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Addictions & Answers: Dr. Dave

and Bill on methadone
maintenance
ADDICTIONS & ANSWERS Visit our new
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Friday, September 24th 2010, 10:16 AM
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BILL: "Drugs are part of human nature," writes Methadone Mac. "The two constants we weekend escapes!
find in every society, no matter how primitive, are intoxicants and fire. The ancient GO NOW!
Peruvians didn't have the wheel, but they chewed on cocoa leaves."

DR. DAVE: Is he defending his drug use? WHY ST ARS FAIL REHAB

BILL: He says that methadone treatment helps him keep not only a steady job, but also a Money can't buy sobriety
stable marriage. "But if I ever mention methadone maintenance at an AA meeting, people
These celebs have waged public
shun me as if I'm a drunk." Dave, no less than AA founder Bill W. himself once asked Dr.
battles against addiction. Here's
Vincent Dole, the methadone pioneer, and a non-alcoholic trustee of AA, if he would
why the odds are stacked
invent a methadone treatment for alcoholics. How does it work?
against them.
DR.DAVE: Methadone can be used as a gradual detoxification replacement for heroin,
Oxycontin, morphine, et al. More controversially, as a way to maintain a physical opiate
addiction without the intoxicating euphoria. EDIT ORS' PICKS

BILL: Stanford Professor Dr. Keith Humphreys has advised both the US and British Hamster? Gerbil? No, it's
governments about methadone maintenance -- and believes it to be a valuable tool. "In Snooki inside that ball!
the US, where over half the population takes at least one prescription drug," he recently Reality TV 'star' practices for
told me, "I find it absurd to stigmatize people who need prescribed methadone to recover tonight's ball drop (love the
from heroin addiction. Let he who is without Nexium or Prozac or Zocor or Lunesta cast
plastic cup, Snooks!)
the first stone."

DR.DAVE: Very timely observation. We're currently going through an ex-ploding addiction Happy Stinkin' New Y ear:
to opiate pain medication in our country-- with 1 in 10 high school seniors using Vicodin No trash pickup til Monday
or Oxycontin without a prescription to get high last year .
Garbage removal, street
sweeping still days away, says
BILL: And they're going to need some form of methadone maintenance to get off the
NYC sanitation boss.
stuff?

DR. DAVE: An important point that Methadone Mac makes is how little support he gets Russell Brand likely in t he
from adults in AA. From that, you can guess that young adults have even less of a doghouse for t weeting
community of recovery. THIS pic
The funnyman posted this photo
BILL: Kids tend to think of AA and NA as something for "the old folks." I can imagine how
of wife Katy Perry with no make-
tough it would be for a teen going through a six-month Methadone gradual detox without
up on and quickly deleted it.
some peer community support.

DR. DAVE: Working with New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Walter Ginter of What is she 'do-ing?!
the Bronx-based MARS project, leads a peer recovery support network for people on Kardashian sports braids
methadone maintenance. In fact, there's now an opiate replacement medication that can Reality TV starlet is
be dispensed right out of a physi-cian's office. It's called Suboxone. Anyone suffering photographed wearing tight
from opiate addiction can learn more about it at www.suboxone.com. cornrows. VOTE: Hot or not?

BILL: But, doc, you aren't encouraging a prescription treatment for addic-tion, are you?
That little "just you and your doctor" recovery dance has failed countless times. The most notorious
Twitt er moment s of 2010
DR. DAVE: Of course not. And neither are the researchers out of the federal government Demi Moore tweeting of pics
who pioneered Suboxone. As for any other addiction, the person needs licensed herself in a bikini was a
chemical dependency therapy. But, chances for recovery are enhanced by building a milestone in stupidity.
MARS model peer support network. A recovery community that supports members who
attend AA, NA and the other 12 Step Groups—but doesn't force immediate change on any
of those older groups. Mom, daughter accused of
molesting same teen boy
BILL: I can remember back when adult 12 Step members were confused and anxious for 3 y ears
about sitting next to their neighbor's kid at a meeting. Police say the pair did it without
knowing about each other’s
DR. DAVE: Let's also remember that peer support networks can be much more than just relationship with him.
meetings. I would encourage any community coalition, public health group or prevention-
intervention group to go to the MARS website and explore their programming—

nydailynews.com/…/2010-09-24_addic… 1/3
1/1/2011 Addictions & Answers: Dr. Dave and Bil…
www.marsproject.com.

