Suboxone is a drug that has been used to treat opioid withdrawal. It’s a combination of two other chemicals, buprenorphine, and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid used to taper opioid intake in others who are addicted to the substance. Naloxone is a competitive inhibitor, blocking the impact of opioids on the brain. In combination, they provide a helpful way for individuals trying to break their opioid addiction to leave it behind.
Is Detox from Suboxone Needed?
Unfortunately, Suboxone is addictive in its own right. There have been cases where a person who had previously been addicted to opioids went through detox and recovery but found themselves hooked on Suboxone. Because of its potential for use with other drugs, even those who don’t use it for recovery may use it alongside other medications. In these cases, the risk of overdose and severe side effects increase.
Suboxone was once hailed as a wonder drug in the fight against opioid addiction. The increasing number of people involved in opioid use and abuse has skyrocketed in recent years. Suboxone was seen as a cure for this problem, but deep research has found that it can be just as addictive as the drugs it seeks to help people leave behind. Even so, it remains a valuable tool in the right hands.
Many rehab centers use Suboxone to significant effect, allowing individuals who want to break their opioid addiction but don’t want to go through the severe withdrawal symptoms of quitting the drug cold turkey. Before we can understand the problems with Suboxone, we must first look at how it interacts with the body.
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What Is Suboxone?
As mentioned before, Suboxone is a brand-name prescription drug that is usually taken orally. It may be distributed as a pill but is more often given as a sublingual film. For someone to use the substance, they need to place the film below their tongue and wait for it to dissolve. Suboxone is a controlled substance and is declared a Schedule III drug by the DEA.
The name Suboxone is reserved for the brand name of the drug, but the substance is also available in generic substitutes. Studies have shown that individuals who take Suboxone show a greater rate of completion for rehabilitation. Even though the drug is a controlled substance, there is a significant amount on the open market. This open availability caters to the needs of those who have become dependent on the substance.
Common Suboxone Side Effects
Individuals taking Suboxone may suffer from various side effects as a result. These include (but are not limited to) severe allergic reactions, hormone problems, and problems with breathing. Individuals who consume Suboxone in high concentrations may face severe side effects and may even end up in a coma. Continuous consumption will lead to liver problems.
When prescribing Suboxone, most professionals know that it only works with short-acting opioids. If used with long-acting opioids, it can cause an increase in the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. Other less severe side effects may include rashes, weight loss or weight gain, and constipation. Rashes may also occur from regular use. In the case of severe side effects, doctors may consider rolling back its use.
What areMedication-Assisted Treatments?
Suboxone is a class of drugs that are used to help with opioid addiction and recovery. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an accepted approach to dealing with addiction recovery. Individuals who are addicted to a substance will find it hard to stop using it. Some medications can work to help the body break its dependence on a substance.
Suboxone is one of those chemicals, interacting with the exact locations that a drug would, but at a lower intensity. One of the ingredients of Suboxone is buprenorphine, an opioid itself. This chemical is known as a partial opioid agonist because it only partially stimulates the opioid receptors.
The result is a much less intense feeling that a typical opioid would produce. The aim of using Suboxone is to lower the body’s expectation when taking the drug, to make it easier to quit it eventually.
Suboxone as a Component of Detox
The statistics suggest that Suboxone makes for a much easier time in detox for many patients. Unfortunately, it also has the problem of causing individuals to become addicted to it if used continually. It is important to note that there’s a much lower chance of someone becoming addicted to Suboxone because of its action on the brain.
This lower rate of addiction is partly because of how buprenorphine operates. Unlike other opioids, buprenorphine has a “ceiling effect.” In other words, there’s an upper limit to the level of euphoria a person can get from taking the drug. Taking more of it won’t push a person past that ceiling.
A person may develop tolerance to buprenorphine, but they won’t get a more intense feeling of euphoria by taking more of the drug.
Suboxone and the Phenomenon of Tolerance
Tolerance usually leads to dependence, unfortunately. As a person starts to use a substance regularly, their brain chemistry changes. In the case of opioids, this change may remain, even if a person doesn’t use anything by Suboxone for an extended period. Suboxone supports that dependence but does nothing to stop a person from having those feelings. Thus, if a person wants to truly leave their opioid addiction behind, they’ll need to learn how to break their dependence on Suboxone.
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Signs Of Suboxone Dependence
One of the dangers of replacement therapy is that individuals with addictive personalities tend to replace one addiction with another. This situation is typically the case in suboxone addiction. While many treatment facilities will deny that Suboxone addiction happens, they are willing to admit that suboxone dependency does come from continued administration of the substance.
It is essential to understand the difference between addiction and dependence. Dependence, as mentioned above, happens when a substance leads to the brain changing its structure to deal with its availability. In Suboxone’s case, the substance is an opioid, and any opioid will do, even the buprenorphine in Suboxone. Suboxone dependence isn’t easy to spot because many people take it to maintain their opioid dependence without becoming addicted.
