Mood, Primary Heroin Withdrawal, and Acute Methadone Administration

Abstract

This study was designed to: describe the internal state of addicts undergoing primary withdrawal, determine how the internal state is altered by the alleviation of withdrawal stress through an acute dose of methadone, and to determine a predictor of the probability of a patient completing detoxification. Sixty-seven male and female heroin addicts accepted for methadone detoxification were administered a 65-item Profile of Mood States (POMS). Forty-nine of the Ss were tested immediately prior to receiving their initial dose of methadone and again 45 minutes later, while the remaining 18 Ss were only tested 45 minutes after receiving their methadone in order to control for the effects of repeated testing. Each of the subscales measured by the POMS showed a significant decrease in mood disturbance following methadone administration (p <.0001); these differences could not be attributed to the effects of repeated testing. Factor analysis of pre- and post-methadone treatment scores indicated a two-factor structure prior to receiving methadone and a single unified mood state after the alleviation of primary withdrawal stress. The Anger subscale, administered immediately prior to receiving methadone, was a highly significant predictor of the completion of detoxification (p <.005). Further implications of the results were discussed.