|
Author |
Message |
jdanticoli
Member
Posts: 10
Registered: Oct 2005 |
 Posted October 29th, 2005 04:56 PM IP   
Methadonia: Hyped-up, made for TV docu-drama not truthful reporting.
Methadonia should have been called “Benzodonia” because all the film does is focus on methadone patients who are addicted to benzodiazepines. Methadone at proper dosing simply makes a recovering heroin addict feel normal; not high, demented or wasted like the zombies portrayed in Methadonia. Methadone has been nothing short of salvation, the key to freedom and a return to normal productive living, for thousands of recovering heroin addicts; myself included. Many abstinent heroin addicts are permanently altered neurochemically making it virtually impossible to maintain any long-term sobriety. Methadone acts as a normalizing agent making the ex-junkie’s brain operate as close to normal as one could hope to achieve. Maybe in the future this can be achieved through a more sophisticated means such as gene-therapy.
The point is, once you add any addictive, mind-altering drugs such as benzodiazepines (i.e. valium, xanax) and alike into the picture you have upset the equilibrium that the proper dose of methadone works to achieve. All Mr. Negroponte did here in his documentary was sensationalize the down-and-out addicts who are failing miserably at recovery. Why didn’t he interview the policeman, the lawyer, the stockbroker, the social worker or the carpenter, quietly living out their normal and productive lives while being maintained on methadone. Why? Because it’s BORING! Heck, how would he journalistically treat the newest weapon against the mind-wrecking effects of opiate addiction, suboxone(buprenorphine), with it’s more exciting mode of delivery: a doctors office?
This piece of film isn’t worthy of being called a documentary because it does not accurately portray the successes along with the failures of the methadone treatment modality. It is lousy journalism attempting to dramatize the truth in an attempt to hook the viewers.
 joe d
"A willingness to bear the burden of my own reality, wherever it leads me, never sure that it is right; this is faith." jda
|
|
   |
|
Ginger
Member
Posts: 14
Registered: Jul 2005 |
Posted October 31st, 2005 01:33 AM IP
Then maybe you should watch Methadonia again I was disapointed yes but there were 4 people and one group leader. The group leader IF you had paid attention did get on Methadone detoxed slowly and is clean to this day the african american man was a zombie at the begining but once he got off the other drugs, detoxed too fast then got back on Methadone and detoxed slooowly got off and HE is clean it showed the people that use methadone and other drugs yes a lot of people on Methadone do. But it did show people that didn't. By the way IF he came to your clinic would you let him film your methadone recovery? I wouldn't to have you face all over the world as the Methadone patient HBO is seen all over the world. 10 years down the road after your clean have someone come up to you and say HEY aren't the the methadonia person. I suggest you watch it again. IF you want to focus on the negative that's your own fault I got a good message out of it. Because let's be honest a lot of people on methadone DO use other drugs and if you don't see that you're just lying to yourself. Me? I am clean and almost off of methadone and the clinic I went to was called a treatment center and I didn't know I was gonna take methadone until I got to the window to get my dose. So there are BAD clinics out there that don't fucking care what drugs you take IF you pay your bill every week. There were two people on that show that are a recovery success BECAUSE of methadone. PLEASE I URGE YOU watch it again
Life wasn't meant to be a struggle
Have a Blessed Day
|
|
|
|
Me
*HEPCAT* - Started MMT - April 5, 2004 *MODERATOR*
Posts: 534
Registered: Jun 2005 |
Posted November 2nd, 2005 02:27 PM IP
I did say this in another topic just like this. The film accomplished just what it was about. It was supposed to only be about methadone and benzos, mixed together. That was the purpose of this film. I suppose it did fall short in one area. I think it should have mentioned, just once, and even in passing, that this is one group of many that do MMT. There are good points to this movie, as Ginger mentioned. Michel made this film, so people would be aware of a growing problem, that is actually killing people. I even have to think of it this way....if he were doing a film on AIDS, would he have to explain that this was a certain group of people, and not true for ALL people? No, I don't think so. So, his movie was about a group with the disease of addiction that used methadone and benzos on top. We know it was only a certain population of methadone patients. He probably assumed everyone would know that. Unfortunately the assumption was wrong. He's human. We all make mistakes...but really, the film documented, very accurately, what it was meant to document. You said yourself that all you got from this film was info on people using benzos with their doses...that was what he hoped we would all get from this documentary. I was ticked off at first too, but I understand know. It's a shame the maker of the documentary had to come back and explain his motives....I do believe that because he had to do that, that the film may have fallen just a bit short. One simple line would have made none of this a problem. Just something simple like, I want to show you a small group of methadone patients that are mixing their doses with benzos. Something like that would have avoided this whole thread, don't you think?
