Is Suboxone Just Trading One Drug for Another?

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Living with a drug addiction can make you feel trapped. There are many who want to get clean from their addiction but have a hard time doing it because they want to keep their addiction hidden from the world. Suboxone is one of the proven treatment methods for opioid addiction. There are many times when suboxone is scrutinized and written off as trading one drug for another. This can make them fearful to let anyone know that they have an addiction that they need help to overcome.

If you are battling an addiction to drugs, it’s possible to discreetly get the help that you need. Trying to overcome the addiction cold turkey can be dangerous and difficult to do on your own. When you are ready to get help for your addiction, use the following guide to learn how to discreetly get the help that you need in a safe and welcoming environment.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Many people feel like they were weak, or something was wrong with them for them to become addicted to drugs. This isn’t the case, though. Some people become addicted to drugs accidentally. They may have been in an accident or gone through a surgery that required them to have to take pain medications. Over time, the body builds up a tolerance to any medication. This often requires people to take more of it or to take it more frequently, while can lead to an addiction.

Don’t be ashamed if you have become addicted to a medication accidentally. The best thing you can do is talk to your doctor openly and honestly about what you are going through. He or she can help you by referring you to a rehabilitation center where you can get professional help to battle your addiction.

Talk to Your Insurance Company

Once you have a referral from your doctor, you can contact your insurance company to find out what coverage is available to you. Most people don’t know that their health insurance often includes recovery care. There are restrictions as to which centers you can go to, what steps need to be taken in order to get approval for the care and stipulations about how much you will have to pay for the care out of pocket though. The agent can help you determine exactly what your cost will be for the care so that you can plan accordingly.

Improve Your Chances of Long Term Success

When you go to a professional rehabilitation center, there are medications that can be given to you to minimize your cravings for the drugs and help to minimize your withdrawal symptoms, as well. Suboxone is a commonly prescribed drug used to help overcome an addiction to opioids. Some people assume that suboxone is just trading one drug for another drug, but that isn’t the case.
Suboxone is designed to be taken over an extended period of time. It helps to minimize the risks of relapse because it blocks your draw to the opioids that you have been craving.

Treatment Can be Anonymous

Many people are fearful to get help for their addiction because they are fearful that having other people find out will ruin their life. They think that people will assume that they are untrustworthy, weak and lazy. It’s important to know that you can go to treatment without anyone knowing about it. If you have a job where you have acquired a lot of leave time or are in between jobs, you can go to the rehabilitation center without anyone knowing about it.

If you have a job that you don’t want to lose but need to take time away from in order to do the treatment you need, you are protected by the FMLA. The Family and Medical Leave Act ensures that your employer cannot fire you for getting help with your addiction. You do have to let them know that you are going in for treatment, though, but they cannot hold it against you.

There Are Many Facets to Rehabilitation Treatment

Some people are naive when it comes to drug rehabilitation treatment. They assume that they can go into the center, take some medication and come out within a week or two and create an amazing life for themselves quickly and easily. That isn’t the case. Nearly 40% of all addicts who try to get clean end up relapsing because they don’t take the time to treat their addiction from every angle.

Not only do you need to beat the physical addiction you have to the drugs, but you also need to overcome your mental addiction. Whether you realize it or not, you are addicted to the way that the drugs make you feel. Going to counseling while you are in the treatment center and when you get out helps you to battle the mental addiction that you have. You need to be willing to face the truth about your addiction and find productive ways to handle temptations and hardships when they arise.

Ongoing Treatment Improves the Chances of Success

Your battle really starts when you get out of the treatment center. Triggers and temptations will surround you constantly. It’s best to ensure that you don’t go around the things that make you want to use drugs or remind you of how it felt to use the drugs or there is a good chance that you could end up relapsing. Most centers recommend that you go for regular, outpatient treatment to ensure that you stay committed to your sobriety. There are group meetings that you can go to on a regular basis. You’ll hear stories from other recovering addicts and be able to get the encouragement you need to stay on the right path. The meetings are secure, and all information shared within the meetings isn’t shared with anyone after the meeting is over. This ensures that you feel free to talk about any and everything that you need to talk about to stay clean.

You don’t need to wait for intervention or for everyone around you to figure out that you have an addiction to get help. You can take control of your life at any moment and get things back on track so that you can have the most productive life possible right away.

 

Sources
[1] Family and Medical Leave Act – Wage and Hour Division (WHD). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/

[2] Information about Medication-Assisted Treatment. (2019, February 14). Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm600092.htm

[3] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Treatment and Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery

Suboxone is only Half of the Fight

Suboxone is only Half of the Fight

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Many people in active addiction make the mistake of thinking that they can recover from their addiction by simply taking Suboxone, but that isn’t the case. Taking Suboxone can help with the physical addiction that they have to the drug, but there is so much more that must be addressed in order for someone to achieve sobriety for the long run. The following guide walks you through the some other aspects of recovery that have to be addressed during someone’s journey to sobriety.

