With the current opioid epidemic that the United States is facing, treatment for opioid addiction is more important than ever. One method of opioid addiction treatment involves synthesizing chemical compounds to use as drug replacement options during recovery. Drugs such as Suboxone and Methadone are two examples of synthesized drugs created for the singular purpose of treating opioid addiction. However, these drugs have their dangers as well.
Suboxone is a man-made synthetic drug prescribed to treat opioid addiction. While Suboxone is not an opioid itself, it bonds to the same brain receptors as an opioid and therefore is known as an opioid partial agonist. This reaction causes a decrease in cravings for opioids and therefore is helpful in the treatment of drugs like heroin.
Taking Suboxone during recovery can not only lessen the cravings a person may feel but can also greatly reduce the symptoms often associated with opioid withdrawal. While Suboxone can be considered an addictive drug itself, its effects are widely not seen to be as harmful as other opioids making it a necessary option for many trying to fight opioid addiction.
Suboxone does not create the same euphoria as other opioids and therefore even those addicted are less likely to go to extremes to seek it out compared to someone addicted to heroin or prescription opioids.
When it was first introduced in the United States, Suboxone was only available in tablet form. Now, most Suboxone is prescribed as strips, thin pieces of film that are designed to be placed under the tongue and slowly dissolved.
Other forms of Suboxone include the brands Butrans and Probuphine. Butrans is a patch designed to disperse Suboxone through the skin, almost like a nicotine patch. Probuphine is an implant placed under the skin that disperses Suboxone over the course of six months.
While Suboxone treatment is effective in treating opioid addiction, a Suboxone abuse problem should not be ignored. This addiction disorder should be treated like any other. It is important to reach out to medical professionals for help and support as you enter recovery. It is important that quitting the use of Suboxone does not push you back into worse opioid addictions such as heroin or even methadone.
Withdrawal is a concern when quitting any drug and should not be faced alone. Support in a group or individual therapy can be helpful to those struggling with symptoms of withdrawal. If the cravings are severe enough it may be necessary to look into a detox treatment facility.
When entering recovery you should not only be looking to get help with your addiction disorder but also look at the mental health issues that are often at the root cause of the addiction. Dual-diagnosis treatment is a program that works on solving mental illness alongside supporting your recovery in order to better cope with why the addiction developed in the first place.
At Create Recovery Los Angeles we are here to help you through your recovery process. Please call us at (855)-518-0222 to learn more.