Getting off Heroin with Suboxone: Using Suboxone to Treat Opioid Addiction
Getting off heroin could be the most important decision you ever make. Suboxone is a medication used in treatment plans to treat opioid addiction. Keep reading to learn more about Suboxone and heroin addiction treatment, Suboxone risks and effects, and how to start your recovery today.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a medication used to treat opioid dependence, containing buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is considered a partial opioid agonist, meaning that it produces a milder form of the effects produced by opioids, which are full opioid agonists.1 It essentially fills the brain’s opioids receptors without producing the same high as full opioids.
Suboxone contains naloxone, which is an opioid antagonist. If a Suboxone tablet is crushed and snorted, the added naloxone will block opioids from the brain’s receptors, preventing any sort of high from Suboxone. The naloxone discourages users from snorting Suboxone.
One of the advantages of using Suboxone is that it cannot be taken to achieve a full opioid effect, making it more difficult to misuse than other forms of addiction treatment medications, such as methadone.
Some of the benefits of Suboxone include:
- Lower potential for misuse.
- Greater accessibility.
- High success rate in the treatment of opiate dependence.
Does Suboxone Help With Heroin Addiction Treatment?
Yes. Suboxone can deliver relief from heroin cravings, and that can make addiction recovery possible, but the medication should only be used in accordance with a comprehensive treatment program. Clinicians can determine an appropriate Suboxone dose, and they can pair the use of the medication with behavioral therapy, allowing people to build up resistance to the temptation to use drugs.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 39 million people had a drug use disorder in 2021, and most of the individuals dependent on opioids used heroin that was illicitly cultivated and manufactured.2 Buprenorphine and naloxone, formulated as Suboxone, are used to treat this dependence. Suboxone can treat heroin addiction by helping users transition into treatment more effectively by preventing them from having the painful withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin.
Should individuals attempt to take other opioids while taking Suboxone, these opioids will be blocked from the brain’s receptors by Suboxone, preventing the normal high that comes from these drugs. This can assist in undoing the positive reinforcement loop that previously caused the addiction, because they will no longer receive the same reward for opioid use. They will also not experience the withdrawal from stopping opiate use, making it easier to stick to a treatment program.
Suboxone has been shown to be an effective treatment option. Researchers have found that when individuals were enrolled in either an opioid discontinuation program or an opioid replacement program, use of buprenorphine in the replacement program predicted better adherence to the treatment protocol.(3)
Unlike methadone, which can only be dispensed from specialized addiction clinics, Suboxone can be prescribed in a doctor’s office. Only about 10 percent of people who suffer from opioid dependence are being treated for it, according to WHO. Suboxone increases treatment options for those who may not have accessibility to all treatment options.
Are There Any Dangers to Using Suboxone in Addiction Treatment?
While Suboxone is an excellent resource for those seeking recovery from opiate addiction, like all medications, there are certain effects to consider. Aside from possible side effects, Suboxone is typically a drug that patients take for a long time to maintain recovery. As a partial opioid agonist, it still allows some opioid dependence in users. As a result, when patients aim to get off Suboxone, they should taper their dosage under medical supervision.
Is Suboxone Addictive?
Suboxone is less likely to produce the same addictive behavior as full opioid agonists because it has a milder effect. While addiction can be a danger with this medication, it is a low-risk danger.
Start Your Recovery Today
If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction and would like to learn more about opioid detox, inpatient or outpatient treatment, contact an American Addiction Centers (AAC) admissions navigator today.
There are a variety of confidential, free, and no obligation ways to get in contact with us to learn more about our treatment centers.
When you reach out, we can talk to you about your options for rehab, the rehab admissions process, if your health insurance covers Suboxone-related treatment, and more. Let us hear your story and help you determine a path to treatment. Call us today at
