Suboxone: Miracle Addiction Treatment or Opioid in Disguise?

Suboxone is a relatively new medication that makes a significant difference in the lives of millions of people struggling with opioid use disorder. Can this drug solve America’s opioid epidemic? If you bring up the topic of using Suboxone to treat opioid addiction, you may notice some extreme and polarized reactions to its use in addiction treatment settings. Some people in recovery swear by it, while certain medical experts insist that the drug causes as many problems as it solves. While Suboxone is not exactly a modern miracle, it is the first medication of its kind. 

If you or someone you love has developed an addiction to Suboxone, reach out to Northpoint Idaho. Our Suboxone treatment center in Boise, Idaho, can help you discover freedom from opioids.

Why Use Suboxone to Treat Opioid Addiction?

Suboxone is one medication used in addiction treatment protocols like opioid replacement therapy (ORT) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

It is designed to relieve some of the most painful symptoms of opioid withdrawal and reduce cravings while conditioning the brain to function without opioids. This is how it works:

1. Buprenorphine binds to opioid receptors in the brain — the same receptors that heroin binds to create intense euphoria.
2. Since buprenorphine is only a partial opioid agonist, it does not create an intense high like full opioid agonists (e.g., heroin or oxycodone). Still, it does satisfy the brain’s physical need for opioids.
3. Meanwhile, naloxone intercepts most of the euphoric effects of buprenorphine, especially in the case of abusing Suboxone or misusing it.
4. Naloxone will also block the effects of any other opioids that are introduced into the system, causing the user to feel withdrawal symptoms instead of euphoria.

Suboxone is a psychotropic drug with its risks and side effects. It is intended to be used temporarily for people with opioid addiction to wean themselves off substances without going through the harrowing and dangerous effects of full drug withdrawal. Long-term use of Suboxone may have negative consequences.

Signs of Suboxone Addiction

Suboxone addiction may be tricky to recognize in some cases. On the one hand, if it was prescribed to you by a doctor and you continued to take the medication for months at a time, it may not seem like a problem. Unfortunately, it could be an addiction.

The most apparent sign of Suboxone addiction would be a misuse of the drug. If you take more than the recommended dose, mix it with other substances, or dissolve the film strips into an injectible solution, you already know it is a problem.

Other signs may be more subtle. If you have been taking Suboxone for more than a few months as directed but have been unable or unwilling to taper it off, this could also be a sign of addiction. Here are some other indicators of Suboxone addiction or abuse:

• Prescriptions run out before they are supposed to
• Purchasing Suboxone on the street
• Taking the medication to feel relaxed or to sleep
• Loss of libido or interest in sex
• Hair loss
• Confusion or memory problems
• Watery eyes
• Apathy
• Irrational responses to stress

If you recognize any of the signs above concerning your use of Suboxone, you likely have a dangerous dependence on the medication. It is time to seek the help you need to taper off the drug in the safest way possible for your health and safety. Call an addiction hotline now to get started, or keep reading to find out more about getting clean from Suboxone.

Drug Rehab for Suboxone Addiction

Drug rehab for Suboxone addiction will be similar to rehabilitation from other opioids, although you will likely begin rehab treatments while still undergoing the tapering process. Since tapering off of Suboxone could last for months, rehabilitation therapy can usually begin as the doses become smaller after the initial most severe withdrawal symptoms have passed.

Drug rehab aims to analyze the reasons behind the addiction, whether psychological, genetic, environmental, emotional, or a combination of all these factors. Once the underlying causes of addiction have been discovered, counselors and addiction therapists can work with you to make the necessary changes in your mentality, attitude, and lifestyle to build a healthier, sober future.

Various treatments can be used together to achieve this, such as:

• MAT – Medication-assisted treatment can be used throughout rehabilitation to facilitate the process. This could include any combination of ORT, pain management, or psychiatric medications to support long-term recovery.
• Dual Diagnosis – More than 60% of individuals suffering from substance use disorder have other co-occurring mental health disorders. Dual diagnosis is the practice of diagnosing those co-occurring conditions through a series of emotional, psychiatric, biosocial, and behavioral examinations.
• Integrated Treatment – Integrated treatment is vital if you suffer from co-occurring conditions. By treating both the addiction and mental health disorders simultaneously, doctors hope to help you learn how to cope with both conditions in a way that will support a functional lifestyle.
• Counseling and Behavioral Therapy – One-on-one counseling with certified addiction therapists and clinically proven therapeutic practices like cognitive behavioral therapy and contingency management is integral to any drug treatment program.
• Process Groups – The process of telling your addiction story and hearing about other people’s battles with addiction is a natural part of the recovery process. It helps you approach your problems in a more objective light.
• Family Therapy – Whether it is the need to hash out complicated family histories or mend broken relationships, understanding family bonds and building a familial support system could make a major difference in achieving long-term recovery.
• Holistic Therapy – From nutrition to mindfulness and physical fitness, your whole-body wellness is important to your mental health as well as your future. These practices are also building blocks for a healthy lifestyle in recovery.
• Relapse Prevention – Coping with cravings and preventing relapse will become part of your everyday existence in recovery. Rehab can teach you how to manage in the long term.

Through a combination of the above treatments, drug rehab will help you build a new sober lifestyle for a long and fulfilling future. No matter how long your addiction to Suboxone has lasted or how severe the abuse has become, there are proven ways to escape from its clutches.

Get Your Life Back with Northpoint Recovery’s Suboxone Treatment in Boise, Idaho

Are you worried that your use of Suboxone has become a dangerous dependency? Northpoint Recovery’s Suboxone treatment center in Boise, Idaho, is here to help. Call our Suboxone addiction treatment program now at 888.296.8976for a free assessment and begin creating your plan to end the abuse. The beginning of your life in recovery starts now.