Documentary Details Troubled Lives of Methadone Patients October 7, 2005
News Summary
A new documentary shown at the New York Film Festival paints a bleak picture of the life of a long-term methadone patient, the New York Times reported Oct. 6.The movie, "Methadonia," which also will be shown on HBO, profiles opiate addicts who have been going to clinics for methadone for 30 years or more. "Who knew we'd get famous for being ex-junkies?" said Mario Belfiore, who stopped using heroin 45 years ago, has been on methadone for 30 years, and still struggles with addiction to prescription drugs.
Director Michel Negroponte followed methadone patients at the New York Center for Addiction Treatment Services. Some in the methadone treatment community complain that the film focuses too much on problems and not enough on recovery. Among other things, the film delves into the problem of patients developing secondary addictions to anti-anxiety medications like Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium, which produce euphoria when combined with methadone.
"The former addicts profiled in the film are not representative of the vast majority of methadone users in the city, who hold jobs and support families and are not overdosing or getting H.I.V. or hepatitis C from sharing needles," said Andrew Kolodny, medical director for the mental hygiene division of the New York City Department of Health.
Mark W. Parrino, president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, agreed that cross-addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem, but only affects about 15 percent of methadone patients. He said the film "hurts more than helps" the cause of methadone treatment and reducing stigma.
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