Sometimes, medical professionals prescribe certain medications to help people with drug or alcohol addictions to help them manage their recovery more comfortably. If you’re wondering what is Suboxone used for, it’s one of the medicines used for this purpose. Proponents say that it makes withdrawal easier, while others point out its downsides.
What is Suboxone?
Doctors may prescribe Suboxone for people who are trying to overcome a heroin or opioid addiction.
Suboxone contains two active ingredients. One is buprenorphine, which produces a much milder high, so the brain gets its “fix” in a lower dose. The other is naloxone, which reverses or eliminates the effects of opiates. It may sound counterproductive to give someone a drug to beat drug addiction, but some professionals feel that the benefits outweigh any negative risks.
What is Suboxone best used for?
It can be a good addition to a quality rehab program. However, people shouldn’t use this drug alone. Professionals need to carefully monitor Suboxone use to decrease the likelihood that someone will become dependent on it in place of the harder drugs they’re trying to get away from.
Withdrawal is a very uncomfortable process, so some treatment centers may give clients medication to ease their discomfort.
Can You Become Dependent on Suboxone?
Some doctors prescribe Suboxone for short-term use, while others may choose to provide it for longer periods of time. Although it’s not nearly as destructive as heroin or other opioids that it eases dependency on, it could be problematic in some cases. The longer someone uses it, the higher the chances he or she will grow dependent on it.
Additionally, Suboxone isn’t without its own effects. Short-term symptoms are usually pleasurable for users, and they include mild euphoria and a sense of calm. Long-term users may experience undesirable side effects like:
- Sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Delayed reflexes
- Compromised immune system
- Coordination issues
- Mood changes
If medical professionals prescribe Suboxone with no other plan of action, it’s unlikely that an individual will be able to overcome addiction on his or her own. Suboxone doesn’t take away the craving for addictive substances, and it doesn’t help someone get to the core issues that led to dependency. That’s why it works best in conjunction with a rehab program whenever possible.
Addiction Recovery Is Possible
Crestview Recovery can help you overcome your addiction with our proven treatment programs and holistic approach to healing. In our scenic Pacific Northwest location, you can start your recovery from substance use and dependency.
Our facility provides treatment programs such as:
- Heroin addiction rehab
- Prescription drug addiction rehab
- Opioid addiction rehab
- Morphine addiction rehab
With help from a quality rehab facility like ours, you can get control of your life back. You can be free of addiction and rediscover a happier, healthier you. Contact us today, and we’ll work with you on your recovery: 866-580-4160.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
