I'm Addicted to Drugs: Can Suboxone Help?

Many people are afraid of rehabilitation because they don’t want to go through withdrawal symptoms, but there are prescription medications that can help you come off opioids as safely and painlessly as possible. No one deserves to suffer during their recovery, and suboxone can help relieve your symptoms, so you can focus on rebuilding your life. 

At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, with multiple locations in Maryland, our team of board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists work closely with people who struggle with addiction. In this blog, our providers explain what suboxone is and how it may be able to help you get through withdrawal symptoms.

How suboxone works 

Suboxone — like methadone — is a treatment for opioid withdrawal. Both medications contain full or partial agonists, which activate the opioid receptors in your brain to placate your cravings and prevent withdrawal symptoms. 

However, suboxone is unique, because it also contains an opioid antagonist, which blocks those same receptors. This prevents you from feeling high, and it makes the drug very difficult to misuse or overdose on. 

This also makes the prescription process a bit different from methadone, so be sure to talk with the doctors at CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center to decide which one is right for you. 

Beginning your treatment 

Before receiving your first dose of suboxone, your doctor performs a physical exam and reviews your medical history. You should already be in a state of moderate withdrawal when you begin taking suboxone.

Once your strong cravings have subsided, you can begin a maintenance dose of suboxone. The medication comes in a sublingual film, which is placed under the tongue until it slowly dissolves. 

There are no limits on how long the maintenance phase can last. Some people might be able to begin stepping down their dose relatively soon after beginning suboxone, while others might need more long-term treatment. 

Building a recovery plan 

Ideally, your recovery plan should include more than just suboxone. For example, your provider may recommend getting therapy, attending a support group, and talking to a recovery coach. However, not everyone has access to these resources. 

Suboxone will provide relief regardless of whether you’re receiving counseling, but it’s important to flesh out your rehabilitation plan to include more than just medication. Coaches and support groups can help you gain clarity, while behavioral therapy can help you learn coping strategies and overcome the feelings that come with recovery.

Addiction is a complex disease that requires compassion and medical care, and a suboxone prescription can make the recovery process much easier. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center today.

Our Maryland offices are located in Hyattsville, Gaithersburg, Lanham, Dundalk, Oxon Hill, Rosedale, and Olney, and we have two offices in Baltimore.