Is clonidine similar to methadone?

Question

I've been on opiates for a very long time and was prescribed clonidine, how well does it work for WDs?

Answer 1

Clonidine is completely different than methadone in terms of pharmacology.

Methadone is a partial agonist at your endorphin receptors in the brain. It stimulates catecholamine productions, especially dopamine, which is part of the "reward/satisfaction" pathway in the brain. That's why it can be addictive, like other opiates. Methadone is often used to help break addiction from other opiates because of its limited effects and relatively long half-life (meaning, you can't use it to get high as often).

Clonidine comes in and actually tells the neurons in your brain that "enough is enough", and it stops releasing catecholamines, including dopamine. This short-circuits the pathway that makes you feel high. It will *not* make you high, but it will reduce some of the worst withdrawal symptoms and reduce the pleasure of any opiates you take. It's a way to "break out" of the cycle.

Answer 2

The two are in entirely different classes of medication.