It seems to me that Suboxone is a highly misunderstood drug and treatment for opiate addiction. Admittedly, it’s relatively new and it’s confusing. With all the federal regulations surrounding this and all opiate detox treatments–methadone, LAAM, et cetera–it’s no wonder that many people don’t know what to expect from a Suboxone treatment, especially considering that the meticulously picky and specific regulations and guidelines are different for each drug and vary according to how long someone has been in drug addiction treatment. In an effort to answer some of those questions, here is a list of frequently asked questions below.

Is Suboxone the same thing as buprenorphine?

Yes. Buprenorphine is the main ingredient in Suboxone. Subutex, the sister drug of Suboxone, is pure buprenorphine. Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine (also called ‘bupe’) and naloxone, a drug meant to deter people from abusing the drug or abusing other opiates while they are undergoing Suboxone treatment.

Does Suboxone have side effects?

Yes. Just like other opiates, Subutex and Suboxone has side effects, not the least of which is withdrawal symptoms if taken too soon in an attempt to detox off of other opiate medications or heroin, especially for people who are addicted to a high dose of other opiates. Nausea and vomiting as well as constipation are most often reported to varying degrees. Withdrawal symptoms are like that associated with all opiates: muscle aches and cramps, sweating, runny nose, diarrhea and stomach cramps, low fever and chills, irritability and an inability to sleep or eat.

Can Suboxone be abused?

Yes, it sure can. Especially if you’re not addicted to opiates, you can get high by taking bupe. It doesn’t have the same euphoric effects that other opiates provide and there’s a ceiling to what little amount of a “high” it will provide, so it’s not a drug that is commonly abused but it certainly is possible. The naloxone in Suboxone prevents it from being abused by injection.

Is Suboxone a pain reliever?

No. It is only prescribed for opiate addiction treatment and not for pain. If you are addicted to pain pills and suffer from chronic pain then your pain will return if you detox off of your medication with Suboxone.

Is Suboxone better than methadone?

No. It’s different, and some people should not take buprenorphine for drug addiction treatment but should take methadone instead. For example, pregnant women and those who suffer from chronic pain should not take Suboxone or Subutex and will fare much better on methadone maintenance treatment. Suboxone works best for to help those who became addicted to prescription pain medication after a short-term bout with pain.

Why do I have to get sick before I can take Suboxone?

The best way to explain it is to show you, and the online buprenorphine training at buprenorphineCME.com explains very clearly how buprenorphine binds to receptors and why it can cause withdrawal. Plus, it has pictures!

Do you have any questions about Suboxone or how it works?

Relapsing is a scary thought for anyone who’s taking steps toward sobriety. When you’ve been through the hell of getting sober or doing drug treatment, the very thought of going back can be overwhelming. You know what it’s like, and you don’t want to go there again.

Drug Addiction Relapse Is A Realistic Fear

First, let me assure you that this is a reasonable fear. It’s reasonable because relapse does happen to people with addictions, even after long periods of sobriety. It doesn’t mean that you are incapable of staying sober or that it’s not worth going to drug rehab. It means that you are human and you aren’t perfect. You get blind spots just like everyone else. Relapse is a normal part of the addiction and recovery process.

A process? Yes. It’s not a straight-line journey with a single destination of sobriety. Addiction and recovery are fluid states. That means active addiction can come and go and come again. Drug rehab isn’t a once-and-for-all kind of treatment or any type of cure. If you get anything from this blog post, get that. Sobriety is a constantly moving target, which means you need awareness and commitment to keep it in your sights.

Ways To Prevent Drug Addiction Relapse

With that said, many people do fear relapse. There’s no 100% guarantee against you falling back into your addiction lifestyle. However, there are many good-sense ways to make the likelihood of relapse as low as possible.

1. Stay clear of other drug and alcohol users. This may be difficult for you to do depending on the home situation you’ll return to after drug rehab. Do you have a spouse who drinks? Friends who still use drugs? Live in a neighborhood where drugs are easily available? If so, you may need to make some hard decisions. Being around others who don’t use drugs or alcohol makes your transition easier.

