Methadone was not compared to insulin because the patient would DIE without it–it was compared because the similarity lies in the fact that a bodily organ is no longer producing a chemical we need to function normally–in diabetics, the pancreas no longer produces insulin and in some opiate addicts, the brain no longer produces endorphins. Just because a disease process does not lead to death is no reason not to treat it. Life without a functional endorphin system is unpleasant in the extreme and there is no reason for a person to have to suffer through life in utter misery when there is an available treatment.

I for one am fed up with being told by you and others that my treatment choice is “not good”. Opiates are NOT an evil drug–in fact, every one of us produces natural opiates in our bodies–that is why we have opiate receptors. If our opiate receptors are full of natural endorphins, and we take opiate drugs on top of that, we will get high. We have “overflowed the cup”. However, if your natural opiates are depleted and you take a properly prescribed long acting opiate on a stable dose, you will NOT get high–you will simply feel normal, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to feel normal. My recovery is not inferior to yours and I frankly am tired of the steady implication that your idea of recovery is the only way to go, despite the incredible relapse rate.

Bill Wilson, the founder of AA, had Dr Dole, the founder of MMT, on his board of trustees for AA. He once stated to Dr Dole that he wanted him to find “an analogue” of methadone for alcoholics–a similar medication that they could take–because he knew that too many people were not finding success in AA and needed another way, He was far more open minded than most of his followers today, sad to say.