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Junkie. Dope fiend. Thief. Nobody. Self absorbed, self centered, malingerers who are untrustworthy and dangerous. These are just a few of the labels that get placed on mental health clients who attend Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs (MMTP). Clients in recovery from mental illness and heroin addiction who are on MMTP experience stigma in a triple dose.

Methadone, a synthetic opiate, was discovered to help heroin addicts get through the difficult withdrawal phase of recovery, severely reducing cravings to use. After the detox phase, it blocks the "high" of opiates. Recovering addicts were able to stay clean, avoid illegal activities, return to their jobs, schools and family life. MMTP has become the treatment of choice for heroin addicts, as well as a tool in HIV prevention, as users on MMTP are less likely to share needles.

Members of the Methadone in Recovery group at ICD's (International Center for the Disabled) Addiction Recovery Services have experienced enormous stigma, causing increased shame and guilt, lack of access to adequate health and mental health care and a high potential for relapse of drug use and symptoms of mental illness.

"When people find out you're on methadone they turn their heads down at you. They treat you like you're still a junkie," states a member of the group. Another recalls, "Several times my doctors got to the issue of methadone and they looked down upon me as a low life. Not only won't they serve you, but they also hurt your feelings. Then they talk to the nurse about you and the nurse starts treating you different, too."

"My baby's mom didn't like me being on methadone," recollects a member, "My family started looking at me differently. I couldn't get a job because I was on methadone." Another member adds, "Even the people at the methadone program would say to me: 'Don't you have anything better to do than to be here?' I would go to a 12-step meeting and I'd be like: 'look I'm on methadone and don't use dope,' and they said to me, 'You're still using, you're not clean at all.'" One member sums it up by stating, "So long as you're on methadone you're equated to be the same as a junkie. That's an extra baggage we have to carry with us."

The Methadone in Recovery group aims to help the members cope with the challenges of being on MMTP and in recovery from mental illness and drug addiction. We define recovery as abstinence from all mood-altering substances, a decrease in psychiatric symptoms, and taking all medications as prescribed by a doctor, including methadone. Topics of groups have included difficulties dealing with the interaction of methadone and other psychiatric medications, side effects of methadone, not feeling accepted in the recovery community, and stigma placed on addicts and the mentally ill.

"I feel safe revealing information here that I wouldn't reveal in other places," said a group member. "It helps me to stay strong when everybody shares about whatever they go through. I go through that also." Another stated, "We can talk from our heart and say what we gotta say and feel good about ourselves. It's someplace we can discuss the issues honestly." Another adds, "I've never had a place to go before to talk about these issues. Here we feel comfortable. We can voice our opinions without being judged."

ICD's Methadone in Recovery group wants the community to know they are sincere and doing the best they can to change their lives for the better. They are intelligent, loving, caring people who have the ability to take care of themselves and their families. Despite the sometimes disabling side-effects of medications and the challenge of abstaining from illicit drugs and alcohol, they have the capacity to become productive members of society.