Methadone/Buprenorphine Myths & Facts

Methadone Line Starts Here

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019

MYTH


Taking methadone or buprenorphine is replacing one addiction with another.

FACT


There is a difference between addiction and physical dependence. Medications like methadone and buprenorphine help stabilize people who are addicted to opioids, which improves their ability to maintain jobs and relationships.

MYTH


Taking methadone or buprenorphine isn't real recovery.

FACT


The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines recovery as "A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential." Medications like methadone and buprenorphine help people discover the recovery that best fits their lives.

MYTH


People use methadone and buprenorphine because it makes them high.

FACT


At the right dose, methadone and buprenorphine do not make people with opioid addiction high. They help people feel stable and reduce their cravings to use.
People who buy it off the streets typically do so to try to treat themselves when they cannot access treatment.

MYTH


Buprenorphine and methadone are short-term solutions, and people should stop taking them as soon as possible.

FACT


There is no set amount of time that people should take buprenorphine or methadone. Because addiction is a long-term condition, treatment can last for years and should be continued for as long as people and their medical providers decide is necessary.


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