While recovery is a journey, medications like Suboxone® have provided a path for many individuals seeking to break free from opioid addiction.
Our team at Chesapeake Wellness Center in Cecilton and Elkton, Maryland, partners with our communities to overcome substance use disorder through our addiction recovery services. Our personalized treatment plans may include medications like Suboxone.
Read more about how Suboxone works and how it fits into the broader framework of addiction treatment, empowering patients and their loved ones to take steps toward recovery.
Suboxone is a prescription medication that contains two active ingredients: buprenorphine and naloxone.
Buprenorphine binds to opioid receptors in the brain. These specialized proteins are the substances that bind with heroin, oxycodone, or other opioids to manage pain and produce a sense of euphoria. Buprenorphine counters that by causing a weaker effect.
Naloxone helps prevent misuse by triggering withdrawal symptoms if the medication is injected instead of taken as prescribed.
This unique combination allows Suboxone to reduce nausea, vomiting, and other withdrawal symptoms and cravings while minimizing the risk of abuse. It’s often considered a cornerstone of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder.
Suboxone helps with some of the critical obstacles to overcoming opioid addiction, including:
When a person stops using opioids, they often experience severe withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, muscle pain, anxiety, and insomnia. These withdrawal symptoms can be severe enough to require hospitalization.
Suboxone provides just enough stimulation to the brain’s opioid receptors to alleviate withdrawal symptoms without causing the euphoric high associated with full opioids.
The buprenorphine component in Suboxone suppresses cravings, making it easier for patients to focus on therapy and lifestyle changes rather than constantly battling the urge to use.
The addition of naloxone discourages misuse. If Suboxone is taken as prescribed (under the tongue or as a film strip), naloxone remains inactive.
However, if someone attempts to misuse the medication, naloxone becomes active and can induce immediate withdrawal symptoms.
The resulting nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping serve as a powerful deterrent, essentially changing your brain’s viewpoint of the “good feelings” so often associated with opioid use.
Over time, opioid use can alter the brain's chemistry, leading to dependence. Suboxone helps stabilize the brain, allowing it to heal by blocking the euphoric effects of other opioids.
There are many benefits to Suboxone when you’re battling addiction, including:
Suboxone is prescribed by certified health care providers and taken at home, eliminating the need for daily clinic visits.
Suboxone helps eliminate two powerful components of opioid addiction: cravings and the sensation of euphoria. Patients using Suboxone often stay in recovery programs longer, improving their chances of success.
By blocking the effects of other opioids, Suboxone helps reduce the risk of relapse-related overdose.
Suboxone is most effective when combined with counseling, behavioral therapy, and peer support to address the underlying causes of addiction. It’s also crucial to treat anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions that may drive or result from addiction.
Our Chesapeake Wellness Center team creates comprehensive, personalized strategies with one overarching goal: helping you overcome the lifelong challenges of substance use disorder.
Schedule a visit today by calling the office near you or requesting an appointment online.
