Help with Heroin: The 7 Big Benefits of Suboxone Treatment for Addicts

Throughout the world, approximately 9.2 million people abuse heroin on a regular basis.

Do you have a loved one who is having a difficult time giving up heroin? Are you yourself addicted?

Heroin is a highly addictive drug and can be incredibly difficult to give up. One of the most effective solutions for overcoming heroin addiction, though, is Suboxone.

Read on to learn more about Suboxone and the benefits of Suboxone treatment for folks struggling with heroin addiction.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a prescription drug that physicians prescribe to treat those suffering from heroin addiction. It may also be prescribed to those who are suffering from addiction to other opioid drugs, such as prescription painkillers.

Suboxone is a combination of two drugs: naloxone and buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine provides patients with a very small dose of opioids (much less than what they would consume when using heroin or other drugs). This small dose allows them to wean themselves off the drug without experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.

Naloxone shuts down the opioid receptors so that the patient does not experience any kind of euphoria when they consume Suboxone. This helps to minimize the likelihood that someone will abuse Suboxone.

Benefits of Suboxone Treatment

Are you interested in trying Suboxone or recommending it to a loved one? If you’re still on the fence, learning more about its benefits might change your mind.

The following are some of the most well-known benefits of Suboxone treatment:

1. Minimize Withdrawal Symptoms

One of the greatest benefits of Suboxone is its effectiveness at reducing withdrawal symptoms.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms are serious business. Some of the most common ones include:

• Agitation and anxiety
• Muscle and joint pain
• Watery eyes
• Runny nose
• Insomnia
• Profuse sweating
• Severe abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dilated pupils
• Chills and goosebumps

For many people, these symptoms can be debilitating and even life-threatening. Suboxone helps to modulate them some addicts can work through their recovery and focus on getting better.

2. Allows for a More Normal Life

Suboxone must be prescribed by a physician.

It’s not exclusively available to those who stay in a rehab facility, though. This means that individuals who cannot afford inpatient treatment or do not have the time for it can still get the help they need.

As long as they have a physician who’s willing to write them a prescription, they can work on overcoming their addiction while continuing to go to work, attend school, or care for their families.

3. Convenient and Private Treatment

Taking Suboxone is highly convenient. You can take it from the comfort and privacy of your own home. With the exception of your physician, no one even needs to know that you’re taking it if you don’t want them to.

4. Lower Risk of Abuse

Thanks to its unique formulation, there is less of a risk that someone will abuse Suboxone.

Remember, it contains Naloxone, which shuts off the opioid receptors and minimizes the euphoric feelings one experiences when they consume opioids.

There is still some potential for abuse, of course. It’s way less than it is with other drugs designed for opioid addicts, such as methadone.

As long as you’re taking it at the dosage that your physician prescribed, your chances of developing an addiction to the Suboxone are quite low.

5. High Success Rate

Folks who take Suboxone to help them overcome an opioid addiction have a very high success rate compared to those who use other medications or no medication at all.

The results of one study of 600 people showed that 49 percent of participants were able to reduce their opioid abuse after at least 12 weeks of Suboxone treatment. When Suboxone use stopped, only 8.6 percent of the participants were successful.

6. Affordability

A lot of people who struggle with addiction avoid seeking treatment because they think it’s too expensive. In some cases, it definitely can be. That’s not true of Suboxone treatment, though.

Suboxone is much more affordable than other medications meant to help those with opioid addictions. Many insurance policies will even cover a portion, if not all, of the cost of Suboxone, so it’s accessible to lots of people regardless of their financial situation.

7. Fewer Side Effects

Suboxone also comes with fewer side effects than some other medications.

When they first start taking the drug, some people report experiencing feelings of drowsiness or as though they’re moving very slowly. These symptoms tend to subside as the treatment continues, though.

Suboxone also does not cause feelings of aggression or changes in personality the way some drugs can. In fact, it appears to help minimize these feelings and help those who take it to feel more calm and rational.

What Suboxone Treatment is Like

As you can see, there are plenty of benefits that come with using Suboxone treatment. You might be wondering what it’s like, though.

Everyone’s experience with Suboxone is slightly different. Generally speaking, though, it tends to go something like this:

• The first day of treatment is the longest, as your physician needs to figure out the appropriate dosage for you
• Most people need to see their physician twice a week at first, then they can transition to once a week after taking the medication regularly
• Suboxone treatment is most effective when you combine it with other types of treatment such as individual therapy or support group attendance

It’s important to note, too, that you need to be in the early stages of withdrawal before you can begin using Suboxone. When you’re in mild withdrawal, more opioid receptors sites are empty and the buprenorphine can occupy them more easily.

Find Suboxone Treatment Near You Today

Suboxone is a safe and highly effective tool for those who are suffering from heroin addiction.

Now that you know more about Suboxone treatment and its benefits, are you ready to get help? Or, do you have a loved one who needs help overcoming their addiction?

Either way, the first step toward experiencing the benefits of Suboxone treatment is to find a clinic near you that will write a Suboxone prescription.

Check out this article today to learn how you can find clinics like this in your area.