People with opioid use disorder (OUD) seeking treatment for addiction at a Methadone clinic in Pennsauken, NJ can be confident that evidence-based treatment is readily available. That’s important information, because the Opioid Crisis in United States – which is now in its third decade – has impacted people all over the country, including the citizens of Pennsauken.
What is a Methadone Clinic?
A methadone clinic is a treatment center – also known as an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) – that has met all the federal requirements to treat people with a medication called methadone. Methadone is a full opioid agonist, which means it completely occupies opioid receptors in the brain without causing the euphoria and elevated mood associated with opioid intoxication. Because it fully occupies opioid receptors, it also prevents other types of opioids – including illicit opioids like heroin or prescription opioids like oxycontin – from acting on the brain.
Methadone is one of three medications called medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of opioid addiction, heroin addiction, and addiction to other opioids, such as prescription pain relievers and illicit fentanyl. Together, MOUDs are the primary component in medication-assisted treatment, which experts consider the most effective treatment available for opioid addiction.
Medication-assisted treatment is part of an approach to opioid addiction/heroin treatment called harm reduction, endorsed and funded by the State Government of New Jersey with the passage of an important legislative package in 2022.
Here’s how New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy describes harm reduction:
“Over the last four years, my Administration has prioritized a comprehensive, data-driven approach to ending New Jersey’s opioid epidemic. Harm reduction is a cornerstone of our strategy. We are paving the way for critical services to help people with substance use disorders stay healthy, stay alive, and thrive.”
For people in treatment at a methadone clinic for heroin addiction or opioid addiction, medications such as methadone can:
- Block the effect of opioids on the brain and body
- Normalize brain chemistry
- Stop the euphoric and pleasurable effects of opioids
- Decrease frequency and intensity of opioid cravings
- Reduce the symptoms of withdrawal from opioids
In addition, addiction treatment with methadone is associated with:
- Increased time-in-treatment
- Decreased opioid use
- Decreased criminal behavior/involvement with justice system
- Increased ability to find and maintain employment
- Increased ability to participate in family or school life
- Decreased overdose risk
- Decreased overall opioid-related mortality (death)
Addiction treatment is available – but how do you know if you or a loved one needs it?
Opioid Addiction, Heroin Addiction, Prescription Opioid Addiction: Warning Signs
Families seeking a Methadone clinic in Pennsauken, NJ should understand that the sooner a person who needs heroin treatment or opioid treatment gets the treatment they need, the better the outcome. If you think you or someone you love has opioid use disorder (OUD), you can look for two types of warning signs: physical signs and behavioral signs.
Physical Signs of Opioid Addiction:
- Unexplained accidents or injuries
- Shaking hands or other physical tremors
- Neglect of appearance and hygiene
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Slurred or agitated speech
- Clammy palms
- Red, watery eyes
- Tiny pupils
- Poor physical coordination
- Unusual odors on breath, body, or clothes
- Needle marks on arms, legs, or feet
- Shaking hands or other physical tremors
Behavioral Signs of Opioid Addiction:
- Emotional instability
- Significant personality changes
- Decline in work or academic performance
- Increased anger, resentment, and sensitivity
- Decreased ability to focus
- Failure to keep commitments
- Apathy
- Stealing
- Lying
- Loss of interest in lifelong hobbies or passions
- Secretive activity/hiding things
If you see these warning signs in yourself or a loved one, we recommend seeking a professional assessment with an addiction treatment professional. After a comprehensive assessment, an experienced treatment professional can make a referral or recommendation for treatment at a methadone clinic in Pennsauken, NJ.
Treatment for Addiction at Pinnacle Treatment Centers
Medication-assisted treatment at a methadone clinic is about more than the medication. In fact, the best methadone clinics follow the integrated treatment model, which is a holistic, all-of-the-above approach to addiction treatment. After a full biological, psychological, and social assessment, the treatment experts at Delaware Valley Medical create plan that includes a custom-tailored combination of cutting-edge therapeutic techniques, including:
Components of Integrated Treatment in Pennsauken, NJ
- Psychotherapy/Counseling: Individual, group, and family.
- Medication (if needed): methadone, Suboxone®, naltrexone
- Lifestyle changes: Diet, Exercise, Stress management, Sleep hygiene
- Education: Classes/ workshops on the science of addiction and recovery
- Complementary supports: Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness
- Community/Peer support: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), SMART Recovery
- Aftercare/Case Management/Ongoing Support: Relapse prevention, connections to medical services, connections to social services
Families or individuals seeking addiction treatment should ensure that the facility offers more than just medication, but should also understand that the inability to access the additional services should not prevent them from engaging in treatment. A foundational principle of harm reduction is to meet people where they are and offer treatment in a manner they can accept.
Treatment Locators for Pennsauken, NJ
We encourage people in need of a methadone clinic in Pennsauken, NJ to contact us at Delaware Valley Medical. However, doing your due diligence is important. If treatment at a Pinnacle Facility doesn’t meet immediate needs, please use the following resources:
- New Jersey Treatment locator: Addiction Treatment Providers -Treatment Directory Application (rutgers.edu)
- Adults without insurance: 1-844 ReachNJ.GOV at (844) 732-2465
- IME Addiction Access Center: call (844) 276-2777 for 24/7/365 referral support
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) online treatment locator
The Opioid Crisis: Facts and Figures for the U.S. and Camden County, NJ
Since 1999, over a million people have died of drug overdose in the U.S., and about ¾ of those fatalities involved opioids. Here’s a quick look at overdose deaths between 2001 and 2022 nationwide. These figures are available on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
Overdose Fatalities, 2001-2022: United States
- 2001: 19,394
- 2006: 34,415
- 2011: 41,340
- 2016: 63,632
- 2021: 106,699
- 2022: 108,388
That’s a staggering 458% increase over the past 21 years. Now let’s look at the specific data for Camden County for the past six years, where we operate Delaware Valley Medical, a methadone clinic in Pennsauken, NJ. These figures are available to the public at both the New Jersey Opioid Dashboard and the NJ Cares Opioid-Related Data resource page.
Overdose Fatalities, Opioids, Camden County 2018-2023
- 2018: 327
- 2019: 340
- 2020: 288
- 2021: 335
- 2022: 354
- 2023: 326
These overdose numbers demonstrate a clear need for methadone clinic services in Pennsauken, NJ, which includes heroin treatment and opioid addiction treatment. Individuals or families seeking addiction treatment should understand that methadone treatment is one part of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with medications of opioid use disorder (MOUD), and that MAT with MOUD is considered the gold-standard treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), including heroin addiction and prescription opioid addiction.
Remember: the sooner a person who needs treatment gets the treatment they need, the better the outcome.
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