Methadone is a prescription drug, and is part of a group of drugs known as Opioids. Opioids are depressant drugs, which means they slow down the messages travelling between the brain and the rest of the body. Methadone is taken as a replacement for heroin and other opioids as part of treatment for dependence on these drugs. Replacing a drug of dependence with a prescribed drug in this way is known as pharmacotherapy.
As well as improving wellbeing by preventing physical withdrawal, pharmacotherapy helps to stabilise the lives of people who are dependent on heroin and other opioids, and to reduce the harms related to drug use. Methadone is also used to relieve pain following heart attacks, trauma and surgery.
There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries risk – even medications can produce unwanted side effects.
The effects of taking Methadone with other drugs including over-the-counter or prescribed medications can be unpredictable and dangerous.