The Disease Concept of Addiction
Addiction is a brain disease that prompts a person to seek out a substance that they need to function normally. Suboxone addiction can happen when a person becomes so dependent on the substance that they need to have it for regular brain and body function. Medically assisted treatments administered by a facility can help a person overcome their dependence on a substance.
However, if a person takes Suboxone without proper supervision, they can quickly become addicted to that substance instead of another opioid. The constant need for Suboxone may force a person to seek out Suboxone treatment continually. Some members of the medical community term this behavior “spanning.” If a person constantly seeks treatment for opioid addiction, despite completing the treatment before, it’s a good sign that the person has become dependent (or even addicted) to the opioid.
Tips For Getting Off Suboxone
How does one leave Suboxone behind? The first step is accepting that there’s a problem that needs to be dealt with. Getting off Suboxone starts with going through withdrawal for the drug.
Assisted withdrawal is known as detoxification, and many individuals attend detox facilities that help them cope with their Suboxone dependence. When a person is dependent on Suboxone, their body and their brain both crave the substance.
Withdrawal symptoms they may face may be both mental and physical in nature. Among the most common symptoms of Suboxone withdrawal include:
- Cravings
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Difficulty focusing on something
- Anxiety
- Muscle or body aches
- Fever/chills
- Depression
- Headaches
Withdrawal symptoms may differ in intensity. If a person has been using the drug for a longer time or has been taking more of the substance, their withdrawal symptoms may be more intense. Suboxone has a detailed withdrawal timeline that shows how the drug’s absence affects individuals who have developed a dependence on it.
Day 1-3: During this stage, the initial physical symptoms start showing up. Muscle aches, anxiety, and insomnia set in. There is some craving for the substance, but nothing overwhelming.
Day 4-7: More insomnia occurs as the body eliminates the leftover Suboxone from the bloodstream. Anxiety and depression increase rapidly at this stage as the mental impact of withdrawal begins.
Week 2-4: The next few weeks lead to more depression and anxiety. Therapy can help cope with these feelings and offer ways to deal with the lack of the substance over the long term.
Week 5+: Long-term dependence on the drug is still present, and even though the body no longer craves it, the mind still does. Remaining sober over the long term requires maintenance.
If a person is trying to get off Suboxone, there are some valuable things that they can try to help them cope with the intense withdrawal symptoms. These include:
- Exercise: Suboxone typically creates a flood of dopamine in the brain, but so does exercise. By working out, a person can shift their dependence from Suboxone to something healthier. It also aids in taking a person’s mind away from the substance and allowing them to focus on something else to avoid the cravings that may persist.
- Hydrate: Withdrawal includes things like sweating and vomiting. These actions help to clear the body of Suboxone but also deprive the body of valuable fluids that it needs for other functions. Hydrating helps to avoid the feeling of tiredness that might be similar to a hangover. Some individuals drink tea during this time to help them with their hydration. If doing so, it’s vital to ensure that the tea has no diuretic properties to eliminate water that one wants to retain.
- Remember to Eat: Withdrawal may be harrowing for some, leading to them neglecting their appetite. This lack of nutrition could be detrimental to the process and may potentially force it to go even longer than it usually would. Eating healthy foods can aid the body by giving it valuable nutrients.
A few common remedies may help with the withdrawal process, including anti-nausea medications, stomach-settling treatments, and antacids.
Do I Need Suboxone Detox?
Suboxone detox is a crucial part of the recovery process. People who want to quit the drug can’t keep it in their bloodstream since the urge to use it will always be there. Breaking the dependence requires detoxifying the body. Going through withdrawal can be a scary prospect, but most detox facilities have staff on hand that is trained to help a person deal with the physical and mental symptoms of the process.
Suboxone detox is less taxing than other drug detox procedures, but that doesn’t mean that the cravings are any less intense. In many cases, individuals may have renewed sense of craving for drugs they had previously given up. Individuals who have recovered from opioid addiction may find a new desire for the drugs they might not have considered in months or even years.
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Medically Supervised Detox for Suboxone
Supervised detox offers a safe, secure way for someone to break their dependence on a substance. While a person could detox at home, the chances of relapsing are far more significant. Suboxone withdrawal also comes with severe feelings of anxiety and depression.
It’s not uncommon to see individuals going through Suboxone withdrawal have mental breakdowns because of stress. Panic attacks may also occur. In some of the worst cases, individuals may become suicidal, requiring intervention to prevent them from causing harm to themselves. Supervised detox deals with all of these issues and ensures that the person gets through the process of detoxification safely.
Lasting Recovery from Suboxone at South Shores Recovery
Recovering from Suboxone requires a concerted effort from a person. Like all other substances that can be abused, it requires constant maintenance to remain sober. South Shores Recovery offers a way for patients to overcome their dependence on the substance and ensure their long-term, lasting recovery from the substance.
Our trained professionals provide therapy that can help deal with cravings that may happen from time to time. Additionally, we have close connections with the local recovery groups, offering support and group therapy long after inpatient treatment is done. Are you ready to experience life without Suboxone dependence? Call us today to find out more about our treatment methods. We’re looking forward to your visit!