BILL: Since you're too modest to mention it, let me add here that both you and Walter
Ginter were just published on this topic in the August edition of the Journal of Alcohol
Studies. But let's close with a final word from another author in that special peer recovery
edition -- the old guru of recovery advo-cacy himself, Bill White, who famously declares
"There is no wrong door into recovery."

DR. DAVE: I'll give you a research "Amen" to that!

Dr. David Moore is a licensed psychologist and chemical dependency professional who is
a graduate school faculty memb er at Argosy University's Seattle Campus. Bill Manville is
a Book of the Month novelist; his most recent non-fiction work, "Cool, Hip & Sob er," is
availab le at online b ookstores. He teaches "Writing To Get Pub lished" for Temple
University.

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10:55:47 AM “L[methadone] More controversially, as a way to maintain a physical

Sep 24, 2010 opiate addiction without the intoxicating euphoriaL.” That’s not And t hen t here's the
entirely true. The “addiction” (uncontrollable compulsive drug use, Sterger 'sexting' story
inability to control drug, and use despite harm) is suppressed with NFL fines Brett Favre $50k for
methadone or buprenorphine, NOT maintained. Patients don’t use not cooperating with probe into
methadone or buprenorphine compulsively, they regain control of X-rated photos sent to TV host.
their drug use and don’t put themselves at risk for the medication.
Buprenorphine patients can suddenly manage their drug intake and
unlike with other opioids can take it as directed without running out of Gone, but not forgotten:
the monthly prescription early. No, medication assisted treatment Those we lost in 2010
does not maintain the addiction, it helps put it into remission. Some IN MEMORIAM - Remembering
of the patient’s existing physical dependence to opioids is the iconic personalities who
maintained, but that is not disrupting or dangerous and easily passed away this year.
resolved with a slow taper once the patient has completed therapy
and is ready for the medication-free stage of treatment. Once the p
The most outrageous
Report Offensive Post moment s of 2010
PHOTOS: Smoking babies,
NAABT.org
bedbugs and Katy Perry flashing
10:58:06 AM Once the purpose of medication assisted treatment is understood, Elmo... what a year!
Sep 24, 2010 it’s not controversial, its reasonable effective treatment for a chronic
medical condition. The purpose of buprenorphine treatment is to
suppress the distracting symptoms of cravings and withdrawal, which
MORE FROM DR. DAVID MOORE
allows the patient to participate in therapy, counseling and peer
AND BILL MANVILLE
support, in order to make the positive long-term changes in their lives
that will translate to new healthy patterns of behavior and make
sustained addiction remission possible. www.NAABT.org Addictions & Answers: Drinking meds for
alcoholics -- denial in a bottle?
Report Offensive Post Addictions & Answers: 'I'm ashamed of my
addiction to porn'
zenith Addictions & Answers: Miley Cyrus, party drugs
4:58:55 PM One thing that is commonly overlooked is the difference between and other teen terrors
Addictions & Answers: Can you really be

nydailynews.com/…/2010-09-24_addic… 2/3
1/1/2011 Addictions & Answers: Dr. Dave and Bil…
Sep 24, 2010 addiction and physical dependence. Addiction involves a set of addicted to love?
behaviors in addition to simple physical dependence--behaviors that Addictions & Answers: Narcotics Anonymous
are not present in stable, compliant methadone patients. Therefore, took my daughter away
such pts do not meet the definition for addiction, though they are
physically dependent. Furthermore, methadone serves to replace the
missing natural opiates (endorphins) that are often permanently MOST POPULAR
knocked out of production by long term opioid abuse. For this reason,
many people require long term treatment--not to get them "high", not Most Read Most Discussed Most Emailed
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10:19:17 PM Terrific article and comments. "Methadone Mac" probably gets little 3. What the MMXI?! Happy New Year from Google!
Sep 24, 2010 support from AA because the focus is on staying away from alcohol.
While there are dual-addicted people in AA, any medication they are 4. BRRRRR! What does taking the 'polar bear
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