Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) is a medication that is used to treat opioid use disorder and opioid dependency. It contains 2 different ingredients, buprenorphine, and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which blocks the opiate receptors and reduces cravings. Suboxone suppresses pain at low doses, but at increased doses, it starts to block the opiate receptors from getting any more stimulation. Since the opiate receptors are blocked, an addict can no longer get high on any other opiates if they are taken while the individual is on Suboxone. Naloxone helps to reverse the effects of opioids. These medications work together to control cravings and prevent the withdrawal symptoms that are associated with opioid addiction. 
Does Suboxone Help Opioid Addicts Stay Clean?
Suboxone detox maintenance, along with a comprehensive treatment program, does help a person that is addicted to opioids stay clean. There are some conflicting views on Suboxone maintenance therapy and whether a person taking the medication is clean and in recovery, but for some people, it is the only way they can stay clean and free from opioid use.
How Does Suboxone Help With Opiate Addiction
Some people can detox from opioids without much difficulty completely and stay away from them, but most cannot. For those that have a high risk of relapsing on opioids, Suboxone is a good maintenance medication. Suboxone coupled with counseling and therapy offers a long-term solution for managing opioid addiction. It successfully controls cravings and prevents the debilitating and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that start when a person stops taking opioids. Suboxone makes an opioid-dependent individual feel normal, this is why it is so effective. According to a publication in The Oschner Journal that discusses the issue:
As with other chronic medical illnesses, opioid addiction, once developed, has no cure and requires ongoing monitoring and treatment. Therapy alone and abstinence-based models rather than medication-assisted treatment have dominated opioid treatment until now. Despite detoxification combined with psychosocial treatment, relapse rates remain at 90% or higher. These high relapse rates have been confirmed in populations that abuse heroin as well as prescription opioids. Renewed use after abstinence is associated with a high overdose risk, likely the result of the loss of previous tolerance and misjudgment of safe amounts. (NIH)
There are recovering opioid addicts that have gotten clean that started on a Suboxone maintenance program and rebuilt their lives. Individuals have gone on to have very successful lives because of this medication. Not only that, there are a lot of people that will tell you this medication has saved their life. At the same time, it has side effects and is an opioid in itself, so dependence on the medication is another issue. Once you decide to stop taking Suboxone, it should be medically tapered otherwise uncomfortable opioid withdrawal symptoms will be felt.
How Can I Get On Suboxone?
Suboxone can only be prescribed by an approved licensed physician. It does require frequent follow-up visits to your doctor once you start a maintenance program. You will also be required to provide regular urine drug screens and attend regular counseling and therapy sessions. To be successful in a Suboxone detox maintenance program, it is important to get to the root of the problem and find out why you became addicted to opioids in the first place. This is why a comprehensive treatment program is so important. At Evoke Wellness at Miramar, we offer Medically-Assisted Treatment for clinically approved individuals, which includes buprenorphine therapy (the active ingredient in Suboxone).
Treatment for Opioid Abuse
If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction, our addiction specialists are available around the clock to assist you. Evoke Wellness Miramar offers cutting-edge addiction treatment. We offer a safe environment and treat our clients with respect. We specialize in making sure our patients have the most comfortable detox process possible. You no longer have to continue to suffer out of fear. Give us a call today for more information on our unique services and recovery programs.
