Overcoming Your Opioid Dependency with Suboxone®

Countless numbers of Americans deal with opioid addictions. These addictions have a high risk of overdose, with 47,000 deaths in 2017 alone. Yet, too few people know there’s a treatment option that can reduce the risk of overdose death: Suboxone®.

Suboxone treatment is an alternative to opioid use and is highly effective in helping people recover from their opioid addiction. Not many people know about Suboxone or how it can help them. The providers at 2nd Chance Treatment Center can help you get on a treatment plan to get off of opioids.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a drug that contains two parts: buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid, and naloxone is a drug that prevents overdoses. 

Buprenorphine is administered on a schedule so you receive a regular dose to prevent the cravings for opioids. Naloxone is the same drug that’s given to adults who are experiencing an overdose to reverse the effects of the overdose.

Suboxone’s in the category of drugs called “medications for opioid use disorder” or MOUD. The use of MOUD is proven to reduce the risk of overdose by 50%. But sadly, too few people who can benefit from it get the appropriate treatment.

Some myths about Suboxone

Some people who have opioid addictions can benefit from Suboxone treatment, but they may not believe it can help them. Here are some of the common myths about Suboxone treatment:

You’re not really in recovery if you’re on Suboxone

Some people believe that Suboxone is not really the same as recovery. That’s because a lot of people still think of recovery using outdated models, such as the 1930s abstinence-based AA.

Today’s modern treatment models are based on newer models of recovery. Just as a diabetic needs insulin to manage their condition, we now view opioid dependence as a condition that can be managed with medication.

Some people misuse suboxone

Some opioid addicts do misuse Suboxone, but typically, they’re not in supervised treatment programs. Suboxone contains only a partial agonist of the main opioid receptor, meaning that you can’t get as much of a “high” from it as you can from other opioids like oxycodone or heroin.

There’s a “ceiling” to the Suboxone high, so you can’t abuse it as easily. There isn’t as much risk of overdose from it as there is compared to fentanyl or heroin because it doesn’t slow down your breathing.

The best combination is Suboxone and therapy

The best treatment combination is Suboxone and therapy. When you get a treatment plan at 2nd Chance Treatment Center, you get both. Recovering from opioid addiction is a multi-step process, and you need the most comprehensive treatment program.

You need to have the therapy component to help you change your thought processes. We use therapy to help you address the trauma that’s very often behind most addictions. We also help you to learn how to cope with life’s stressors on your own.

When your treatment has the multi-pronged approach of both therapy and medication like Suboxone, your chances of recovery are much greater. If you want to get help for your opioid addiction, call the providers at 2nd Chance Treatment Center, or request an appointment online.