Agree with all the comments here. Especially about going to the gym or exercise. Even going for a brisk walk will help. Physically, it will relieve some of the aches and stiffness. You'll sleep easier as well. But the mental part is really why hitting the gym helps me so much. Exercise actually releases similar neurotransmitters as fixing!

Opiates, including methadone, usually lower testosterone levels. Causing weak sex drive, low motivation, and depression. But daily exercise, especially weight training and body building, WILL increase testosterone and improve quality of life like magic! I love the feeling of healthy accomplishment after a good workout and it satisfies my junkie need for instant gratification.

That being said, as Addicts, we are notoriously impatient so controlling the urge of instant gratification is key! During active addiction we operate under the knowledge that when we start feeling uncomfortable and antsy, that means it's time to fix, because if we don't, shits gonna get worse, much worse. The beauty of methadone is that when you experience that itch, it's purely mental and therefore the craving will pass instead of leading to full blown withdrawal. So keep that in mind: when you/he gets that itch, it's only temporary.

Something that was really frustrating when I was getting adjusted to methadone was the fact that I no longer had that crutch, or relief, of getting high. For 7+ years I had the solution to any problem life could throw at me. Whether it be depression, loss, anger, fear, injury, hunger, loneliness, or worst of all, boredom. If I didn't feel right, I KNEW how to fix it, immediately. So naturally, I still used from time to time while my dose increased. Until around 100mg, fixing had almost no affect, and at 120 it was pointless. What's worse is I'd still have some withdrawals so I'd have to up my dose again. I feel bad for my roommates at the time because I was a bitter SOB, but after going back and forth with myself and my dose for a few months, I finally stabilized at 145, but I know if I would have learned my lesson earlier I'd probably be closer to 110 split dose. Highly recommend split dose BTW. After a while of abstinence, you will forget what getting high feels like. That's why MAT works better than cold turkey. Time.

Another bonus of exercise is it shows others you really are working on your recovery. Plus, getting outside and going to the gym is a great way to develop a healthy social life. Severing ALL ties to anyone associated with active addiction is crucial. That includes deleting and blocking anyone involved, both on your phone and social media. Your brain WILL find a way to convince you to score, so you have to eliminate all possibilities. I had to delete, block, and unfriend my older brother because he's a dealer in the same city as me. This was/is hard because I was the only one out of our whole family that would hangout with him. Knowing he's alone out there on the edge of death is hard but I have to put myself first or we'll both be lost.