Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Methadone?Opioid Use DisordersWhat to ExpectMethadone Clinic ProtocolsBenefitsDrawbacksGetting Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Methadone?

Opioid Use Disorders

What to Expect

Methadone Clinic Protocols

Benefits

Drawbacks

Getting Help

A methadone clinic is a type of medical facility that specializes in treating substance use disorder. These clinics dispense medications that are used to treat opioid use disorders. Methadone is commonly prescribed, butother medications, such as buprenorphine and naltrexone, may also be dispensed.

The prevalence of opioid use disorders has exploded since the late 1990s. More than three-quarters of a million people in the U.S. have died of opioid-related drug overdoses since the opioid epidemic began.Methadone clinics play an important role in helping people access medically-assisted treatments for opioid addiction.

At a GlanceMethadone is a medication that can alleviate opioid cravings and help people overcome opioid addiction. If you access a methadone clinic, expect to receive a evaluation of your history, substance use, and support system. Such clinics offer support, guidance, and other recovery tools as you work toward becoming opioid-free. Getting treatment that combines medication and psychotherapy can help improve your chances of recovery, so talk to your doctor about which options are right for you.

At a Glance

Methadone is a medication that can alleviate opioid cravings and help people overcome opioid addiction. If you access a methadone clinic, expect to receive a evaluation of your history, substance use, and support system. Such clinics offer support, guidance, and other recovery tools as you work toward becoming opioid-free. Getting treatment that combines medication and psychotherapy can help improve your chances of recovery, so talk to your doctor about which options are right for you.

Since methadone’s actions occur more gradually when compared to other opioids, it doesn’t lead to the same feelings of euphoria in an opioid-dependent individual.

Background of Opioid Use Disorders

In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies were confident that opioids, whenprescribed for pain, would not lead to addiction. As a result, healthcare practitioners prescribed them without hesitation, which led to widespread misuse.

In 2017, over 47,000 Americans died due toopioid overdoses.That same year, the U.S. Government declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency.This led to a greater effort to reduce opioid prescriptions on behalf of medical practitioners and a push to make the public aware of the harmful impacts of opioids.

Medication-assisted treatmenthas become an important factor in treating those with opioid use disorders, so they can attain recovery and achieve a higher quality of life. Since the mid-1960s, methadone has been an effective treatment foropioid addiction, and has since been widely available for this purpose.As of 2020, there were 1,698 facilities that provided methadone in the U.S.

What to Expect at a Methadone Clinic

Raghu Appasani, MD, Addiction Psychiatry Fellow at UCSF, saystreatment protocolsfor OUDs vary from patient to patient. “We start with a thorough psychiatric evaluation to figure out what’s contributing to an individual’s substance abuse,” says Dr. Appasani. Practitioners in the clinic aim to get a comprehensive picture of the individual’s life—psychosocial factors, community support, history with addiction and substance abuse, and other mental health factors, such astrauma.

Though medication is a foundational aspect of these clinics, Dr. Appasani underscores the importance of therapy. “Many people may stay on methadone for a long time but don’t necessarily need to. Therapy can be valuable in helping a person rebuild their social structure and re-enter the workforce.”

Furthermore, he says that individuals will vary in their response to the treatment, and where they are in their recovery journey.

Patients typically come to methadone clinics in the morning, says Dr. Appasani, emphasizing the need for structure as they navigate recovery.

Furthermore, these clinics are typically staffed with various medical and mental health professionals— MDs, therapists, nurses, pharmacists, and a clinic director (either an MD or asocial worker). Each professional plays a particular role in patients’ treatment plans, and serves as support to the patient as they navigate recovery.

Individuals can enter methadone clinics in a number of ways, according to Dr. Appasani. These include their primary care providers, therapists, emergency room physicians, and court mandates. Many people may decide to enter treatment themselves.

Methadone clinics' regimented protocols can be especially beneficial for certain patient subsets. “Someone who has issues taking the medication regularly, or is at risk of having it stolen or lost—homeless individuals, for instance—are more often prescribed methadone.” This ensures that these patients come into the clinic on a regular schedule in the beginning until they’re stabilized.

Benefits of Methadone Clinics

Methadone, when taken as prescribed and for the duration intended, can beeffective in treating opioid addiction. However, as Dr. Appasani and the researchers point out, treatment outcomes aren’t dependent on medication alone.

One study found that when medication was coupled with psychotherapy, patient outcomes were even more positive.Additionally, whenstrong social networksand nourishing interpersonal relationships were cultivated as part of individuals’ substance abuse treatment, reaching and maintaining abstinence were more likely.

Treatment Can Prevent Violence

And impacts at the societal level are noticeable, as well. A 2018 study found that methadone maintenance treatment led to lower rates of violent and nonviolent crimes among a Canadian cohort.

