Suboxone Therapy

How is an addiction formed?

Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and your behavior. At first, you have control over your choice to start using a substance. If you misuse the substance, its pleasurable effect eventually makes you want to keep using it. That’s how an addiction forms.

Over time your brain changes in specific ways, and you develop a powerful urge to continue abusing the substance. As a result, you lose control of your life, often damaging the relationships around you.

What is SUBOXONE?

SUBOXONE is a prescription medicine that contains the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. It’s used to treat adults who are addicted to opioids, whether a physician once prescribed the opioids or the drug was illegally obtained.

How does SUBOXONE work?

SUBOXONE contains buprenorphine and naloxone.

Buprenorphine is the primary active ingredient in SUBOXONE. By attaching to the same receptors as other opioids, it can help to suppress withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. Buprenorphine induces a milder form of the effects produced by opioids, essentially filling the brain’s opioid receptors without delivering the same high as full-on opioid usage.

Naloxone blocks the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief and the feelings of well-being that can lead to opioid abuse. Naloxone is present to help prevent misuse. If the SUBOXONE medication is misused, the naloxone component causes immediate withdrawal. However, when the medication is taken as directed, the naloxone is not well absorbed and clinically insignificant.

One of the advantages of using SUBOXONE is that it cannot be taken to achieve a full opioid effect, making it more difficult to abuse than other forms of medication-assisted treatment, such as methadone.

What does a treatment plan with SUBOXONE involve?

SUBOXONE helps treat opioid dependence and is part of a complete treatment plan with counseling and psychosocial support. Treatment should begin under the supervision of Dr. Dotson.

With some patients, treatment may continue at home with follow-up visits to Mind, Body & Spirit Med Center at reasonable intervals.

Addiction is a dangerous disease and should be treated immediately. If you think SUBOXONE could help you or a loved one, call Dr. Dotson or schedule an appointment online.