Resources

Myth: You’re replacing one drug for another

• MOUD are medications for a specific purpose, like insulin for diabetes. They are designed to address the physiological effects of opioid addiction, such as cravings and withdrawal symptoms, in order to make it easier for people to focus on their recovery.

• These medications are way safer than drugs you buy on the street. If you use opioids, treatment with methadone or buprenorphine has been shown to reduce your risk of dying by about 50%. 

Myth: I know people who have recovered from MOUD without medication, so that’s the path for everyone.

• While some people may be able to recover from opioid use disorder without medication, this is not the case for everyone. Every person's experience with addiction is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another.

• For many people, MOUD can provide the support and treatment they need to overcome their opioid addiction. In fact, treatment with methadone or buprenorphine has been shown to reduce the risk of dying by about 50%. 

Myth: People using MOUD are less stable than those who are pursuing ‘abstinence-based’ recovery”

• The myth that "people using MOUD are less stable than those who are pursuing 'abstinence-based' recovery" is not accurate. In fact, the opposite is often true. MOUD has been shown to be effective in reducing opioid use, improving treatment retention, and reducing the risk of overdose and other negative outcomes associated with opioid addiction. 

• In many cases, MOUD stigma–not the medications themselves–may threaten the stability of someone’s recovery. People who have overcome addiction continue to feel ashamed of how they did it, and so they lack support and a sense of belonging.

Myth: People using MOUD threaten the safety/comfort of those who are pursuing ‘abstinence-based’ recovery

• It is important to recognize that different people may find different treatment approaches to be most effective for them, and that what works for one person may not work for another.

• Some people recover by going to meetings. Some don’t. Some people recover by connecting with a Christian God, or a more abstract Higher Power, or another form of spirituality. Some don’t. Some people use medical marijuana or other prescribed medications in their recovery. Some don’t. With so many recovery pathways, it makes more sense to accept and (even celebrate) different stories, rather than insist that all recoveries look alike (they won’t).

Myth: Methadone and other MOUD rot your teeth (or bones)

• There’s not good evidence that MOUD damages your bones. Suboxone strips, over time, may cause some harm to your teeth. To reduce harm, you can swish your mouth with water once the strip dissolves. Injectable buprenorphine is one way to avoid this harm altogether. Both methadone and buprenorphine can cause a dry mouth. A good response to dry mouth is to drink lots of water and take care of your teeth and gums.

Myth: If I am taking MOUD and I have a baby, that baby will be born addicted.

• Babies cannot be “born addicted.” They can (and often are) born physically dependent on medications that the mother takes during pregnancy, but there are well-established protocols for helping newborns taper off of medications, including methadone and Suboxone. The word “addiction” refers to continued substance use despite consequences, and babies don’t have the ability to use drugs or alcohol themselves.