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Doctors often prescribe opioids for individuals who struggle with pain management. However, these medications are often abused, as they leave the user feeling euphoric. Some individuals become addicted to opioids and struggle to overcome this addiction.
Medication-assisted treatment is needed to overcome the addiction. In the past, doctors used methadone to treat the addiction, but methadone came with its own problems. Today, suboxone is the medication of choice. People need to learn about suboxone and speak to a doctor to learn whether it is right for their needs. What should they know when having this discussion?
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a medication doctors prescribe for individuals struggling with opioid addiction. The drug reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Patients should know Zubsolv is another name for this medication, so the doctor may prescribe that instead.
The medication is made using buprenorphine, which is a synthetic opioid that stimulates the same receptors in the brain opioids do. The difference is that buprenorphine doesn’t produce the same level of euphoria. The second substance is naloxone, which inhibits all opioid effects, including the high. If a person takes opioids with naloxone, they could go into full drug withdrawal.
Each substance work to cancel out the undesirable effects of the other substance. The brain thinks it is receiving opioids to eliminate withdrawal symptoms without causing euphoria. Suboxone works extremely well but must be used under a doctor’s supervision. Individuals who use Suboxone for extended periods may become dependent on it.
Why is Suboxone the Preferred Treatment?
Methadone has been the preferred treatment for opioid addictions for some time now. However, there are numerous problems associated with methadone use. People frequently overdose on methadone. The risk of overdose is drastically less for individuals using buprenorphine. In addition, methadone is designed for long-term use, while patients only need suboxone for a short period. They taper off quickly and achieve full sobriety sooner.
Patients can abuse methadone because it provides a full opioid high. They cannot achieve the same high with Suboxone because Naloxone prevents that from happening. Furthermore, suboxone stays in the body longer. A person can take a smaller dose less often.
The Benefits of Suboxone
Doctors recognize the benefits of suboxone today. In fact, they write millions of prescriptions for this medication yearly. Patients who use this medication find they achieve full sobriety in less time than is needed when using other opioid replacement therapy medications. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health actually reports heroin users need less than 90 days to become clean when using Suboxone. The same cannot be said when they use methadone to break their heroin habit. Only 38 percent of heroin patients are clean after 90 days when using methadone as their opioid replacement medication.
Overcoming an Opioid Addiction
Opioids are deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 44 people lost their lives daily to prescription opioid addiction in 2020. Sadly, those deaths accounted for only 24 percent of opioid-related deaths for that year. The problem is likely worse today, and suboxone may be the answer many people are looking for to break their dependence on opioids.
Reach out to a treatment facility today to learn more about suboxone. Opioid addicts need help in breaking their dependence on these drugs. Many people find suboxone is exactly what they need to do so. A doctor can help them determine if this is the case.