Drawbacks of Methadone Clinics for Treating Opioid Addiction

Though methadone clinics have been highly effective in helping individuals achieve and sustain recovery, they aren’t free from criticism.

Methadone Clinics Can Be Crowded

One study pointed out that these clinics often have crowded rooms and long lines, which can increase the risk of disease transmission. In the wake of COVID-19, many clinics across the U.S. implemented take-home policies for qualifying patients, which can allow them to feel more empowered with their treatment and their lives.

Further studies on at-home methadone treatments are required to determine their efficacy on patient outcomes.

Methadone Clinics Are Less Available in Rural Areas

Disparities exist at the geographic level, with methadone treatment being harder to access inrural areas, where rates of OUDs tend to be more prevalent.

Racial Bias Is Evident

And furthermore, studies have pointed outracial inequalitieswhen it comes to dosages of methadone administered to White patients versus patients of color. One finding pointed out that Black women of color were given 67% of the dose that White women received, indicating how provider bias plays out in OUD treatment.

8 Organizations Advocating for Equity in Mental Health Care

Since 1999, over 760,000 individuals have died from a drug overdose. In 2018, two-thirds of overdose-related deaths involved an opioid.

Recoverycan look different from person to person, and there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment plan.

It’s essential to seek help for OUD to avoid long-term effects on your social, physical, and emotional well-being. You may want to joinNarcotics Anonymous (NA)to find support, which uses a12-step programto help participants overcome drug addictions. To locate a meeting in your area, you can go to their website’sdirectory. Your physician can also refer you to an appropriate treatment program or specialist so that you receive adequate care.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Why Mental Health Disorders Co-Exist With Substance Use

13 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Opioid crisis statistics.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Methadone.National Institute on Drug Abuse.How do medications to treat opioid disorder work?National Institute on Drug Abuse.Overdose death rates.Jones MR, Viswanath O, Peck J, Kaye AD, Gill JS, Simopoulos TT.A brief history of the opioid epidemic and strategies for pain medicine.Pain Ther. 2018 Jun;7(1):13-21. doi:10.1007/s40122-018-0097-6National Library of Medicine.Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment.Goedel WC, Shapiro A, Cerdá M, Tsai JW, Hadland SE, Marshall BDL.Association of racial/ethnic segregation with treatment capacity for opioid use disorder in counties in the United States.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Apr 1;3(4):e203711. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3711Feldstein Ewing SW, Chung T.Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior.Psychol Addict Behav. 2013;27(2):329-335. doi:10.1037/a0031491Pettersen H, Landheim A, Skeie I, Biong S, Brodahl M, Oute J, Davidson L.How social relationships influence substance use disorder recovery: A collaborative narrative study.Subst Abuse.2019 Mar 9;13:1178221819833379. doi:10.1177/1178221819833379Russolillo A, Moniruzzaman A, McCandless LC, Patterson M, Somers JM.Associations between methadone maintenance treatment and crime: a 17-year longitudinal cohort study of Canadian provincial offenders.Addiction. 2018 Apr;113(4):656-667. doi:10.1111/add.14059Frank D.A chance to do it better: Methadone maintenance treatment in the age of Covid-19.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Apr;123:108246. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108246Calcaterra SL, Bach P, Chadi A, et al.Methadone matters: What the United States can learn from the global effort to treat opioid addiction.J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(6):1039-1042. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4801-3Rosenthal EW, Short VL, Cruz Y, Barber C, Baxter JK, Abatemarco DJ, Roman AR, Hand DJ.Racial inequity in methadone dose at delivery in pregnant women with opioid use disorder.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Dec;131:108454. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108454

13 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Opioid crisis statistics.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Methadone.National Institute on Drug Abuse.How do medications to treat opioid disorder work?National Institute on Drug Abuse.Overdose death rates.Jones MR, Viswanath O, Peck J, Kaye AD, Gill JS, Simopoulos TT.A brief history of the opioid epidemic and strategies for pain medicine.Pain Ther. 2018 Jun;7(1):13-21. doi:10.1007/s40122-018-0097-6National Library of Medicine.Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment.Goedel WC, Shapiro A, Cerdá M, Tsai JW, Hadland SE, Marshall BDL.Association of racial/ethnic segregation with treatment capacity for opioid use disorder in counties in the United States.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Apr 1;3(4):e203711. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3711Feldstein Ewing SW, Chung T.Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior.Psychol Addict Behav. 2013;27(2):329-335. doi:10.1037/a0031491Pettersen H, Landheim A, Skeie I, Biong S, Brodahl M, Oute J, Davidson L.How social relationships influence substance use disorder recovery: A collaborative narrative study.Subst Abuse.2019 Mar 9;13:1178221819833379. doi:10.1177/1178221819833379Russolillo A, Moniruzzaman A, McCandless LC, Patterson M, Somers JM.Associations between methadone maintenance treatment and crime: a 17-year longitudinal cohort study of Canadian provincial offenders.Addiction. 2018 Apr;113(4):656-667. doi:10.1111/add.14059Frank D.A chance to do it better: Methadone maintenance treatment in the age of Covid-19.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Apr;123:108246. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108246Calcaterra SL, Bach P, Chadi A, et al.Methadone matters: What the United States can learn from the global effort to treat opioid addiction.J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(6):1039-1042. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4801-3Rosenthal EW, Short VL, Cruz Y, Barber C, Baxter JK, Abatemarco DJ, Roman AR, Hand DJ.Racial inequity in methadone dose at delivery in pregnant women with opioid use disorder.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Dec;131:108454. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108454

