Understanding Suboxone and It’s Addiction
Suboxone contains a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone, both of which act together to help quell opioid addiction.
Buprenorphine (a partial opioid agonist) is an opioid medication that delivers diminished doses of opioid chemicals, while naloxone (a pure opioid antagonist) blocks the opioid medicinal effects, including pain relief or feelings of well-being.
That’s the good of Suboxone. In the circles where Suboxone is properly used, the drug has been called a “blockbuster” medication that combats opiate addiction and withdrawal.
The bad about Suboxone is the drug is highly addictive, due to it being an opioid in its own right, though a diminished opioid at that.
According to many rehabilitation experts, Suboxone has a very dark side, making Suboxone addiction a serious and hard-fought problem.
In most cases, medical detox is the first step in a Suboxone addiction treatment program, and it should be used in conjunction with therapy and followed by aftercare support as is the case with any other addictive substance.
HOW CAN SUBOXONE REHAB HELP?
Quitting Suboxone can be difficult. But, with dedication, hard work, and a refusal to give up, you can begin to enjoy a life without Suboxone.
To help avoid relapse, you’ll be encouraged to take part in group work to shore up your newly discovered sobriety, and keep you on the road to a clean lifestyle.
Our experienced staff won’t just support you as you address your Suboxone dependency, it will also make you aware of trigger situations that can cause you to relapse.
Choosing a rehabilitation center with a robust support staff can be a big advantage when recovering from Suboxone abuse.
Now is the time to take that first step.
Most alcohol and drug treatment facilities fall under two categories: inpatient and outpatient.
SUBOXONE INPATIENT REHAB
There is a deep knowledge within the drug culture – both legal and illegal – that Suboxone is much more drug than a lot of people admit. Of course, one would have to think Suboxone as a powerful substance if it is to compete with other opioids such as heroin. But few take Suboxone as seriously as they do heroin, which is a very serious mistake.
In short, detoxing and recovering from Suboxone use is dangerous. The highly addictive drug has been known to stop a user’s breathing as they withdraw from the drug’s power.
For this reason alone, many rehabilitation centers including BLVD, make inpatient treatment mandatory to get a patient off Suboxone. The drug is simply too powerful and causes too much damage, much of it permanent, if a user inappropriately weans him or herself from Suboxone.
INPATIENT VISITATIONS
Visiting a loved one during inpatient rehabilitation can be helpful for the person in recovery. Visiting loved ones and friends reassures the patient that there are people out in the world who still care about them.
Of course, the rehabilitation center will have restrictions as to when loved ones and friends can visit. During the initial Suboxone detox, you likely won’t be allowed to visit. Make careful note of how your loved one is doing in rehabilitation. If they are positive and upbeat, now might be a good time to stop by. Whereas, if the person in treatment is struggling with the recovery process, it may be best to wait.
Always check with the healthcare professional helping your loved one through their Suboxone recovery before showing up for a visit.
SUBOXONE OUTPATIENT REHAB/TREATMENT
Suboxone is far too powerful a drug to let someone recover without supervision. The sort of care required for a successful, albeit healthy recovery from Suboxone involves in-house 24-7 monitoring, which is what we give at BLVD when it comes to the abuse of this opioid type.
THE PROCESS FOR SUBOXONE REHAB/TREATMENT
There can be many reasons for a person’s addiction to Suboxone. The first, of course, is addiction, in which a person takes the med to simply get high. Another reason can be a person is using Suboxone as a patient to eliminate a preexisting addiction to another opioid type.
This is why Suboxone detox and recovery needs continual monitoring.
Additionally, we look into the history of your Suboxone use to find the root cause, then, through group and individual counseling, we help you learn how to confront that root cause.
Our counseling sessions also examine what can be a potential trigger or triggers that can endanger your sobriety, and potentially cause you to fall from the wagon.
In addition to counseling, our rehabilitation process also focuses on your physical wellbeing. We’ll help you start a low-impact exercise program, which includes activities like stretching and yoga. Remember, Suboxone rehabilitation is not just about getting a person off their substance of choice, but also about getting them back into physical shape.
For the fact is, any addiction can ravish much more than your mental and emotional state.
The biggest ways addiction effects a person physically are through injuries, illness, or drastic weight fluctuations.
THE LENGTH OF SUBOXONE TREATMENT
Every person deals with addiction differently, therefore, treatment programs will vary in length to accommodate the needs of the individual. Depending on the degree of your Suboxone use, treatment could last anywhere from a few days, to a month or months, to possibly longer.
