Drug detox centers with medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs often use Suboxone treatments. As a medication, Suboxone was formulated and is often used to reduce opiate withdrawal symptoms and relieve cravings during and post-detox. It’s especially ideal for those with severe addictions and just as severe withdrawal symptoms. Note that a prescription and a medical team are required for Suboxone to be administered for addiction treatment.
If you are looking for a MAT program or specifically a Suboxone treatment program offered by a drug rehab center, contact Ethan Crossing of Columbus online or call our team at 855.476.0078. Our drug addiction treatment programs can help you on the road to recovery and may even be life-saving.
What Is a Suboxone Treatment Program?
The Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2003 allows qualified medical professionals to obtain certification and prescribe Suboxone to treat opiate-dependent people. Suboxone is a combination of two different drugs working in tandem: buprenorphine and naloxone.
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist. It activates receptors in the brain that dangerous opioids would also target, so its job is to deliver diminished opioid doses to a body that’s addicted to a stronger opioid.
Naloxone is a pure opioid antagonist. It shuts off the same receptors and helps prevent opioid use. However, this can trigger some withdrawal symptoms, like mood swings or muscle cramping. Administering this drug by itself is risky, so it was combined with buprenorphine.
Because of the way Suboxone works, someone taking it can be successfully weaned off an opioid without taking the opioid itself. These opioids might include heroin, methadone, or another opioid typically used for pain relief, like Percocet or Vicodin.
What to Expect in a Suboxone Treatment Program?
As part of medical detox, a Suboxone treatment program can take anywhere from weeks to months. There are usually three stages to this treatment:
- Induction: This first stage can last from one up to three days under supervision. People with opiate addiction will need to be fully assessed psychologically and physically before they’re prescribed a Suboxone treatment program. Most treatment centers already do a comprehensive health check before admitting guests into their medical detox programs.
- Stabilization: Doses will be given throughout a period of two days to four weeks. The dose of suboxone will be adjusted—usually increased—at this point to match a personalized inpatient detox plan.
- Maintenance: This stage can last for weeks or stretch to multiple months. Some guests in recovery will need dosages of suboxone while they go through an addiction treatment program.
The end of a Suboxone treatment program isn’t necessarily the end of an opiate addiction treatment program. In fact, it might signal the beginning of one. Medication-assisted treatment is just one of many solutions and treatments included in an overall program to support lifelong sobriety.
Can People Develop a Suboxone Addiction?
Once known as a miracle drug for treating opioid use, Suboxone also has a potential for abuse.
Suboxone treatment for addiction has a dark side. There’s always a risk in giving someone that’s addicted to a Substance a similar medication. While Suboxone is effective, the similarity of buprenorphine to other opiates can be a problem for some people. Suboxone addiction is a real problem that requires its own path of recovery, from detox to aftercare.
Find a Suboxone Treatment Program at Ethan Crossing of Columbus
Ethan Crossing of Columbus is a drug rehab center offering high-quality and state-of-the-art suboxone treatment through MAT programs. If you’re looking for help to recover from opiate addiction in Ohio, contact our team online or call 855.476.0078 to find out more about our drug addiction treatment programs.