Suboxone is an opioid addiction treatment drug. Buprenorphine and Naloxone are its two active components. Suboxone usage is not without risk because Buprenorphine is an opioid.
Suboxone is the brand name for a pharmaceutical drug used to treat opioid addiction. Suboxone is made up of two components: the opioid Buprenorphine and the medicine Naloxone. These two chemicals work together to decrease cravings for addictive opioids, including heroin, codeine, fentanyl, and oxycodone.
Suboxone is usually used to alleviate withdrawal symptoms in those receiving treatment for opioid addiction. Following that, individuals frequently continue to use the medicine to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms while they move through counseling and recovery. Suboxone is not intended to be a cure for opioid addiction but rather a supportive component of the rehabilitation process.
Suboxone is classed as a Schedule III restricted substance in the United States, which means it is a drug with medicinal value but a moderate risk of addiction. As a result, only doctors who have been certified by the Department of Health and Human Services are permitted to prescribe Suboxone. The medicine is available in the form of dissolvable films and pills.
Suboxone is made up of two ingredients: Buprenorphine and Naloxone. Buprenorphine is a powerful opioid that is more strong than Morphine. However, because it is a partial opioid agonist, it inhibits the binding of other opioids to opioid receptors in the nervous system. In other words, the drug protects the brain against the effects of other opioids. As a result, Buprenorphine allows patients to wean themselves off of opioids while reducing withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine is unlikely to provide the profound drowsiness and euphoria that most Opioids do, but it will reduce withdrawal symptoms and satisfy fundamental Opioid cravings in those who are addicted to opioids.
Naloxone is a drug that can be used to treat the symptoms of an opioid overdose. Because Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, it prevents and reverses the effects of Opioids on the neurological system. The addition of Naloxone to Suboxone serves to prevent patients from overdosing on Buprenorphine. Naloxone also reduces a person’s chance of relapse by stopping them from feeling the addictive and euphoric sensations that Opioids are known to induce.
While Suboxone has the potential to be addictive, the risk of addiction to Suboxone is lower than the risk of addiction to other Opioids. Suboxone is less likely to create cravings than other medications since it is not as strongly sedative. Suboxone’s Opioid component, Buprenorphine, may cause mild withdrawal symptoms like headaches, muscular pains, and nausea. Doctors often progressively lower their patients’ Suboxone doses as they proceed through addiction therapy to prevent or lessen withdrawal. Buprenorphine, unlike other opioids, has a “ceiling effect.” Buprenorphine’s efficacy will not be increased by taking larger and more frequent dosages. While tolerance to Buprenorphine might develop, it cannot be overcome by obsessively or frequently increasing the amount of Buprenorphine taken.
Suboxone addiction is unlikely, but Suboxone misuse is a distinct possibility. Drug dealers in the United States have been distributing illicit Suboxone to individuals. In 2018, police confiscated almost 6,000 doses of illicit Suboxone in just one city, Cincinnati. Most people who acquire Suboxone illegally are not looking to get high on opioids. Instead, people are attempting to get relief from opioid withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone might be abused if it is used to treat Opioid withdrawal without a prescription and without first seeking treatment for Opioid addiction. In such circumstances, a person may use Suboxone anytime they begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, disregard any medical limitations, and overdose. When someone fails to seek treatment for opioid addiction and instead relies on Suboxone on a regular basis to avoid withdrawal symptoms, they grow reliant on the drug and never recover from the condition. While using Suboxone is simpler, rehabilitation is the ultimate long-term treatment for withdrawal and addiction.
Suboxone, like most medicines, can have a number of adverse effects. The majority of side effects are not fatal and generally go away after a few days. Suboxone’s most prevalent negative effects are:
Suboxone does carry the potential of more significant side effects, particularly when used with alcohol or benzodiazepines. Suboxone, for example, might cause an allergic response marked by swelling in the throat and difficulty breathing. High dosages of Suboxone can also cause liver damage and produce a coma, and a Suboxone overdose is conceivable.
Overdose is one of the most significant dangers of Suboxone because it is an Opioid-based medicine. In fact, if left untreated, a Suboxone overdose can be fatal. Overdose is more probable in those who use too much Suboxone or combine it with other medications. Suboxone overdose symptoms include the following:
A Suboxone overdose can induce respiratory depression in extreme situations, which limits or stops breathing. Respiratory depression has the potential to induce brain injury, coma, and death.
Suboxone is a valuable medicine, but it must be used carefully. Abusing Suboxone by taking it too frequently, in overly large dosages, or without a prescription is hazardous. It is tragic that a drug designed to assist people to overcome addiction may also be addictive; but, if someone overcomes their reliance on Suboxone, they can recover their life from Opioids once and for all.
Contact a treatment provider now to learn more about treatment options if you or someone you know is misusing Suboxone and needs assistance overcoming Opioid addiction. A Suboxone addiction treatment program in a rehab center will include detox, therapy, and ongoing support in an aftercare program.
