What treatment is mostly used for managing opioid use disorder?

The effective management of opioid use disorder primarily involves the use of medications that specifically target the needs of individuals with this condition. Among the various treatments, methadone stands out as a cornerstone of opioid substitution therapy. Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist that helps to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings, allowing patients to stabilize their lives and reduce illicit opioid use.

Acamprosate and gabapentin are mostly used for managing alcohol use disorder and neuropathic pain, respectively, and do not directly address the specific challenges posed by opioid use disorder. Naloxone serves as an opioid antagonist, primarily used in emergency situations to reverse opioid overdoses, but it does not aid in the long-term management of opioid use disorder.

Thus, methadone is the preferred choice for the treatment of opioid use disorder because it helps patients achieve a more stable state, facilitates recovery, and supports engagement in psychosocial interventions essential for sustainable recovery.