Have Peace of Mind During Suboxone Treatment

Detoxing can be a very scary experience for someone with an addiction. The body goes through significant changes in a very short period of time. Even though Suboxone can help minimize the physical withdrawal symptoms that you experience, you may still experience some effects. Suboxone must be taken properly. When you initially start taking Suboxone, it’s a good idea to go to a treatment facility to ensure that you can be monitored throughout the treatment process.

Since detoxing can be physically taxing, being monitored by medical professionals allows you to have peace of mind. You can know that your health is being properly monitored so that you can fully focus on your recovery. Believe it or not, having peace of mind can make the recovery process easier.

Understanding the Root of Your Addiction

In order for someone to recover from addiction, they need to know why they started using drugs and what their triggers are. There are many different reasons why people use drugs. Some people never knew they could become addicted and began using drugs after an accident or injury. Taking prescription pain medications often leads to addiction because people take the drug more often than prescribed or take more of it than they are supposed to take, and end up becoming addicted to it.

Other people become addicted to drugs because they use it to numb emotional or psychological issues. When you are in recovery, you’ll narrow down your drug triggers and the source of your addiction. This allows you to know what issues you need to avoid in the future to better your chances of being able to stay sober once you have completed treatment.

Learn How to Handle an Emotional Addiction to Drugs

Its common for people to use drugs to numb themselves emotionally. In order to stay sober once they recover from addiction. You will learn how to handle your emotions properly. Going to counseling while you are on Suboxone provides you with the opportunity to have the emotional addiction treated properly.

A psychologist can provide you with advice on how to handle emotional issues you may be facing in a constructive way. They can help establish a plan for how you can overcome guilt, anger, or even depression in a healthy way. Counseling may be enough for you to handle your emotions well, but there are times when treatment through medications is also needed. A psychologist can prescribe you medications to help regulate your emotions. They can monitor how the medications help you and narrow down the different options that are available to you. It often takes trial and error to find the right medications for an individual.

Mental Addiction to Drugs Needs to be Mastered

There are some people who use drugs to self-medicate through a trauma or mental issue. Some people know that they have a mental condition and will seek medication to deal with it. Some people are unaware of their mental issues or disorder. Using medications to treat anxiety, schizophrenia, OCD, and other mental disorders is common. When you use Suboxone to stop using drugs, you need to seek professional help so you can be properly diagnosed for any medical condition you have. Being properly treated and medicated for any ongoing condition helps improves your chances of staying sober and drug-free down the road. Even though it feels as though you may have a strong grasp of your emotional or mental condition when you stop using drugs, that doesn’t mean you’ll maintain control when craziness arises in life.

Monitor Your Health Regularly

It’s important to have a doctor monitor your health after you use Suboxone and are recovering from your addiction. Health issues that may not have been noticeable before may become apparent. There are also physical repercussions that come with using drugs for an extended period of time. The sooner physical issues are discovered, the better your chances of being able to have the issues treated, and avoid relapsing and self-medicating.

Talk About Your Experience and Temptations

Once you are addicted to drugs you are always susceptible to addiction. Many people think once they use Suboxone to stop using drugs they never have to worry about using drugs again. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. You will be tempted to use again. To deal with those temptations to use again, joining an addiction recovery group makes sobriety easier. You can discuss issues that arise in your life, get advice from others who have recovered from addiction, and be held accountable to help increase your odds of staying drug-free and sober.

Be sure to be open and honest about what you are going through. It can be tempting to close down and not share what you have been through because you fear being judged. Everyone in the group has been addicted to something throughout their life. They aren’t going to judge you for the things that you did in your past or the struggles that you are currently going through. To get the most help you can, you have to be willing to open up and be honest with people in the group.

Suboxone can serve as a crucial element when it comes to achieving sobriety but using it in conjunction with other treatment options is key. You need to heal your mind and body to stay sober for the long run. Take the time to find a treatment facility that offers the care that suits your needs and makes you feel comfortable. You need to trust and feel safe with the people who are helping you.

Suboxone is the Gold Standard in Fighting Opioid Addiction

Suboxone is the Gold Standard in Fighting Opioid Addiction

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The Citizen Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) International reported Suboxone generated more sales than Viagra last year. That's because Supoxone is the gold standard in treating opioid addiction. It's considered a medication blockbuster because it works so well in helping treat opioid addiction. It is understood by the medical community Suboxone's effectiveness comes at a price. Suboxone can also be addictive and sometimes there is required treatment for Suboxone abuse. The price is worth the benefits it brings to those in recovery.

