In addition to being produced as a powerful pain reliever, Methadone has also been promoted as a substitute for heroin.  Actually, Methadone is sometimes referred to as man-made or synthetic heroin, and its implementation as something to substitute for heroin in Methadone maintenance programs is intended to reduce the illicit drug trade of real heroin and the negative impact on society.  
While the original intentions of Methadone maintenance programs were well meant, the actual situation for those addicts enrolled in them turns out to be a life of continual addiction with one drug substituted for the other drug.  Once in a Methadone maintenance program, there can be very little work to get heroin users clean by way of a methadone detox program despite the truth that the side effects of Methadone can be very damaging, while not mentioning the emotional impact of the drug.
A common characteristic of Methadone users (or addicts) is “unfeeling”.  Methadone is an extremely power narcotic, and its numbing effects are obviously around much longer than heroin.  While this allows for scheduled dosing in Methadone maintenance programs to be spread apart to days rather than hours, the effect is that the Methadone addict is not a fully functioning member of society.  To get there, the addict must go through methadone detox and other addiction treatment and exit the addictive cycle associated with a methadone maintenance program.  
As Methadone attacks the bone marrow where red blood cells are made in someone's body, continued Methadone use can be damaging to the Methadone user’s body causing calcium deficiencies and reduction of other required minerals to keep up a body’s well being.  During the time the Methadone user is using Methadone, the damage and pain caused by the drug’s physical effects are not felt because Methadone was initially designed as a pain killer.  In Methadone detox, however, the pain relief of Methadone is removed.   So the side effects of Methadone use become painfully apparent during Methadone detox.
Methadone detox is meant to be safely removing an addict off of Methadone, and therefore heroin, and putting them them on the path of a clean and sober lifestyle.  Because Methadone withdrawals are almost always four times the length of heroin withdrawals and more harsh than a heroin withdrawal, a structured Methadone detox program is usually required for the addict to get clean and sober.
While in Methadone detox the treatment provider treats the mental effects of the dependency as well as the physical effects of the drug dependency.  The harmful physical side effects during Methadone detox are one of the main reasons almost all people on Methadone never get clean and sober.  Lacking the support of a structured Methadone detox program, the addict will just go back to using to avoid the pain of withdrawing.
Methadone detox programs can provide counseling to take care with the mental effects of the Methadone dependency as well as other treatments to deal with the physical side effects of withdrawals.  While Methadone detox is thought to be one of the most harsh kinds of detoxes, Methadone detox will be successfully achieved with the aid of the correct Methadone detox program where mild sedatives, therapeutic treatments, and over the counter pain relievers are used to safely cause a successful Methadone detox in a supportive and safe place.  



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