we recognize that full recovery is a journey. It may start with medication-assisted treatment like Suboxone. But it also takes a full suite of therapies, including behavioral and psychological services, to create a new drug-free mindset.
Comparing Purpose Healing to Methadone Clinics in Arizona
Many turn to Methadone clinics in Arizona for one reason: the perceived lower cost. However, Purpose Healing Center is in-network with most major insurance plans and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, AHCCCS, or Arizona’s Medicaid.
Having almost any form of insurance means that you do not need to attend community medical services or Arizona methadone clinics unless desired, but we still offer resources to help you find such clinics in the following areas:
Not only do we accept insurance to offer an alternative to methadone treatment, our treatment center begins caring for you before you even arrive. The admissions team in Scottsdale or at our Phoenix facility will help you navigate the insurance pre-authorization process, which can be challenging for many to understand.
All you need to do to start is contact us for help; we will go to work for you, getting the information you need and offering guidance on which suite of services will help end the cycle of suffering from addiction.
Connect With Purpose Healing Center for Suboxone Treatment
If you were unsure about the efficacy of methadone treatment from community medical services, you now have the information to make a better decision on addiction treatment. Local clinics can and do help combat addiction and certainly play a role in helping fight the drug epidemic. But it’s worth knowing that you do have other treatment options than methadone treatment.
Purpose Healing Center offers services for both inpatient or outpatient clients, depending on recovery needs. Choosing treatment centers can be confusing, with many not fully understanding the differences between community medical services and a professional, full-service treatment center.
The entire staff at our Phoenix and Scottsdale facilities are here to help you regain a healthy life and long-term recovery. We are here to provide any additional information and help you make a plan to reach that goal. Connect with us today.
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