What is the medical treatment to pass through the horrible mood which appears in the withdrawal period of methadone
I’m sorry you’re going through this—methadone withdrawal can feel rough, especially the low mood/anxiety. Here are the evidence-based medical options doctors use to make that period much more tolerable: 1) The most effective approach: Buprenorphine-assisted withdrawal (or continuing methadone and tapering more slowly). Buprenorphine consistently makes withdrawal milder, keeps people in treatment longer, and improves completion rates versus clonidine/lofexidine; it’s about as effective as tapered methadone. ( Cochrane ) 2) Non-opioid medications that ease the “horrible mood” (and other symptoms): Alpha-2 agonists : Lofexidine (FDA-approved) or clonidine reduce the noradrenaline surge that drives anxiety, irritability, restlessness, sweats, etc. Lofexidine tends to cause less blood-pressure drop than clonidine. These help mood symptoms of withdrawal but are less effective overall than buprenorphine ; blood pressure must be monitored. Availability varies by country. ( PMC , NCBI ) Sleep/anxiety aids (non-addictive): short-term trazodone for insomnia; some clinicians use gabapentin short-term for sleep/anxiety and to blunt withdrawal (misuse risk—use only with a prescriber). ( PubMed , PMC , Frontiers ) “Comfort meds” for physical symptoms (which can worsen mood): anti-diarrheals, anti-nausea meds, NSAIDs/acetaminophen, fluids, etc., as part of a supervised plan. ( NCBI ) 3) What to avoid or use only with specialist supervision: Benzodiazepines for anxiety/insomnia are not first-line in opioid withdrawal because they raise overdose and safety risks (especially if any opioids are resumed). ( CMS ) 4) Expectation-setting: Acute methadone withdrawal can last 10–20 days , and a protracted phase (low energy/low mood/cravings) may linger for weeks to months . Planning ongoing treatment (MOUD, counseling, sleep hygiene) reduces relapse and helps mood stabilize. ( NCBI ) If this is you right now: Please don’t stop or switch on your own. A clinician can transition you to buprenorphine or optimize a slow methadone taper , and add lofexidine/clonidine + sleep/anxiety support to get you through the worst. ( Cochrane , PMC ) Urgent help is warranted if you have thoughts of self-harm or severe depression. If you’d like, tell me roughly your current/last methadone dose and timing —I can outline what a safe, mood-friendly transition/taper typically looks like (still something to do with your doctor). هذه الإجابة بالذكاء الصناعي ولا تغني عن استشارة الطبيب - يرجى التأكد من صحة المعلومات المذكورة
تم النشر الخميس، ٤ سبتمبر ٢٠٢٥
لعرض السؤال في فدني اضغط هنا