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Step 1
Go to a doctor if possible. A doctor can prescribe medications that can ease the side effects from methadone withdrawal. Common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety and insomnia. A doctor can prescribe a mild anti-anxiety medication to ease anxiety and a sleeping pill to treat insomnia.
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Step 2
Enlist supporters to help you. Supporters can be a methadone support group, family, friends or a doctor. The ideal situation is to have all the above mentioned forms of support. Supporters can talk to you when you are having a hard time and give you advice. Support makes success in beating a methadone addiction more likely.
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Step 3
Gradually reduce your daily dose of methadone. It is best to get a doctor's advice about dosages for a gradual reduction, because every person and situation are different. A good guideline is to reduce the methadone dose by 1 mg every other day. If withdrawal symptoms are strong, you need to reduce the dose slower. Instead, reduce the dose by 1 mg every week instead of every other day.
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Step 4
Help your body to eliminate wastes by drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, and exercising. Both water and exercise help the digestive system and lymphatic system to eliminate waste.
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Step 5
Stick to your detox plan. If you slip, do not give up. Try again. It is understandable to slip up and take too much methadone. Slipping up does not mean that you have failed, it just means that you either tried to detox too fast or you did not utilize your support system. If you slip, try reducing your dose more gradually and surround yourself with understanding people who you can lean on when you are feeling weak.
