Many people struggle with crippling substance abuse disorder. If you have abused opioids, you might have come to the realization that you needed help and found it. However, if you were given Suboxone to treat your addiction, you might have suddenly become dependent on it as it helped wean you off your previous problem drug. It’s important to understand more about Suboxone and why it’s so addictive.
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a prescription medication that is used to treat people who suffer from opioid addiction. It consists of two medicinal ingredients, Buprenorphine, which is a type of opioid itself, and Naloxone. When the drug is administered during rehab as part of a person’s detox program, it can help to lower their cravings for opioids. Specifically, it is used to treat individuals who are addicted to Oxycodone, Fentanyl, heroin and codeine.
While a person is continuing their treatment for an opioid addiction, they may be administered Suboxone, which helps to manage withdrawal symptoms during the detox process. They might still continue using it to combat withdrawal once they enter rehab and therapy. While Suboxone isn’t intended to use to cure an addiction to opioids, it can help people recover from their substance abuse disorder.
Suboxone falls under the Schedule III controlled substances list, which means that while it can be used medically to treat opioid addiction, it in itself carries a risk for addiction. Due to that risk, Department of Health and Human Services certified doctors are the only ones who can legally prescribe it as part of a person’s detox program.
How Addictive is Suboxone?
The Buprenorphine component found in Suboxone is mild, which makes the drug less addictive than other opioids. While there is a much lower risk of addiction to Suboxone, it may be possible for some people to become dependent on it. At the same time, if a person does develop an addiction to the drug, it can be curbed by slowly tapering off doses through the person’s treatment.
People who use Buprenorphine as part of their drug detox treatment have a higher risk of addiction to opioids than the average person. However, some of these individuals have a higher threshold of becoming addicted to Suboxone due to the pleasing effects it might bring them.
The Naloxone component in Suboxone is only effective when the individual has opioids in their system. It can combat the effects of opioids in the nervous system and respiratory system, allowing the person to be able to breathe better. Naloxone doesn’t carry any potential for abuse, which is why it’s widely used in treating individuals who are addicted to or have overdosed on heroin and other opioids.
<h2>What are the Potential Side Effects of Suboxone?</h2>
All medications carry a potential risk of certain side effects. Suboxone is no exception to that rule. Overall, the side effects a person can experience while taking Suboxone to treat their substance abuse disorder can vary. They are not serious and usually ease after a few days. The most common of those side effects include the following:
• Anxiety
• Constipation
• Cramps
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Muscle aches
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Stomachache
• Sweating
• Vomiting
These side effects may be present as a result of both components of the medication, Buprenorphine and Naloxone.
Is it Possible to Overdose on Suboxone?
Suboxone is a type of opioid medication. As a result, there is a potential risk of overdose if a person becomes addicted and abuses it. It’s important to seek immediate treatment for an overdose as it could become fatal if not treated. Symptoms of a Suboxone overdose include the following:
• Anxiety
• Blurred vision
• Chills
• Confusion
• Constricted pupils
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Loss of consciousness or fainting
• Loss of coordination
• Nausea
• Slurred speech
• Stomachache
• Sweating
• Vomiting
In the most severe cases of overdose, Suboxone can lead to a person going into respiratory distress. A person could stop breathing and end up suffering brain damage, slipping into a coma or in the worst-case scenario, dying.
If you have come to realize that you have a serious addiction problem and are ready to get help, don’t wait. Call us immediately at 954-523-1167 to get started on your journey to sobriety. We will be there to help you every step of the way.