When prescription painkillers are used properly, addiction is rare. Unfortunately for some, long-term use or abuse of painkillers can spiral into physical dependence and addiction. Recovering from opiate addiction can be a painful and difficult process, but a new FDA-approved medication called Suboxone can make the recovery process painless and worry free.
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a medication approved for maintaining the treatment of opiate addiction and dependence. It contains the active ingredients buprenorphine and Naloxone, which work to reduce the symptoms of opiate dependence and guard against misuse. When combined with behavioral counseling, Suboxone is very effective at treating dependence to opiates such as prescription painkillers.
Like methadone, Suboxone is a partial opiate that makes it easier for patients who are addicted to opiates to wean themselves off by reducing opiate withdrawal symptoms and craving during addiction treatment. Unlike methadone, however, Suboxone is a safer substitute and it is easier for patients to stop using after treatment is over. Suboxone treatment is safe, but only if it’s done under supervised care. Overdosing or taking Suboxone with alcohol, sedatives or CNS depressants can lead to severe complications that include disability and death.
Using Suboxone During Opiate Detox
Opiate detox is a necessary step of any addiction treatment program. Detoxification rids the body of all opiate residues so the person no longer experiences the effects of their opiate use. Without detox, residual opiates will remain in the body and cause cravings and other unwanted side effects that will jeopardize the person’s sobriety.
Opiate detox can be painful and difficult, and patients will experience a variety of withdrawal symptoms that include bone and muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, cramping, insomnia, hot and cold sweats, and hallucinations. Patients who are severely opiate dependent can alleviate and even eliminate many of these withdrawal symptoms by using Suboxone, which is especially helpful during the initial stages of an opiate detoxification program when withdrawal symptoms are at their worse. But using Suboxone during opiate detox is only the first step in addiction treatment. Suboxone alleviates cravings and the uncomfortable effects of withdrawal, but it does not treat the reasons why addiction occurred in the first place. The only way to effectively treat opiate addiction is to use Suboxone as part of a comprehensive program that includes addiction education, counseling, and behavioral therapy.
Finding the Best Rehab for Prescription Painkiller Addiction
There are many different types of rehabs to choose from, but the best type of drug rehab for prescription drug abuse is residential treatment. Residential treatment for prescription drug abuse provides a structured environment that’s free of temptations and distractions, and provides round-the-clock care and support to help the individual focus on recovery. Residential treatment programs will provide supervised detoxification from the prescription drug’s harmful toxins, individual and group therapy to learn new ways to cope without using drugs, and holistic therapies such as yoga, meditation and equine therapies to heal the spirit and mind as well as the body.
When choosing a treatment center, ask if they offer dual diagnosis treatment and chronic pain management. Oftentimes a person will start abusing prescription painkillers as a way to cope with an underlying mood or personality disorder, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), etc., or to cope with chronic pain. Dual diagnosis treatment will simultaneously treat both the addiction and the underlying disorder so that full recovery is possible. And learning how to manage chronic pain without the use of drugs can help a person find alternative ways to cope with pain without using painkillers.
Another thing to consider when choosing a prescription drug addiction rehab is if they offer Suboxone treatment. Suboxone is a relatively rare medication that isn’t always administered.
Don’t let prescription drug abuse define who you are any longer. Get the help you need and deserve by finding a quality prescription drug rehab.
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