Yeah, right...what does she know?!
|
|
|
|
jdanticoli
Member
Posts: 10
Registered: Oct 2005 |
Posted November 4th, 2005 10:14 PM IP
Nooo wayyy baby. I am sticking by what I said. It is not my job to stick up for Mr. Negroponte. It just pisses me off that Methadone has been given a bad wrap for way too long; when it may be lousy treatment facilties or addicts who are not quite ready to change their lives, that are responsible for the central parts they play relating to treatment outcomes.
Follow me?
"A willingness to bear the burden of my own reality, wherever it leads me, never sure that it is right; this is faith." jda
|
|
|
|
Ginger
Member
Posts: 14
Registered: Jul 2005 |
Posted November 5th, 2005 01:08 PM IP
Let's face the facts people a lot of people on Methadone ARE on other drugs, sometimes the truth hurts but it's still the truth and an actual fact. DID ANYONE see the counselor Millie she was on Methadone an got off and has been clean and sober ever since or the afircan man who was a zombie at the begining of the show then detoxed too fast got back on the methadone program without taking any other drugs or pills detoxed slowly then has regained his soul and is now clean and sober and IS on the methadone program and IS a good person and is now taking his journey of recovery seriously. 2 out of 5 or 6 people made it and to me that's showing a lot to me that he wasn't trying to make methadonia a negative film about being on a methadone program. It's the PEOPLE that are on a methadone program that continue to USE DRUGS that give Methadone a bad name and nothing else as soon as you acept that the better off you'll be
Life wasn't meant to be a struggle
Have a Blessed Day
|
|
|
|
Me
*HEPCAT* - Started MMT - April 5, 2004 *MODERATOR*
Posts: 534
Registered: Jun 2005 |
Posted November 5th, 2005 03:48 PM IP
Sharon,
I totally understand what you are saying. I said the same thing before I tried to look at it in the directors way. I mean, he did not maliciously set out to make a negative film on all MMT patients. Do you understand what I mean? I still believe it had a negative impact as well, but I just don't think it happened on purpose. I am not "sticking up" for anyone...I was just giving MY opinion of what I see NOW that I have read what he has said several times over. I understand what his Intent was, but still believe it wasn't a good movie for the MMT population. Do you see what I mean??
Yeah, right...what does she know?!
|
|
|
|
Ginger
Member
Posts: 14
Registered: Jul 2005 |
Posted November 28th, 2005 12:51 PM IP
I think it was a good film. If 2 out of 5 or 6 people got clean those are good odds to me. Yes I was disappointed in the film, but then I thought what if he came to my clinic? would I want him to film my recovery? and the answer is NO. So from my point of view I don't think anyone with any future and a lot to loose would agree to have their recovery filmed and documented. And to be honest I have been to A lot of Methadone clinics guest dosing, and moving around I do know for a fact by meeting patients and sponcering people on Methadone that more than 40% of Methadone patients do use while on Methadone. Most of them using Bezos. So this MUST be treated as a BIG problem and treated with the upmost seriousness and not ignored. Addicts suffer from a feelings disease so instead of sugar coating it by not addressing these issues that patients Do in fact still use can only hurt them. So to me addressing this issue can only help them help themselves
Life wasn't meant to be a struggle
Have a Blessed Day
|
|
|
|
thepainter1960
Member
Posts: 24
Registered: Feb 2006 |
Posted March 24th, 2006 03:19 PM IP
I just dont understand why make a film like that it just shows everything negative about a wonderful substance that saved my life. False information . I dont care what you think. It should been titled junkies in there paradise. I only live an hour away from that mess. Sorrey false information/
|
|
|
|
dslchome
Member
Posts: 2
Registered: Apr 2006 |
Posted April 30th, 2006 06:56 AM IP
Quote:
jdanticoli wrote:
Methadonia: Hyped-up, made for TV docu-drama not truthful reporting.
