Methadone Myths and Facts: What the Evidence Says

Methadone myths are easy to find, and some sound reasonable at first. Methadone has been used for opioid use disorder for more than 50 years, yet the idea that it simply swaps one drug for another persists. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026] Below, six common myths are checked against federal health agencies, obstetric guidance and the treatment rules themselves.

This is general education, not medical advice, and decisions about your own treatment belong to you and your care team.

What are the most common methadone myths?

Colorado's Behavioral Health Administration keeps a myths list on its page about opioid treatment programs. These three appear on it, in these words. [Source: Colorado Behavioral Health Administration 2025]

• MAT is substituting one drug for another.
• The only people struggling with opioid use disorder are injection heroin users.
• Pregnant women shouldn't enter MAT.

MAT stands for medication-assisted treatment. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) treats the term as another name for opioid agonist medication, such as methadone. [Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2017] The table below adds three more myths, and each one is covered in detail further down.

Is methadone just trading one addiction for another?

No, though the confusion is understandable. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that methadone acts on the same brain receptors as heroin and fentanyl. That is why some people may think they are just substituting one drug for another.

The difference is in how it acts. Methadone activates those receptors more slowly and stays in the body longer. As a result, NIDA says, it produces less intense feelings of pleasure in people with opioid use disorder while reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026]

It is still an opioid medication, and that matters. NIDA notes that, like many medications, it produces dependence, and stopping suddenly can bring withdrawal symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) treats physical dependence as a side effect that can occur even when opioids are taken as directed, separate from the risk of addiction. [Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2025]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says every medication it has approved for opioid use disorder, methadone included, has been shown to be safe and effective. [Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024]

Is opioid use disorder only a problem for people who inject heroin?

No. NIDA describes opioid use disorder as a pattern of symptoms and behaviors, such as using more than intended, strong cravings or continuing despite problems. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026] ACOG adds that the disorder may develop with repeated use of any opioid. [Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2017]

Prescription painkillers are part of the picture. CDC says plainly that anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted to them. [Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2025]

CDC also describes three waves of opioid overdose deaths. The first involved prescription opioids from the 1990s, the second heroin from 2010, and the third synthetic opioids, particularly illegally made fentanyl, from 2013. That fentanyl is often found as powder or pressed into counterfeit pills. [Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2026]

Should pregnant women avoid methadone treatment?

Current medical guidance points the other way. CDC lists methadone among the recommended medications for pregnant women with opioid use disorder. It notes that clinical recommendations favor medication over supervised withdrawal. [Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2026]

ACOG's committee opinion, reaffirmed in 2026, calls opioid agonist medication the recommended therapy for pregnant women with opioid use disorder. It explains that withdrawal is associated with high relapse rates, which lead to worse outcomes. [Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2017]

Federal rules point the same way. Opioid treatment programs must keep policies that reflect the special needs of pregnant patients and their priority for admission. [Source: 42 CFR 8.12, eCFR 2026]

Like many medications in pregnancy, it has benefits and risks, CDC notes. Withdrawal in a newborn, called neonatal abstinence syndrome, is an expected condition after exposure to these medications. Pediatric teams monitor for it and treat it. [Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2026] NIDA adds that research on the best approach in pregnancy is ongoing. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026] Decisions about medication in pregnancy belong to you and your obstetric and addiction care teams, working together.

Is methadone treatment just a daily dose?

No. Federal rules define treatment for opioid use disorder as medication plus a range of medical and behavioral health services. Those services follow an individual assessment and a care plan agreed with the patient. [Source: 42 CFR 8.2, eCFR 2026]

Programs must provide substance use disorder counseling as clinically necessary and mutually agreed upon. They must also provide or refer patients to vocational training, education and employment services when patients request them. [Source: 42 CFR 8.12, eCFR 2026]

Medicare's list of covered program services points the same way, from substance use counseling and group therapy to peer recovery support. [Source: Medicare.gov 2026] In research NIDA summarizes, people with opioid use disorder treated with methadone were less likely to die or overdose than those not treated. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026]

Do you have to stay on methadone forever?

Not necessarily. Federal rules require programs to give patients who choose to taper the opportunity to do so. The taper needs informed consent and a mutually agreed-upon rate that minimizes taper-related risks. [Source: 42 CFR 8.12, eCFR 2026]

Long-term treatment is an accepted path too. NIDA calls opioid use disorder a chronic, treatable condition, and Medicare covers treatment services for as long as they are reasonable and necessary. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026] [Source: Medicare.gov 2026] Either way, changes to a methadone plan are decisions you make with your care team.

How Mile High Treatment & Recovery can help

We are a CARF-accredited opioid treatment program at 6310 E. Exposition Ave in Denver, providing methadone therapy.

• Hours. Weekday dosing runs from 5:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and we are open Saturday from 9 to 11 AM.
• Starting treatment. Call ahead or walk in before 11:30 AM. Every new patient has an assessment before treatment begins; see what to expect.
• More than medication. We offer individual counseling, group counseling, recovery support services and care coordination, alongside medication-assisted treatment.
• Coverage. We accept Medicaid and Medicare, including Health First Colorado, Colorado Access, Colorado Community Health Alliance and Rocky Mountain Health Plans. We also offer a sliding scale for self-pay. See insurance and Medicaid.
• Transfers and travel. Our services include transfers from other programs and guest dosing.

Methadone myths: common questions

Does methadone make you high?

Not in the way other opioids do, when someone with opioid use disorder takes it as prescribed. In that case, NIDA says, it prevents cravings and withdrawal without causing the intense high that other opioids produce. That is not true for everyone. NIDA notes that people without opioid use disorder could experience a high, and that methadone can be misused if injected. In the United States, methadone for opioid use disorder is only available from approved opioid treatment programs. If you have questions about how it may affect you, ask your care team. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026]

How often do you have to visit a methadone clinic?

At first, usually every day or almost every day, according to NIDA. Many people who have been in treatment for a while can later receive more doses to take home. [Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse 2026] Federal rules also allow take-home doses for days the clinic is closed. Beyond that, take-home decisions rest with the program's medical director or a licensed practitioner. [Source: 42 CFR 8.12, eCFR 2026] Your care team can explain how this works in your own treatment. For help comparing programs, see how to choose among methadone clinics in Colorado.

Does insurance cover methadone treatment?

Medicare does. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced in 2019 that Medicare would start paying for opioid treatment program services, including methadone, on January 1, 2020. [Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2019] Today, Medicare Part B covers methadone received through an opioid treatment program, plus services such as counseling, therapy, intake assessments and drug testing. Coverage lasts for as long as treatment is reasonable and necessary. [Source: Medicare.gov 2026] For Medicaid or a private plan, check your benefits with the plan or the program before you start. Our insurance page lists the plans we accept.

Where to go from here

Methadone myths are easier to judge once you set them beside what NIDA, CDC, the FDA, ACOG and the federal treatment rules say. If you are weighing treatment for yourself or someone close to you, bring your questions to a clinician who can talk them through.

If Denver works for you, call us at 720-756-7162 or get in touch and ask anything on this list.