Suboxone has become one of the primary and most effective methods for treating opioid addiction, which includes addiction to heroin, Vicodin, Oxycontin, and all other opiates.
The opioid epidemic took the U.S. news cycle by storm since it became a full-blown public health emergency in 2017. Starting in the late 90s, pharmaceutical companies and providers were issuing reassurance that an increase in prescriptions for opioids would not lead to a rise in addictions. Turns out, years later, there was an increase in opioid dependence across the country.
That led the Department of Health and Human Services to create a 5-Point Strategy to combat the opioid addiction crisis.
Strategy one is focusing on treatment and recovery services, and that is where Pinnacle Peak Recovery and Medication Assisted Treatment come into play. We provide specialized care for those with alcohol and drug use disorders or addictions. For opioid addictions, in particular, we offer medication-based addiction treatment with Suboxone.
Suboxone is a medication that features buprenorphine and naloxone as its main active ingredients. It is a specialized combination of these two medications, which is what makes it so effective. On their own, buprenorphine and naloxone have both been found to be effective in the treatment of substance use disorders. When combined, they are more useful for opioid use disorder than on their own.
Therefore, Suboxone is designed specifically for the treatment of opioid dependence. The technical side of the medication is that it is a partial opioid agonist that helps to combat the life-threatening potential of overdose related to long term drug abuse.
You know those intense cravings you feel that seem to block out any other desire? Or how about that horrible feeling of dying when you try to go off of whatever opioid you’re using? Suboxone helps remove those cravings and prevent those horrible feelings of withdrawal, making it much easier for people to kick the habit for good.
In more everyday terms, Suboxone is unique because it gets into all those receptors in the brain that make us crave opioids once we are addicted. It also blocks out any other opioids from hitting those receptors which can help prevent that high feeling.
Think of it as a puzzle. Each puzzle piece has ridges and grooves. In our brains, the opioid receptors are like puzzle pieces with slots waiting to be filled with the “Feel good” experience from taking opioids.
When we take suboxone, it fits our receptor pieces just right, so those other opioids cannot trigger those receptors and feelings while also connecting to the sections of our brain that would lead us to crave more and more.
So, how does it work when it comes to addiction treatment, and why would a doctor or addiction treatment team prescribe it?
Suboxone works by directly treating opioid use and opioid withdrawal. When we end up addicted to something like opioids with a high potential for abuse, it can be a bit like a vicious cycle. We crave the substance, and so we take more, but as we receive more, our body becomes more and more used to it.
Think about diving into an ice-cold pool on a hot Arizona summer day. When you first jump in, it is frigid cold, and your body plunged into the cool water, but as you swim, you start to get used to the temperature, and, what was at first a big rush, is now smaller. The same type of experience can happen when it comes to opioid addictions. This is part of why opioid overdose is so common.
Over 130 people a day are estimated to die from an opioid-related overdose! This is where Suboxone comes in. One of the main reasons doctors or treatment programs prescribe Suboxone is because it combats the likelihood of overdose.
We talked before about how Suboxone gets in the way of those cravings and blocks out the other opioids from giving us that high feeling. This method of preventing craving and blocking high sensations allows the Suboxone to work in a way that eliminates the strong desire to use opioids.
It can also allow us to focus on those other issues that lead to our addiction. It can make it easier to talk with our doctors or treatment staff to discuss our addiction and what underlying problems there could be alongside it.
For example, a lot of us that struggle with addiction also struggle with a co-occurring disorder. Co-occurring disorders are mental health issues that exist alongside our addiction. These include:
These also include other mood disorders and problems with past traumatic experiences like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.
There are indeed many opioid prescriptions written and a lot of overdoses across the country. But that does not mean that everyone who takes an opioid ends up addicted. Addiction impacts everyone differently, and that is another reason why using Suboxone to safely withdraw as part of a treatment center’s addiction recovery program can be essential for an effective start on the road to recovery.
Suboxone is most commonly prescribed for treating:
Suboxone is a combination medication of Buprenorphine and Naloxone, as we learned earlier. It is taken by what is called a sublingual film, which is a fancy way of saying a dissolving strip that you place on or under the tongue. There is also a dissolving tablet form of Suboxone that you could take instead of the strip. These are both often prescribed for opioid use disorder treatment.
If you’re familiar with pharmacy jargon, you may still be wondering what schedule Suboxone is. Suboxone and all other buprenorphine medications meant for opioid use disorder treatment are schedule III.A schedule III medication is a lower risk of developing an addiction than schedule level II or I. Schedule I drugs are things like heroin, ecstasy, marijuana, and other illegal substances. Schedule II is where other opioids like Oxycontin and Vicodin fall.
This means that to receive Suboxone, you must have a valid prescription, and you will also need to be under the care of a professional. We recommend seeking this care in an addiction treatment facility or MAT clinic with a well established, evidence-based Medication Assisted Treatment program.
There are two main options when seeking MAT programs and Suboxone treatment. One is attending an MAT clinic and the other is seeking care with a primary care provider like your family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Remember that in order to prescribe these medications, your provider must have gone through specialized training and be authorized to work with you with the DEA.
When it comes to providing Suboxone treatment, most primary providers are providing these services outside of their full time jobs and they often will not also offer any behavioral health components like therapy onsite.
This is why we recommend seeking treatment at an accredited addiction treatment center that focuses on all the pieces of addiction treatment and the recovery process.
We know that getting all the information you need to make a sound decision on care is essential, so we’ve created a series of informational pages related to Suboxone and Suboxone treatment. If you want to know more about a Suboxone treatment program with Pinnacle Peak Recovery, you can read more here.
At Pinnacle Peak in Arizona, we know that taking the first step into recovery can be emotional, and we are here for you. Call us today at 866-377-4761 to find out more about the programs we offer and how we can help you take the first step toward recovery.
What is Suboxone used for?
Suboxone is used for the treatment of Opioid-Use Disorder, also known as opioid addiction.
How long should you take Suboxone?
You should always take your medications as prescribed by your doctor. The length of time you will need to take Suboxone is best determined by an experienced professional who can oversee your care and addiction treatment progress. Prescriptions can last from one to several years. In rare cases, individuals may even take it indefinitely.
What is Suboxone similar to?
Suboxone is similar to buprenorphine and naloxone, which can be used as standalone medications to treat opioid-based addictions and alcohol-based addictions, respectively. Suboxone has also been compared to other drugs used in addiction treatment like methadone for efficacy in treatment.
How long does it take for Suboxone to kick in?
Suboxone is known to begin taking effect rather quickly. Most people report feeling relief from withdrawal symptoms within 25-30 minutes when taking Suboxone as directed by their care team.