Methadonia should have been called “Benzodonia” because all the film does is focus on methadone patients who are addicted to benzodiazepines. Methadone at proper dosing simply makes a recovering heroin addict feel normal; not high, demented or wasted like the zombies portrayed in Methadonia. Methadone has been nothing short of salvation, the key to freedom and a return to normal productive living, for thousands of recovering heroin addicts; myself included. Many abstinent heroin addicts are permanently altered neurochemically making it virtually impossible to maintain any long-term sobriety. Methadone acts as a normalizing agent making the ex-junkie’s brain operate as close to normal as one could hope to achieve. Maybe in the future this can be achieved through a more sophisticated means such as gene-therapy.
The point is, once you add any addictive, mind-altering drugs such as benzodiazepines (i.e. valium, xanax) and alike into the picture you have upset the equilibrium that the proper dose of methadone works to achieve. All Mr. Negroponte did here in his documentary was sensationalize the down-and-out addicts who are failing miserably at recovery. Why didn’t he interview the policeman, the lawyer, the stockbroker, the social worker or the carpenter, quietly living out their normal and productive lives while being maintained on methadone. Why? Because it’s BORING! Heck, how would he journalistically treat the newest weapon against the mind-wrecking effects of opiate addiction, suboxone(buprenorphine), with it’s more exciting mode of delivery: a doctors office?
This piece of film isn’t worthy of being called a documentary because it does not accurately portray the successes along with the failures of the methadone treatment modality. It is lousy journalism attempting to dramatize the truth in an attempt to hook the viewers.
joe d
|
I agree with you 100% However the benzo people were taking way to much. I take methodone and Xanax however I take 2mg broken down into 4 peices through out the day. Some days I take less. In FLA we have Phases of Meth treatement. For instance a Phase 1 has to come each day. A phase to comes each other day. The highest you can get is a Phase 7 and thats once a month. I am on a Phase 6 I only go once a week and pick up a weeks supply.
Anyways to get back to the point. I take Xanax b/c I have severe panic attacks. I ve tried Ativan and Klonapin an they dont work. So I take Xanax. Im waiting for Xanax XR is in Generic form. Its sorta like a OxyCottin. I lasts all day and thier no ups and downs like the regular Xanax bars. Also on Methodonia the people were on very high doses of Meth an
most the benzo users were saying that they were taking for 2 mg Xanax a day! Thats 8 Mgs! I feel as long and the benzos are not abused with the methodone then its okay.
As soon as my family saw that program they all got upset at me for taking Xanax. I even tried to stop taking it and the withdrawl was TERRIBLE. The main issue anyways about mixing benzos and meth is if you abuse it.
I know people that love to take regular old benadrl with thier meth and even wash it down with alcohol.
Anyways I agree with what you said.
33 yrs old Male, White. 5foot 7 inches.
Greeen eyes. 170 lbs
|
|
|
|
Colette215
Member
Posts: 65
Registered: Apr 2009 |
Posted April 26th, 2009 05:56 PM IP
I understand where the maker was coming from but I dont think other people not n methadone understand that those people were no just on methadone. when i first got on the clinic one of my moms friends gave her that to watch and even though Ive got 1 1/2 year clean my mom still has that as her image of ALL people on methadone. I know that the people that are all f*cked up is a much more interesting story, I just wish the other side of us "boring" "normal" (lol) people was shown also. I just feel uneducated people can get an image that isnt the whole truth. just my opinion...
Colette Kolbmann
Peer Specialist
ACT1
Philadelphia, PA
Colette.Kolbmann@jevs.org
|
|
|
|
RecoverJunky
Member
Posts: 38
Registered: Dec 2008 |
Posted May 1st, 2009 12:28 AM IP
Colette, I agree with what you are saying. I had the same problem. I knew people that had watched the Methadonia video and weren't on methadone. They had a totaly WRONG idea of what I was trying to do with my life.
I am one to witness that it HAS saved MY life. Yes, there (unfortunatly) are many people in the clinics who aren't ready to change their way of living and are on benzo's among other different drugs with their methadone.
But I agree, I think the video (weather it was meant to or not) educate those who weren't on methadone, and most of those people don't look at small amount of good that was in the movie.
I have a girl friend who, when she first got on methadone, (her parents were helping her out) and her dad saw the movie after he got her into the program, and then shortly later, yanked her out of it by not helping her anymore and convincing her that it was nothing but a drug dealing program and not made to help anyone out.
(She later got back on methadone on her own terms)
So, I totaly agree that it gives off the wrong message. If they wanted to do a full, and complete, truthful, documentery; they should have shown the "boring people" that ARE succesfull with using the methadone in the way it's suppose to be used.
