Methadone dose decreases and anxiety reduction.

This research evaluated the efficacy of an Anxiety Reduction program designed to reduce anxiety early in methadone detoxification and thereby facilitate dose reduction. Major outcome variables were methadone dose, alcohol and illicit drug use, and withdrawal symptomatology. Fifty-three subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to Anxiety Reduction or Control conditions, and were followed for 48 weeks after study start. Statistically significant differences in dose between Anxiety Reduction subjects and Controls occurred early in treatment, and could only be interpreted when initial dose and initial mood disturbance were taken into account. The differences were not of sufficient magnitude to be of clinical importance, and reflected differences in the small number of subjects who changed dose, rather than overall group trends. Anxiety Reduction subjects reported less alcohol use at treatment termination and at follow-ups, and fewer withdrawal symptoms at termination. They were also less likely to be dropped from treatment for disciplinary reasons. High initial anxiety about detoxification was related to minimal dose reduction in both conditions. Also, in both conditions, anxiety increased with decreasing dose.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes