What is Suboxone?

man in recovery wondering what is suboxoneAt drug rehab facilities, you may hear medical professionals talk about a substance called suboxone. But exactly what is suboxone? The short answer is that it’s a partial opioid that medical professionals typically administer to treat pain and heroin addictions.

Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid that functions like other opioid substances: it blocks pain receptors and creates a mild euphoric high. Naloxone is meant to act as an abuse-deterrent because when people abuse suboxone, the naloxone activates and triggers withdrawal symptoms.

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What Is Suboxone Treatment?

More so than asking “What is suboxone?”, it’s probably more important to ask why it’s used. Suboxone is predominantly used in drug rehab facilities for opioid and heroin withdrawal treatment. When going through a detox for an opiate like heroin, medical professionals will administer suboxone to lessen the severity of withdrawal symptoms.

Suboxone occupies opioid receptors in the brain, which tricks your body into thinking that it’s still receiving opiates. While that’s partially true since suboxone is a partial opiate, it doesn’t produce as intense of a high as other opioids which makes it less addictive.

Heroin withdrawal can be painful and terrifying for many people seeking treatment. Often, the fear of the withdrawal symptoms can deter men from seeking addiction treatment programs altogether. Heroin withdrawal is comparable to a severe case of the flu, causing individuals severe physical and psychological strain. These symptoms include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Anxiety
  • Abdominal cramping
  • Increased body temperature/sweating
  • Muscle and bone pain
  • Agitation/irritability

The severity of these symptoms depends on how much and how often the user was abusing opiates. During detox, professionals will administer suboxone to alleviate uncomfortable symptoms. Because heroin symptoms can be so painful and dangerous, it’s common for detoxes to involve a pairing of therapy and medication.

Recovery with Suboxone

If you’re still wondering “What is suboxone?”, just know that it could be your friend at the beginning of your addiction recovery journey. Going through detox is only the first step, and after going through the process at our partner facility, Serenity Lodge in California can help you transition into our drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.

Our 22-acre facility provides a variety of addiction therapy approaches designed to help you overcome your substance abuse disorder and live a healthy, sober, and sustainable life once you leave.

If you’re ready to face your opiate addiction head-on, call Serenity Lodge today at (855) 932-4045 and take the first toward a happier, healthier life.

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