If you have fallen deep into opioid addiction, you are not alone. And luckily, there are plenty of treatments that can help you recover from it that don’t involve rehab. As our Suboxone doctor in Kansas City MO, Dr. Simon Clark will tell you, Suboxone is one of the most effective treatments for opioid addiction. Suboxone is essentially a prescription drug that combines naloxone and buprenorphine. It works by binding itself to the same brain receptors that opioids to blunt intoxication. But before embarking on this treatment, it’s best to know what to expect to take the guesswork out of the process. Here are a few things you should know about suboxone treatments.
Suboxone treatment may not work for everyone
While it’s a universal solution, a suboxone treatment may not be recommended for everyone. As with any medicine, some people can experience side effects from the treatment. This is why Suboxone is only prescribed after a thorough examination of the patient’s complete medical history. For instance, individuals with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) may want to discuss their condition with a physician before embarking on a suboxone treatment. Other conditions to watch out for are Hepatitis B or C, intracranial lesions or head injuries, biliary tract issues, pregnancy, or adrenal insufficiency. So before you decide to self-medicate, visit a drug treatment center and go over your medical history in detail with a physician.
Suboxone treatment won’t heal your brain
Opioid addiction causes changes to the brain’s functioning. For instance, things that were pleasurable to you before may suddenly become boring. That’s because opioids are structured much like the brain, and thus they can easily stimulate brain cells. In particular, they lead to an increase in neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which is what keeps addicts going back for more. For this reason, healing your brain will take more than suboxone treatment. It demands total abstinence from opioids and time. Give yourself time to rediscover things, and your brain will catch up.
Suboxone treatment by itself is not enough to fix you
It would be misleading to believe that a suboxone treatment is an end-all fix-all solution to opioid addiction. While it will alleviate the symptoms, suboxone treatments only work as a support
for proper rehabilitation from drug use. It will allow you to function normally in your path to recovery. However, it will not address the underlying behavioral and psychological issues that prompted the addiction in the first place. Left unresolved, your recovery may not be complete until you undergo proper therapy, counseling, and psychosocial treatments.
Suboxone treatment alleviates cravings and withdrawal symptom
The hardest part of recovering from drug addiction is fighting the cravings, and opioids are especially notorious to overcome. To put things into perspective, simply taking opioids continuously for 5 days is enough to give you serious withdrawal symptoms once you stop. Worse still, these symptoms can come as soon as six hours after the last opioid dose. These symptoms can range from anxiety and depression to serious insomnia and seizures. Frankly, it’s not fun to be a recovering opioid addict. But luckily, suboxone treatments can help you escape the hamster of dependency. It helps you cope with acute withdrawal symptoms on your path to recovery.
Watch out for Suboxone dependency
The common myth is that Suboxone is a completely sober drug, but the truth is far from it. While Suboxone essentially stabilizes you, like most drugs, it is possible to become dependent on it if you don’t take it as prescribed. It is pointless to get from one addiction and onto another. Hence, it’s advisable to take Suboxone only as recommended by your physician. Patients will get weaned off Suboxone as the severity of their symptoms reduces.
When done properly, a suboxone treatment will transform your life. If you are struggling with opioid addiction or know someone who is, schedule an appointment with our Suboxone doctor in Kansas City MO, Dr. Simon Clark to begin your path to recovery.
