What Are the Medications Being Used for Addiction Treatment?

Published March 13, 2013

Question by darian f: What are the medications being used for addiction treatment?
I have an acquaintance who does heroin and have just started going to an addiction treatment program. I was surprised to know that they are being made to take medication. What is this for and what are the usual drugs that are used for addiction treatments.

Best answer:

Answer by alani ts
Methadone is the drug usually used for heroin addiction. Medication is needed in order to return the body and brain’s functioning back to its normal, healthy state. It also suppresses withdrawal symptoms and relieves craving, thus keeping the patient from wanting to take heroin again. Other medications used for addiction treatment are buprenorphine, naltrexone, and naloxone (for cases of overdose). There are also some other drugs that are being studied by experts to determine if they will be effective in the treatment of heroin addiction.

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From Twitter:

UN report finds some drug and addiction treatments are akin to torture http://t.co/ZGfVtKJ1NF via @TIMEHealthland – by lingmerete (Ling Kituyi)

From Twitter:

UN report finds some drug and addiction treatments are akin to torture http://t.co/yoaCntuNib via @TIMEHealthland – by lisaztweets (Lisa Zahn)

From Twitter:

RT @CareNotTorture: TIME: UN report finds some drug and addiction treatments are akin to torture http://t.co/LbXmgxmIut via @TIMEHealthland – by lingmerete (Ling Kituyi)