Remember, treatment for Suboxone abuse is more involved than just detox. To increase the likelihood of continued sobriety, your treatment will also involve extended counseling sessions.
It isn’t just about not using Suboxone, it’s also about building up your physical, mental and emotional tolerance to the point that when you leave, having a relapse has less likelihood of occurring.
WHY (AND HOW) IS SUBOXONE A “BLOCKBUSTER” DRUG?
Depending upon from whom and from where you get your information, Suboxone is one of the leading drugs sold in America today.
As of 2013, the drug accounted for $1.55 billion a year in revenue. Suboxone, in fact, sold more units than Viagra or Adderall.
Currently, it isn’t clear if the high volume sales of Suboxone are related to an increase in heroin use. However, some do suspect its popularity has a direct correlation with not just heroin, but overall opioid abuse within the United States.
At the same time, Suboxone’s “blockbuster” status also represents how much safer the drug is in comparison to the more traditional opioid reliever, called methadone, which is a highly addictive opioid in its own right that combats heroin addiction.
One more way that Suboxone can be a blockbuster is its own addictive nature, which is easily reached when one uses it as a substitute for another opioid to lessen its affects.
The trouble with Suboxone as some recovery experts maintain, is the drug has created its own culture of addicts once it has ridden individuals of their own opioid of choice.
In short, those who were once addicted to opioids, but were able to use Suboxone to help kick their habit, are now hooked on Suboxone itself.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SUBOXONE USERS?
It may seem like a vicious cycle when a user goes from quitting heroin and other opioids to substitute their habit with an equally addictive substance such as Suboxone.
However, in some cases, there simply is no choice.
And while Suboxone is not nearly as addictive nor dangerous as methadone, a detox and rehabilitation session will more than likely be needed to wean the user from Suboxone.
ADDITIONAL ISSUES FOR SUBOXONE USERS
Because naloxone shuts off opioid receptors and signals in the body, withdrawal symptoms can quickly come around.
These signals can range from agitation and irritability, to wild mood swings, insomnia, nausea and vomiting, muscle cramping and diarrhea.
Patients who have been chronically addicted to full opioid agonists (like heroin) are at risk for developing seizures and respiratory failure, which can prove fatal.
LAST WORDS ON SUBOXONE
Even as a deterrent to full-blown opioids, there is an unmitigated danger when using Suboxone.
Never utilize this drug without a doctor’s or certified rehabilitation worker’s supervision.
And if you or a loved one is given Suboxone to help mitigate an opioid addiction, be certain to closely follow the instructions of a doctor familiar with yours or your loved one’s case.
Having now stopped your opioid abuse, once the time comes to end your treatment with Suboxone, attempt to stay with the same doctor and/or rehabilitation center as they will already have your medical history should you need their assistance.
PATIENT PRIVACY
We take pride in keeping your Patient Health Information (PHI) safe and secure.
Between the stress of withdrawal symptoms and confronting deep seeded issues in counseling, you don’t need the added anxiety of worrying about the security of your confidential information.
We understand the need for that peace of mind.
HOW ARE PAYMENTS HANDLED
Payments are handled through a monthly billing cycle. For some long-term patients the billing cycle will be bi-weekly.
We take the same care to keep your financial information private as we do to keep your Patient Health Information private. We don’t save your credit card information or any other financial records.
GOING AWAY FOR TREATMENT
No matter where you live, we have a treatment facility for your needs.
Sometime what you really need is to get away. Leaving town for treatment can often give you a clean slate that can be helpful in the recovery process. In completely new surroundings you can focus on yourself without any distractions.
In many cases, removing yourself from everything that’s familiar can set you up for success in your new sober life.
POST-REHABILITATION SUPPORT
Sobriety is a new way of life. It takes ongoing effort. That effort is much easier to muster when you know you’re not alone.
We try to help you establish a support group as part of our treatment programs. The relationships you develop while in recovery can be part of that support network. Sometimes the camaraderie of a good support group can make all the difference in a successful recovery.
A loved one’s addiction to Suboxone can be devastating to all who are near, family and friends included. If you sense an addiction problem to Suboxone, especially in a young person, and you just don’t know how to remedy it, contact BLVD Treatment Centers. At BLVD Treatment Centers we custom tailor our recovery programs within the safe and nurturing confines of our rehab treatment centers. Located throughout California, in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and in Portland, OR, our mission is to assess the severity of your addiction to help you achieve true recovery within 30 days. Call us now at 1-888-537-6671.