Opioid Worldwide Epidemic

The World Health Organization reports there are an estimated 15 million people addicted to opioids. Suboxone is a formula that combines Buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone is used for other things but its main purpose is to help effectively treat opioid addiction. Buprenorphine makes up half of Suboxone. Buprenorphine gives a partial opioid effect that tricks the brain's opioid receptors into thinking they are full. Buprenorphine does this in the brain without producing the same high as full opioids.

The chief advantage of using Buprenorphine is it is more difficult to take with the intent of abusing it or getting a 'real' high from it. Methadone has caused many issues for those with addiction and abuse is common when it is prescribed to help those with an opioid addiction.

Suboxone has become a white light and gold standard in treating opioid addiction. This is mainly because you don't have to go to an addiction clinic to obtain Suboxone. It is available by prescription. Your doctor can write the prescription for you in his or her office. Suboxone is an attempt to increase the numbers of people seeking treatment. Currently, only 10 percent of those with opioid addictions are getting treatment for the addiction.

Suboxone and the U.S. and Drug Administration

The U.S. and Drug Administration believes in Suboxone so much they have approved the first generic version of Suboxone. The generic Suboxone is a sublingual film you place under your tongue. The generic Suboxone is used for the treatment of opioid dependence, as well. The FDA is taking a step towards providing the generic Suboxone, so it is available and accessible to everyone in recovery.

A plethora of research studies have been done over the past few years, and suboxone consistently tests well as a replacement program with better adherence to the treatment protocol used by those in addiction.

The benefits of Suboxone are:

  • Accessible and affordable
  • Statistics show less abuse by those in recovery
  • High success rate in the treatment of opiate dependence

It's hard to argue against studies and research backed by data and statistics from renowned universities.

Arguments Against Suboxone

There are those who argue against using suboxone in fighting opioid addiction. Their argument is it takes a while for the body to recover from using Suboxone. The long recovery time from using Suboxone goes back to the Buprenorphine as one of the components in its makeup. Remember, Buprenorphine tricks the brain's opioid receptors to feel full. Those against Suboxone usage as an opioid recovery drug state the drug is a partial opioid reward system. That the reward system is the way the drug wards off the cravings and usage of full opioids.

The Naloxone in the medication Suboxone is the second half of the drug. Naloxone blocks the receptors in your brain that respond to opioids. It will even go the extra distance and try to reach in and flush out any remaining opioid use receptors. It's called the reverse opioid effect medication for a reason.

One should never take Naloxone by itself. Naloxone causes severe withdrawal symptoms. If you are in the early stage of opioid withdrawal and you try to withdrawal from Nalonoxe too, it will almost be too much for your body to process and withstand. When you combine Buprenorphine with Naloxone, you almost have a superhero drug. This superhero drug is capable of fighting the most powerful of enemies – opioid addiction.

Suboxone the Superhero Drug

When someone is going through opioid withdrawal, it is intensely difficult. Opioid withdrawal will have the following symptoms:

  • Muscle pain and cramps
  • Diarrhea, vomiting and gagging sensations
  • Sweating and restlessness
  • Twitching
  • Watery eyes
  • Insomnia
  • Abdominal cramping and pain
  • Fast heart rate, and more

If you don't have a drug that can combat back against all those symptoms of withdrawal, you can lose someone in recovery back to their drug of choice due to the pain and agony they are going through. Suboxone is considered a superhero because it lets those in opioid addiction go through their withdrawal with minimum effect on the mental health and lessens reactions physically. There is no greater combination you can offer someone in addiction who is serious about their recovery.

Suboxone Provides Better Outcomes for Opioid Addiction

Suboxone is one of the best answers we have right now in fighting against the opioid addiction that penetrates every level of society. If you have to choose between two negatives – one being opioid addiction and the other being suboxone addiction – suboxone is the lesser of the two.

Suboxone is the better outcome for those in addiction. You can struggle through and get through opioid addiction without suboxone. But, it is so difficult, and you lose so many people back to opioids because it's such a painful recovery process.

What is the Answer to Opioid Addiction?

When you can help someone kick their habit with at least some diminished pain and craving, isn't it worth it? There are no easy answers to any addiction, and opioid addiction is one of the toughest addictions ever fought. It's not good to blame Suboxone for what it doesn't do instead of looking at the medical research and studies on what it does for opioid addiction.

Society is lucky that suboxone treats opioid addiction and can help reduce pain and cravings as people withdrawal from opioids. There is no way of knowing where society would be without suboxone right now because addiction is the problem. Suboxone is just one way to help treat addiction. Opioid addiction requires a whole army of other resources, people, places, and things. But at least we have one of the steps laid on the path towards recovery. Suboxone is the first brick on the path. It is a good place to start.

