Suboxone addiction help
Suboxone (buprenorphine) is a prescription drug used to help people deail with opiate or opioid addiction. In fact, the drug is prescribed and administered by doctors to manage and control the symptoms withdrawal from drugs like heroin or morphine. However, because of its opioid-agonist affects, Suboxone can become addictive, especially for people who are not currently addicted to other opioids.
If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs of Suboxone addiction, we can help you understand addiction and the process by which you can get help. Read on for more information and ask your questions about Suboxone addiction help at the end.
How to help Suboxone addiction
There are several ways to treat drug addiction or physical dependence on a drug. It is important to note that dependence does not always mean addiction. Dependence is physical in nature while addiction is psychological. If you think you have become dependent on Suboxone, talk to your prescribing doctor. They can help you with adjust the dosage or taper drug use to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
However, Suboxone euphoric effect compels some users to get high, and can therefore be abused (especially when Suboxone is snorted, chewed, or injected). If you abuse Suboxone there are several ways for you to go about the treatment of your addiction. First, it is important to address the chemical dependency of Suboxone. Your body can become dependent on the use of Suboxone, and will need it to function normally. When you are removing Suboxone from your system, your body will go through withdrawal symptoms because of the dependency. After the initial withdrawal treatment, you must then deal with the psychological need for Suboxone. You will need to address the reasons behind use on a psychological level to increase your chance of not using again. The three main stages for Suboxone addiction treatment are:
1. Suboxone withdrawal
The symptoms of Suboxone withdrawal are similar to the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, but may not be as severe. In early withdrawal these symptoms include agitation, anxiety, muscle aches and insomnia, along with other body agitations. Later on, withdrawal symptoms can become more severe, with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and dilated pupils. Treatments for these symptoms are administered by detox centers other clinics, with medications being subscribed by doctors to treat the nausea and other symptoms. Because of the nature of opioid addiction, withdrawal from Suboxone can have other complications, and it is important to talk to your doctor about your intentions to quit using Suboxone before trying to quit using Suboxone.
2. Physical stabilization and treatment of Suboxone PAWS
Following initial withdrawal from Suboxone, you next need to deal with the protracted withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) of Suboxone abuse. These symptoms can include depression, sleep disturbances and anxiety, and can last weeks or as long as months and years, depending on the severity of Suboxone abuse. It is important to deal with these symptoms, both physically and psychologically, so that you don’t relapse, or return to the use of Suboxone.
3. Psychological suboxone addiction treatment
After stabilizing your physical condition, psychological treatment for Suboxone addiction becomes incredibly important. Identifying the phychological reasons for compulsive use of Suboxone can help to prevent future use and can help you live a healthier life. It is important to work through behavioral and thought changes with people you trust, such as counselors and fellow addicts. Usually, a complete lifestyle change is necessary in order to stay away from Suboxone in the future.
Getting help for Suboxone addiction
When attempting to kick Suboxone addiction, you will need to reach out and get help from others. Talk to your family and friends, reach out to a trusted religious or community leader, or call your local government to find out what resources they have available to help deal with Suboxone addiction. It is important not to go through this time alone.
Here is a list of people to contact for help with Suboxone addiction:
- An addiction specialist
- Family and friends
- Groups such as Narcotics Anonymous, SMART Recovery, or Rational Recovery
- Psychiatrist
- Psychologist
- Social worker
- Treatment facility
- Trusted religious or community leader
Reaching out will help you find the best possible resources for a complete recovery from Suboxone use. It will allow you to build a support network in order to get healthy, and stay healthy.
How to help a Suboxone addict
If someone you know is struggling with a Suboxone addiction, there are several ways that you can help them. First and foremost, you must make sure you are not enabling the addict. Do not provide them with money or any drugs. Be careful letting a Suboxone stay with you and providing them with their basic needs. Enabling an addict allows them to continue use, but if you can stop providing them with money, living quarters and essentials, they will be more likely to take their addiction seriously and seek help.
Interventions can also help a Suboxone addict recognize how adductuib affects the people around them. You can organize a formal intervention, which includes bringing in family, friends and an intervention specialist. A formal intervention gives the family a chance to show the addict they are no longer willing to enable their use, and allows them to express their feelings about the addiction.
If you think a formal intervention is too much, you can also intervene informally. Talk candidly with the Suboxone addict about your worries and feelings about their addiction. Be careful not to sound judgmental, but express your feelings clearly, so they understand how the addiction affects you. Research some local 12 step groups or individual counselors to offer your friend or family member support, and show them there are resources available for addiction.
Suboxone addiction helplines
Getting help for Suboxone addiction can be found easily and quickly by calling these hotlines. Help is available, and is as close as a phone call away.
1-800-662-HELP – The government run Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s 24/7 treatment referral line
1-800-340-0184 – National Substance Abuse Index
1-866-437-3253 – 24 hour addiction hotline connecting you to counselors anywhere in the United States to help you get help with addiction
Help with Suboxone addiction
Still feeling uneasy about Suboxone addiction? Do you have more questions about getting help for yourself or a loved one? Or do you have more information about Suboxone addiction to share? Leave a comment below and we will get back to quickly and personally.
Reference Sources: FDA: Suboxone drug safety
SAMHSA TAP 30: Buprenorphine
Medline Plus: Opiate withdrawal
SAMHSA: Protracted withdrawal
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