Suboxone Treatment Can Be Tricky
Suboxone (buprenorphine) treatment is a popular choice for treating opioid addiction by both rehabilitation facilities and independent physicians. It is one of the most common medications used in treating opiate addiction, along with methadone and naltrexone. It is important that suboxone treatment coincides with other treatments such as counseling, inpatient treatment programs, and twelve-step programs to ensure that it is effective. Additionally, suboxone can cause dependency, so it is important to take the drug exactly as your doctor prescribes it.
What is a Suboxone program?
The purpose of a suboxone program is to aid an opiate addict through withdrawal, making sleep and functioning easier and less uncomfortable. It is a narcotic so extreme caution needs to be taken when someone is taking this medication. There is a high risk for addiction, and when taken in high doses or combined with other substances, especially alcohol, it can cause respiratory distress and even death. The tricky part about Suboxone treatment is that it is such a powerful drug that people often end up getting hooked on the feeling it provides. It does also cause a withdrawal of its own. It is important for users to wean off of it with a medically supervised program to avoid negative consequences like going back to picking up their drug of choice. When taken more than recommended, the drug will absolutely cause addiction and will be a whole different process to get rid of this new unwanted problem.
The Important Facts about Suboxone Treatment
- Suboxone is used to treat opioid addiction
- Suboxone is made up of buprenorphine and naloxone
- Suboxone is available in a film or a pill that dissolves under the tongue
- If someone were to try to inject suboxone, it would put them into immediate withdrawal
- Suboxone has a lower overdose rate than its opioid counterparts
- Suboxone has a higher success rate in treating addiction that methadone
If you or someone you know is prescribed suboxone, it is very important to remember that it is a very strong drug that can have immensely negative effects if taken incorrectly. It is possible to become addicted to suboxone. There’s no sense in leaving an opioid addiction just to get hooked on something else. That being said, if you follow your doctor’s orders and also take part in alternative treatment therapies like 12-step meetings and therapy, suboxone can have a positive outcome, away from the pitfalls of opioid addiction.
