I’ve worked in the addictions/mental health field for over 17 years as an addictions counsellor, housing first worker (trying to house chronically homeless people), outreach worker and a mental health crisis worker. The majority of clients I run into have a combination of addiction and mental health issues.
As is
common these days a great deal of people are dealing with opioid addictions. In
the brilliance of our modern medical industry a great number of physicians feel
that the solution is providing methadone – which is harder to get off than heroin.
Their reasoning is that methadone reduces cravings for opioids (e.g. – fentanyl;
oxycontin; oxycodone; etc.) and the person will not use. Sounds good in theory –
right?! However, in my experience I’d say of the 50 people I’ve met that were
perscribed methadone only two of them actually stopped using opioids and then
stopped taking methadone. Those two people I met as a member of a 12 Step
Fellowship and I’d wager that it wasn’t the methadone that got them clean/sober
(although, I’ll concede it probably helped) but the 12 Step Program.
Not only
does methadone not help the majority of people stop but it’s prescribed even
when someone continues to use opioids and any other drugs (e.g. – crack; meth; cocaine;
etc.). To me that’s plain insanity.
More recently
I’ve noticed that not only are physicians prescribing methadone they are combining
it with Kadian. Kadian is basically morphine - another type of opioid. That’s
like prescribing whiskey to an alcoholic. Everyone I’ve encountered who takes
Kadian has also continued to use opioids.
Does
anyone see the logic in any of this? I sure don’t. As a recovered alcoholic/addict
I know that the only thing that helped me change my life was pain. I consider
methadone and Kadian another way to enable addicts. Enabling is a hindrance to someone
getting clean/sober.
I live in
the province of Ontario. Many of the clients I encounter on methadone receive
Ontario Works which covers the cost of methadone. I fully believe that OW
should not cover this drug. Millions of dollars could be saved and would be
better used if it were put towards supportive housing and free addiction
treatment. Supportive housing is housing that teaches people how to live
independently or supports them if they cannot reach that stage. Most people,
experiencing homelessness, that I’ve worked with, did not have the skills to remain
independently housed. Many people I helped get a place to live lost that place
within three to six months.
If we want
to solve our homeless and addiction issues, we have to make a lot of changes
and getting rid of methadone and Kadian would
be a good first step.
Dave the
Dude