Suboxone Benefits: How Suboxone Can Benefit Your Loved One

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Realizing that your loved one has an opioid addiction is a heartbreaking experience. The CDC reports that about 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. You want to do everything in your power to make sure that your loved one doesn’t become a statistic. More than anything, you want to find a method that works so you can close this chapter of your life for good. There are many ways to go about battling opioid addiction, but there is one way that is backed by decades of scientific research and success stories across the globe: Suboxone. Read more to learn about Suboxone’s Benefits.

What Exactly is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a medication that is often prescribed to minimize the effects of opioid withdrawal. Back in 2002, the FDA approved the use of Suboxone for the treatment of opioid addiction. Whether it comes in a pill or a film, the medication combines the active ingredients of buprenorphine and naloxone:

  • Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist and helps to relieve the symptoms of opioid addiction.
  • Naloxone is an opioid antagonist and is meant to reverse and block the effect of other opioids in the brain.

Opioid addiction is a monster of a disease and takes a lot of dedication to beat for the long-term. Some of the most common opioids that are abused are heroin, oxycontin, and codeine. There are currently millions of Americans who are suffering from opioid addiction. This addiction is a chronic disease that requires outside help in order to treat accordingly.

The combination of the two active ingredients in Suboxone makes it very effective in treating opioid addiction while having a low chance of addictiveness at the same time. Buprenorphine has a chance of being addictive on its own, but when used along with naloxone it diminishes the opiate effect of buprenorphine. If it’s prescribed in a controlled setting and an individual adheres to the doctor’s prescription, the use of Suboxone comes with many more positives than it does negatives.

 

Concerns About Suboxone

You may be wondering, “If my loved one is addicted to opioids, why would I want to them to treat their opioid addiction with another opioid?” The truth of the matter is, Suboxone is not the same opioid as others such as heroin and oxycontin. Suboxone caters to their physical dependence to opioids without allowing them to become addicted to it.

When used correctly (adhering to the doctor’s medication), it’s a stable foundation of medicine meant to diminish the effects of opioid addiction without delivering a euphoric high. This effectively stops the cycle of addiction, which is something that’s extremely hard to do.

 

Dealing With Opioid Withdrawal

The effects of opioid withdrawal are debilitating. In the beginning, a person can deal with conditions such as restlessness, irritability, and flu-like systems. But, as the illness moves along, a person can deal with effects such as intense stomach cramping, depression, and nausea. Often in order to keep away from the effects of opioid addiction, a person will relapse. This is where Suboxone comes in.

When a person chooses to take Suboxone they no longer have to deal with the possibility of dealing with opioid withdrawal. Your loved one can then put their full focus into getting to the root of their opioid addiction, so they can stop using opioids for good.

Helping Your Loved One Through Their Addiction

Along with promoting the use of Suboxone, there are other ways that you can help your loved ones stop their usage of opioids and support them through their long road to recovery.

  1. Stick to Your Word: If you set boundaries, be sure to stick to them. Once you go back on your word, your loved one may keep engaging in this dangerous behavior because they’ve seen in the past that you’ll stick by them despite their addiction. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
  2. Do Not Cover up for Them: Throughout the timeline of their addiction, you may find yourself covering up for them in a variety of ways. For example, you may wake them up for work every day because, due to their opioid addiction, they are not able to wake up on time on their own. In order for them to feel the true effects of their addiction, it’s important to let them live through their consequences in real time. Support doesn’t have to mean compliance.
  3. Seek Help for Yourself: Addiction doesn’t just affect one person, it affects their whole community. As you work through this experience, don’t forget to take care of yourself. As the old saying states, you can’t pour from an empty cup. You may even want to seek help from someone who’s specialized in helping families who have been affected by addiction.

If you’re looking to help your loved one stop their opioid usage for good, using Suboxone may be the best way to do so. The medication has helped millions of people all across the world stop abusing opioids and get help with their addiction. Despite the stigma that may lie behind the usage of Suboxone, the medication’s worth has been proved by scientific studies and doctors alike. The health of your loved one is worth its weight in gold; Suboxone might be the choice to get them back to the person that you know and love.

 

Sources
[1] Understanding the Epidemic | Drug Overdose | CDC Injury Center. (2018, December 19). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html

[2] From Research to the Real World: Buprenorphine in the Decade of the Clinical Trials Network. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853172/

[3] Information sheet on opioid overdose. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/information-sheet/en/

[4] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2009). The facts about Buprenorphine. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/providers/sud/docs/english_buprenorphine_facts.pdf

[5] Is buprenorphine treatment just trading one addiction for another? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.naabt.org/faq_answers.cfm?ID=1

[6] U.S. Department of Health And Human Services. (2004). clinical guidelines for the use of Buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid addiction. Retrieved from https://www.naabt.org/documents/TIP40.pdf