2. Begin and keep healthy habits. This includes eating nutritious food, getting good rest, and getting some exercise. When you feel healthy, there are fewer triggers to get you stressed. Getting better sleep can keep you from getting as irritable. Eating good food can keep you energetic and help you maintain a healthy weight. Exercising gives you a boost of natural endorphins and makes your muscles stronger.

3. Keep going to whatever drug treatment or twelve step program that’s recommended for you. When you stay in touch with others who are trying to stay sober, it keeps you focused on your own goals. Without that connection, you can drift off into your own addiction thinking without even realizing it. You can share your distressing thoughts with your sponsor or recovery friends and keep yourself honest each day.

While relapsing can be stressful to think about, it’s not impossible to deal with. If it happens, and it certainly can, you can know that you can get up and start again. Sobriety is still within reach if you keep moving forward.

The past few weeks, I’ve been reading and researching and thinking quite a bit about those few days before you enter drug rehab and the weeks following your return home. What do you do during those days? You’ve likely lost your job, you’ve alienated positive friendships, and all you want is not to get drunk or high and yet it’s all you can think about. How do you stop yourself from relapsing?

During my research on relapse prevention, I find some research that says exercise may help prevent substance abuse. Well, of course it does! We knew that, right? But it’s always nice to be validated by the scientific community.

The United States government is pushing for even more research in this area, something that explores the effects of “regular” activity as opposed to the “runner’s high” achieved after a really intense workout. In other words, can normal people like us who aren’t athletes benefit from exercise in the area of drug and alcohol use prevention?

Drug Addiction Rewards and Exercise Rewards

It’s all about the reward system in the brain. After prolonged periods of drug and alcohol use, this is one part of the brain that suffers long-term, if not permanent damage. It’s harder to feel happy or even normal without drugs once you’ve grown dependent on getting high. This means that events that “normal” people may be able to take in stride seem more like a mountain than a molehill to those with opiate addiction issues. The stress of the incident can make an addict want to use, to manually trigger the reward system in the brain to numb the drama. Herein enters exercise as a possible solution.

Clues That Exercise May Fight Drug Addiction Relapse

Here’s what some researchers have found to support the idea that exercise can be an important part of a relapse prevention program:

• Rats were less likely to ingest amphetamines if their cages had running wheels, suggesting exercise stimulated a reward pathway in the brain to leave them less vulnerable to the drug’s rush.
• In people, exercise acts as a mild antidepressant and relieves stress. Depression, anxiety and stress increase risk of alcoholism, smoking or drug abuse.
• Volkow is intrigued that attention deficit disorder and obesity both involve problems with the brain chemical dopamine, one system that drugs hijack to create addiction.
• Baby monkeys who do not play enough in childhood have problems controlling aggression when they’re older. The most aggressive tend to have defects involving the feel-good brain chemical serotonin — and binge-drink when researchers offer them alcohol.
• Back to rats, physical activity increases production of growth factors and stem cells in key brain regions important for learning and mood; increases formation of blood vessels; and strengthens communication networks between brain cells.

Exercise, Schmexercise… Bring Out the Bleach

Personally, when I feel triggered or feel any of the emotions that used to precipitate a run, I get out my arsenal of cleaning supplies and a bucket of old rags and get to work. And I don’t mean light dusting. I’m talking pulling everything out of the closet and reorganizing in earnest, pulling the refrigerator and stove away from the wall to scrub the floors beneath, getting on all those projects that tend to get put off during normal life. It’s a workout with a tangible result at the end.

Do you work out to fight off the impulse to relapse? Do you clean the house when you’ve got too much idle time on your hands? How do you fight off drug relapse?

Drug rehab is a challenge to go through, no doubt about it. It’s usually a month or longer of intense focus on things you’ve been trying to avoid. But like most challenges, just getting started with drug rehab may be one of the the most difficult parts.

Resisting Drug Rehab Makes The Fear Stronger

When you feel resistant to start something difficult, your avoidance often makes your fears stronger. It seems to just get worse the more you try to avoid it. It’s ironic, but by trying to NOT do it (especially when others keep trying to get you there) more and more pressure builds in your mind and emotions. You know how you try really hard to avoid the pothole in the road up ahead, and you end up hitting it anyway? In order to NOT do something, you have to focus on it first. Not only does this make it nearly impossible to truly avoid thinking about drug rehab (or potholes), it keeps your emotions front and center.

