In looking at treatment for opiate addiction, there are two primary approaches. One is to go cold turkey and work on behavior; the other is to switch to a less-dangerous drug, namely Suboxone. This controlled, prescription medication combines buprenorphine and naloxone for a one-two punch that has been proven to work. To put it simply, Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction using both medications is safer, more convenient, and a more effective method for successfully treating opioid dependence.
A Safe Option for Opiate Addiction
Suboxone is the name brand of a combination of two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone. It is given in a sublingual film and can only be obtained with a prescription from a qualified medical doctor.
In kind of a “fight fire with fire” approach, buprenorphine is actually a partial opioid. Unlike heroin or even methadone, which are full opioids, buprenorphine is much less addictive. It helps to decrease cravings and reduce withdrawal symptoms.
The other drug used in Suboxone is naloxone, an opioid blocker. This prevents an overdose on the buprenorphine.
When a patient is undergoing Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction, it is impossible to overdose. Even if the patient takes more than the recommended daily dose, naloxone steps in to ensure there are no issues.
In fact, patients on Suboxone cannot even supplement with another drug to get high. Naloxone blocks all effects associated with the feeling of getting high, whether a person chooses another prescription drug or even a street drug.
That makes Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction much safer than using buprenorphine or methadone alone.
Convenience and Ease with Suboxone Treatment for Opiate Addiction
While some addicts who are looking to end their relationship with opiates may choose an in-patient option, that is not necessary when they are taking Suboxone. Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction can be administered on an outpatient basis in a clinic or doctor’s office rather than in a hospital or inpatient residential facility.
That means life can resume normally. Many patients on Suboxone start to reclaim their lives within days. They can continue to work and live at home. In addition, they don’t need daily check-in appointments. Usually, a patient on Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction only needs to see their doctor weekly to start, switching to monthly and then quarterly as they progress.
As an added bonus, follow-up appointments can be conducted via telemedicine, meaning that Suboxone treatment is a viable option for patients in rural areas.
An Effective Solution: Suboxone Treatment for Opiate Addiction
The other opiate addiction recovery medication with which you’re likely familiar is methadone. Unlike buprenorphine, a partial opioid, methadone is a full opioid. Essentially, it is an opioid replacement. That means it is harder to reduce given that omitting it still results in withdrawal. And without naloxone, a patient can potentially overdose on methadone.
Suboxone, on the other hand, can be tapered as treatment progresses. In addition, it reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, does not cause euphoria in an opioid addict, and blocks the effects of other opioids for at least 24 hours.
Success rates for Suboxone treatment for opiate drug addiction are as high as 40% to 60% after one year. And some patients have remained on Suboxone for years with no side effects.
If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction and needs help, count on Direct2Recovery. Direct2Recovery’s outpatient program specifically uses Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction, combined with counseling, to help addicts positively change their lives by getting clean and sober. Contact us for your confidential consultation.