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Opioid crisis statistics.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Methadone.National Institute on Drug Abuse.How do medications to treat opioid disorder work?National Institute on Drug Abuse.Overdose death rates.Jones MR, Viswanath O, Peck J, Kaye AD, Gill JS, Simopoulos TT.A brief history of the opioid epidemic and strategies for pain medicine.Pain Ther. 2018 Jun;7(1):13-21. doi:10.1007/s40122-018-0097-6National Library of Medicine.Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment.Goedel WC, Shapiro A, Cerdá M, Tsai JW, Hadland SE, Marshall BDL.Association of racial/ethnic segregation with treatment capacity for opioid use disorder in counties in the United States.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Apr 1;3(4):e203711. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3711Feldstein Ewing SW, Chung T.Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior.Psychol Addict Behav. 2013;27(2):329-335. doi:10.1037/a0031491Pettersen H, Landheim A, Skeie I, Biong S, Brodahl M, Oute J, Davidson L.How social relationships influence substance use disorder recovery: A collaborative narrative study.Subst Abuse.2019 Mar 9;13:1178221819833379. doi:10.1177/1178221819833379Russolillo A, Moniruzzaman A, McCandless LC, Patterson M, Somers JM.Associations between methadone maintenance treatment and crime: a 17-year longitudinal cohort study of Canadian provincial offenders.Addiction. 2018 Apr;113(4):656-667. doi:10.1111/add.14059Frank D.A chance to do it better: Methadone maintenance treatment in the age of Covid-19.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Apr;123:108246. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108246Calcaterra SL, Bach P, Chadi A, et al.Methadone matters: What the United States can learn from the global effort to treat opioid addiction.J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(6):1039-1042. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4801-3Rosenthal EW, Short VL, Cruz Y, Barber C, Baxter JK, Abatemarco DJ, Roman AR, Hand DJ.Racial inequity in methadone dose at delivery in pregnant women with opioid use disorder.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Dec;131:108454. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108454

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Opioid crisis statistics.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Methadone.

National Institute on Drug Abuse.How do medications to treat opioid disorder work?

National Institute on Drug Abuse.Overdose death rates.

Jones MR, Viswanath O, Peck J, Kaye AD, Gill JS, Simopoulos TT.A brief history of the opioid epidemic and strategies for pain medicine.Pain Ther. 2018 Jun;7(1):13-21. doi:10.1007/s40122-018-0097-6

National Library of Medicine.Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment.

Goedel WC, Shapiro A, Cerdá M, Tsai JW, Hadland SE, Marshall BDL.Association of racial/ethnic segregation with treatment capacity for opioid use disorder in counties in the United States.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Apr 1;3(4):e203711. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3711

Feldstein Ewing SW, Chung T.Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior.Psychol Addict Behav. 2013;27(2):329-335. doi:10.1037/a0031491

Pettersen H, Landheim A, Skeie I, Biong S, Brodahl M, Oute J, Davidson L.How social relationships influence substance use disorder recovery: A collaborative narrative study.Subst Abuse.2019 Mar 9;13:1178221819833379. doi:10.1177/1178221819833379

Russolillo A, Moniruzzaman A, McCandless LC, Patterson M, Somers JM.Associations between methadone maintenance treatment and crime: a 17-year longitudinal cohort study of Canadian provincial offenders.Addiction. 2018 Apr;113(4):656-667. doi:10.1111/add.14059

Frank D.A chance to do it better: Methadone maintenance treatment in the age of Covid-19.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Apr;123:108246. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108246

Calcaterra SL, Bach P, Chadi A, et al.Methadone matters: What the United States can learn from the global effort to treat opioid addiction.J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(6):1039-1042. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4801-3

Rosenthal EW, Short VL, Cruz Y, Barber C, Baxter JK, Abatemarco DJ, Roman AR, Hand DJ.Racial inequity in methadone dose at delivery in pregnant women with opioid use disorder.J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 Dec;131:108454. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108454

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