Methadone Clinic

My roommate Lea went from a heroin addict in active addiction to having five months at the methadone clinic this week.  She has used heroin four times since starting methadone and has 3 weeks clean now. 

She gets a carry dose for Sundays when the clinic is closed.  I drive her to the methadone clinic and then to an AA meeting six days a week.  That has given me close observation of her progress.   To me, the most valuable component of the methadone program is the structure she gets from having to go to the clinic every morning.  She sure as heck is not a morning person on Sundays!

Unlike alcohol withdrawal, heroin withdrawal is not potentially lethal.  A heroin addict could quit using and be done with the nasty withdrawal symptoms in a week or two.  Then you have a dry (not-using) addict with lots of time on their hands and no structure.  That rarely works well.

She is a bit stuck right now between having enough faith in the AA program to go to meetings and meet with her sponsor once a week, but not enough trust to actually work the steps.  The AA slogan for that is when going through hell, don’t stop.  She might not be a dead stop however increased velocity would shorten her time in hell.   Hopefully she will work the program before her addiction works her over.

I am grateful I am not addicted to heroin, it is a hard habit to break.   I am also grateful for my faith, trust and belief that the AA program will work for me as long as I keep working it.  Incomprehensible demoralization combined with a disbelief in 12-step programs is a recipe for disaster for those of us with a fatal progressive disease.