> Methadone, however well-intentioned, or altruistic in its creators' motives, is a resignment to the inevitable life-long dependency. Chemical handcuffs. It’s

> Methadone, however well-intentioned, or altruistic in its creators' motives, is a resignment to the inevitable life-long dependency. Chemical handcuffs. It’s of course less common these days but back from what I remember 20 or so years ago they did not inform patients very well to this reality. My experience was not for addiction, but was prescribed 10mg methadone daily for severe chronic pain, took it for a few years - that’s a relatively small dose and I cannot tell in plain English words how awful it was getting off of it. Tapering does not really work, the smallest reduction in dose will send you into just as severe withdrawal symptoms as if you cold turkey’d. I ended up buffering the withdrawal with tramadol, which was the only other thing I could take, but the entire process lasted about 6 months til I felt entirely normal again and the first month was 24/7 full blown acute withdrawals. I’ve since quit smoking cigarettes and laughed at how easy it was in comparison.