Common Myths About Using Suboxone To Treat Opiate Addiction

Suboxone®, a prescription medication containing buprenorphine and naloxone and used as a treatment for opioid use disorder, is a proven and effective form of opioid addiction treatment. This revolutionary medication for opioid use disorder works by binding itself to the same receptors in the brain that opiates bind to. As a result, it allows many of those who take it to recover from their condition and pursue a normal and safe life. With approval by the Food and Drug Administration FDA) to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and a proven track-record for thousands of people, most OUD treatment specialists agree: Suboxone saves lives!

Unfortunately, certain myths about this medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder are common, creating additional barriers for people suffering from an opioid addiction. Here, Buprenorphine Treatment Centers, Inc., lists and debunks the most prevalent myths about using Suboxone to treat opiate addiction. Contact our treatment center today to learn more about our opioid addiction treatment program in Gainesville, Orange Park, Perry, Palatka, and Ocala, FL.

Myth #1: You Aren’t Really Recovering If You Take Suboxone

Addiction to a substance is a health condition that often requires clinical treatment to resolve. Abstinence-rooted models of year’s past have been proven ineffective for the vast majority of people. Fortunately, outdated models of treatment for opiate use disorder (OUD) are giving way to more modern, more effective treatment options using medications to regulate patients’ brains chemistry. For those seeking opioid addiction help, to say taking Suboxone means they aren’t really in recovery is a stigmatic and incorrect sentiment.

Myth #2: Suboxone Is Commonly Misused

As with any opiate, Suboxone has a potential for abuse. Yet, because this medication is only a partial agonist of the primary opiate receptor, Suboxone produces fewer sensations of euphoria or a “high” when compared to other opiates, like oxycodone, fentanyl, and heroin. In the vast majority of cases, patients use Suboxone to manage their withdrawal or to fully cease use of other opiates. The more readily available and openly available Suboxone is to those who need the medication, self-treatment or cases of “abuse” of the medication would further decrease.

Myth #3: It’s Easy To Overdose On Suboxone

In reality, no. It’s incredibly difficult for people taking Suboxone to overdose on the medication alone. Overdosing on Suboxone is far more difficult to accomplish compared with other opiates. This is because Suboxone is a partial agonist of the main opioid receptor, or mu receptor, meaning that built into the medication is a limiting effect. As such, there is a guaranteed limit to the amount of activation of the medication to the opioid receptors. If a person does overdose while taking Suboxone, it is virtually always because they took the medication in combination with sedative medications that slow their breathing, like benzodiazepines.

Myth #4: Suboxone Cannot Be Used Long-Term

Addiction treatment practitioners and opioid use disorder specialists have varying theories regarding the appropriate duration that Suboxone should be taken. Yet, no evidence exists to support the assertion that Suboxone should only be used for a short period of time instead of taking a maintenance dose long-term. Ultimately, the duration of a person’s treatment using Suboxone will depend on several factors, such as the patient’s preference, their health requirements, and the progress of their individualized treatment plan. For more information, please contact Buprenorphine Treatment Centers, Inc.