Saturday, April 20, 2019

Methadone Clinic Etiquette


Methadone Clinic Etiquette

I am not discriminating against anyone in recovery, especially because I am one.  I, however, dread going in there sometimes because someone is usually rude, impatient, or doesn’t respect boundaries.  I put together a short list of things to remember-with some comedy involved.

1.   Don’t smoke in front of the door.  Some of us don’t smoke or have to bring our children in there.  I know that a lot of places have a no smoking rule for a certain distance around the building but I’ve never seen it enforced.  Nothing makes me angrier than getting a big cloud of smoke in my face when I’m carrying my toddler.  JUST STOP.
2.    Don’t ask someone what their dose is.  This is a tricky one.  Some people, especially in social media groups, are very vocal about how much methadone they take.  I have been asked this question a few times and every time I’ve answered I always gotten the same reaction, “That’s way too high, you’re never going to be able to get off of that much!”  (I was asked this question A LOT when I was pregnant the first time)  I am not secretive about it, I’m on 125mgs, but it is an intrusive question.  For some people, this is very personal.  How would you like it if someone asked you how many milligrams of Prozac you take?  How about how much you weigh? 
3.  When in line to dose, quit complaining.  I always make sure that I don’t have anywhere that I have to be immediately after I go to the clinic for this reason.  I understand that people have to work early in the morning, but there is no reason to loudly complain about the person receiving their methadone at the counter.  It’s not as simple as handing you a cup, drinking it, and then saying goodbye.  Some people, myself included, have dozens of bottles that need to be filled up.  When this happens, you open your locked box and the nurse checks ALL of your empty bottles.  She does this to make sure that they are empty, not damaged, and that they belong to you.  (For those of you not familiar with a take-home bottle, a label is printed with your information on it) After she checks these, you have to cross out your name on every bottle.  Then, I help her put the labels on each and every bottle.  Finally, she fills up each bottle and gives me my dose for that day.  It makes it an incredibly terrible experience when someone, who is either dope sick or impatient, is yelling in line that, “This b****h is taking too long!”.  This happens every time I go in.  Sometimes, I have been in there (there is a private room with a locking door for those receiving their dose) and someone has hit or
kicked that door.  This is totally uncalled for and a huge reason why the stigma hasn’t been broken.  I think that there should be two separate lines for those with privileges and those that have to come in every day but I doubt that most clinics would have an extra nurse for this.  Be polite, seriously.  
4.  Don’t pee all over the toilet seats.  Everyone that is a patient at a methadone clinic consents to random drug tests.  Every time I go in to give my sample, there is pee ALL OVER the toilet seat and water on the sink.  I don’t understand, I just don’t.  Stop doing it.  It’s disgusting.
5.  Do NOT touch someone else’s child without asking.  It’s bad enough that my toddler has to come inside with me but DO NOT EVER try to pick him up.  A lot of people, (just being honest), are homeless and hygiene isn’t their #1 priority, especially in this setting.  When I was in my active addiction, I wouldn’t shower for weeks, I was pretty nasty.  Just don’t do it. 
6.  Stop talking about getting high in the lobby.  Some people could be hanging on by a thread guys, trying to do everything that they can to stay clean for just one more day.  Hearing your story about, ‘How my dawg Gucci has some fire s**t right now’ could be the thing that pushes them over the edge.  Be decent and save those conversations for someplace else.  Also, some people are forced to bring their older children inside and they don’t need to hear these things either.
7.  This is NOT the place to find a new boyfriend/girlfriend.  I don’t want to be hit on.  Don’t ask me about myself.  Just don’t.  This doesn’t happen often because my husband comes into the clinic with me in uniform, but it has in the past.  Don’t be that weirdo. 


       


               

1 comment:

  1. This is an informative Blog about Suboxone online shop, Thanks. Hope you share new informative blogs. If anyone interested in Suboxone online shop
    CONTACT US NOW we are specialized in supplying suboxone

    ReplyDelete