The ones who DO want to change their "junkie ways" and get clean and sober to the best of their abilaty.
I know that I am walking proof that it saved, and CHANGED my life! I am oh so grateful for it. I know, that I would NOT be here today, if this program wasn't around.
Anyways. I just wanted to add my little voice to the topic.
:-)
Gob Bless~
R.
*Life Is Short, If We Don't Stop & Look, We Could Miss IT*
|
|
|
|
MommaH
Member
Posts: 2
Registered: Jan 2012 |
Posted January 1st, 2012 03:53 PM IP
I agree with dslchome-
I believe it's the patients that abuse the benzos. I'm on 50 mg methadone maintenance along with 1 mg ONCE a day of Klonopin as needed and I don't walk around jacked up. Methadone saved my life, Klonopin saves me from my panic attacks. There are people that come into my clinic and they stumble and mumble and can't even see straight. Pisses me off that they STILL get dosed. I think they should be turned away. They don't want to make the committment to change their ways and change their lives then they shouldn't be there getting dosed regularly...
Momma H
~MommaH~
|
|
|
|
Vlada011
Member
Posts: 24
Registered: Jan 2013 |
Posted January 23rd, 2013 02:06 AM IP
I will look this documentary...
Update: I start to look but I can't for now... I can't look people on proper medication until I get crap... It's too hard for me and too rage in my minds...
I can't, I try but I can't... for now that is in my PC and wait better times...
I try to hide my minds and my thinking about situation...
Only I can say I will not forget never and never stop to think and plan revenge to people who are responsible for that...
When I became older and when life no more sense I will kill ministry of health in that time ex ministry, just like that without words like mad dog. Than I will sit and call caps and tell them probably I'm sick and I'm dying I do that because they long time poisoned people with some substance... They call that Methadone, but Methadone is only one with exactly same composition and active substance with some other unimportant difference things like flavors, sugar, alcohol, but not with lack of active substance...
I tell that in public and they didn't stop to poisoned us in treatment, they say that is our choice only they hide our choice is Methadone and Serbian version not exist and nobody stop to use drug with Serbian version...We can get Methadone or poison, Methadone is like rest of the world everything else is against our will, against our choose, against our human rights to heal yourself on only way how we can live without heroin...
I tell them many times my thinking and my provement about poisoning people in middle of Europe they poison close to 3000 thousands people with bad medication against our complains on quality and bad feelings. Only punish for that is dead and I can best revenge if they think I forgot and I drink what they give to me and I feel OK. Now I feel bad like before and I need heroin like people who are not in treatment. And heroin works on me like on people who are not on Methadone. And I go in program they call that Substitution but I think at least 20 people some of them doctors, directors and people from Ministry of health deserve jail for this. I can punish only one before police arrest me. And whole their family because they drink normal medication for their sickness.
Methadone is not first drug. Before 15 years they change composition of our Serbian version of Tramadol (Trodon) after change composition and try to drug lose effect like opiate medication Trodon start to cause epileptic attack in dosage normal for Tramadol and not danger for human body and they start massive to prescribe sedatives for lowest dosage of that medication to stop possible epileptic attack. I can say everybody who die because abuse of that medication die after Serbia change medication not before. Before Trodon cause euphoria, after epileptic attack and some of people who survive continue to suffer from epileptic attack and after stop with drinking Trodon. Their name is Tramadol too, but Serbia change medication like they want and in many case they export that on different markets.
That is poisoning people if you change medication and call that with some international name...All people ion Serbia know for this situation, all that is in Serbian soul, cheat, lie and own deadly politic against own people and again other nations.
When I look this video Methadonia only one little part I can remember of period when I feel OK and live normal life until my country stop me to drink selected medications. I only need what rest of you drink nothing else.
(Edited by Vlada011)
Serbs are animals, Serbs are dogs.
Serbs are cheaters, Serbs are liars and they kill sick people and human rights means nothing.
Serbs are most inhuman, abnormal, uncivilized, genocidal Europe nation and they don't deserve life in normal modern world. Without Serbs Europe would be better place. Europe without Serbia is Europe without madness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Methadone Anonymous Forums :: SPEAKER/SPECIAL EVENT :: METHADONIA...The Filmmaker, Michel Negroponte :: I'm new. My view on METHADONIA |
|
From the beautiful mountains of Scottsdale, Arizona...(and the shopping ain't bad either, lol!)...... 
