Treating Opioid Addiction: Is Substituting One Pill for Another a Good Thing?

One highly underused, but successful strategy for treating opioid addiction is the use of medical-assisted treatment (MAT), such as using Suboxone, methadone, or naltrexone. This method is currently considered the gold standard in treating opioid addiction. One factor may stem from the fact that using medications to break away from opioid addiction is viewed by some as simply replacing one drug dependency for another. But scientific studies support that this method does work allowing people to return to productive and satisfying lives.

While opioid treatment medications, like Suboxone and methadone are also opioids, their use in treating opioid addiction has proven successful. Especially when compared to the abstinence-only method often employed by many treatment programs. The abstinence-only method is particularly challenging when it comes to treating opioid addiction. Users experience severe withdrawal symptoms that make this method very difficult. Medical-assisted treatment helps to greatly reduce or eliminate withdrawal symptoms leading to greater success.

Suboxone is Often the Best Treatment Option

The most popular medications used to treat opioid addiction is Suboxone. Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid that produces a weaker euphoric effect than heroin or methadone. This allows the user to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of withdrawal.

There is relatively low risk of overdose when using buprenorphine making it much safer than other opioid treatment medications. The ability to abuse Suboxone is also very low thanks to the inclusion of naloxone. If you inject Suboxone, the naloxone will quickly give rise to very unpleasant and severe withdrawal symptoms, which will make you want to stop abusing the drug.

Suboxone is very accessible when compared to other opioid addiction treatment methods. Patients can begin Suboxone treatment with only a partial detoxification process (12 hours to 2 days), while other methods such as treatment using naltrexone requires a full detoxification process (3 to 10 days of no opioid use). This may be challenging for some patients as going through the withdrawal process is necessary to start that medical-assisted treatment. For this reason, it is much easier to get started and find success with Suboxone.

Suboxone treatment allows the patient to return to a normal productive life as quickly as possible. Unlike, methadone, which requires patients to visit treatment clinics 1 to 4 times a day, Suboxone is prescribed by a doctor to be used at home. This allows patients to access treatment without it interrupting their life. 

How to Get Help

To learn more about Suboxone treatment options in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area, call (480) 588-6924 to make an appointment or visit our page on Suboxone Treatment Therapy.