Drug addiction is all about enthroning emotions. Whatever you feel at that moment, that’s what gets the focus and the action. Feeling depressed? Cover it up with alcohol. Feeling suddenly angry? Go get in someone’s face. Feeling anxious? “Get through it” with some prescription pills. So when fears about drug
rehab become strengthened by avoiding, getting started becomes more and more difficult.

Unfortunately, a person with a drug addiction has learned that the quickest way to manage emotions is to avoid or cover them. Facing them and moving through them are not seen as positive or even reasonable options. Why in the world would anyone want to talk about things that are so painful? Why would anyone purposely throw themselves into that fire? Avoiding the truth and reality of drug rehab feels
like their only chance for survival. It’s not logical, but neither is addiction thinking.

Break Down The Wall Of Self Protection To Start Drug Rehab

Starting drug rehab requires a breakdown of sorts. I’m not suggesting some kind of hysterical fit. I mean a breakdown of the rigid wall of excuses, lies, and self protection around the person needing drug treatment. Doesn’t have to be a lot – just a crack can be enough to let in enough new thoughts and ideas to make drug
rehab seem worth the emotional risk.

By surrendering just a little, you or someone you love can step over the threshold into the drug rehab process. Drug rehab is no cure, but it is a great step toward a sober lifestyle. And once you start, you might be able to see the most challenging part move behind you.

When you finish drug rehab or are waiting to enroll in your drug and alcohol rehab of choice, it’s crucial that you put some effort into creating a strong support network. You need peers who are going through the same thing you are to commiserate with and mentors who have been there and done that who can give you advice. You also need a little impartial guidance. So how do you get the support you need before or after inpatient or outpatient drug addiction treatment? Just ask.

Peer Support During Drug Addiction Recovery

This is as simple as showing up to an NA meeting, sparking up a conversation with someone at a coffee shop or a bus stop. Addicts in recovery are everywhere in all walks of life. You’d be surprised how forthcoming most are about their pasts, too. Most who have been through it know the benefits of sharing their experience and how important that can be to someone who’s in the beginning stages of detoxing and getting clean, no matter what the drug of choice.

Alternatively, there are a number of blogs where people who are going through exactly what you are talk about the things that are happening to them. Here are just a few (besides this one):

• What Winners Do
• The Fleeting Present
• Improve Our Conscious Contact
• Diary of a Quitter

Mentor Support During Drug Addiction Recovery

You can find mentors and role models in recovery in the same places that you find peers. When you’re first starting out, it’s important to see that others have followed the path of sobriety and succeeded. These are the people who–no matter what they once did–now have jobs, children, families, people who don’t drink or use drugs every day. They may not always be happy or nice or anything like you want to be, but they’re functional and they’re clean and sober and you might just learn something from them.

Impartial Guidance During Drug Addiction Recovery

Impartial guidance unfettered by the dogma of recovery is best found in therapy or from religious authorities. If you are particularly religious, then a group leader at your local meeting place may be a good person to talk to. If not, then a therapist or counselor is another way to go. This person should be able to help you see through the fog of recovery so that you may better find yourself rather than blindly clinging to the prevailing wisdom of any one 12-step group.

The point is that support is out there. Friends and family members who are clean and sober and want what is best for you would most likely be willing to help you in any way they can. Just getting out of the house to go to the gym, indulge in a hobby, volunteer, or take a walk can facilitate the meeting of any number of new people outside of recovery and these kinds of contacts are just as important. Don’t limit yourself and don’t be shy. If you want support, you have to ask for it.

Getting things done in life takes some tenacity, a lot of patience, and sometimes bold action. As a parent of three young kids and a freelance writer, I know this to be true. Sometimes it’s that last effort that nobody knows about but you that really made it all come together. If it’s a challenge when you are mentally healthy and not addicted to drugs, how much more difficult must it be for a person with a drug addiction? Sometimes, it’s those little things that tell you the addiction has truly become too much for you.

Addiction Turns A Challenge Into A Disaster

Let’s take an example of something I’m trying to pull together in my own life, then let’s see how those demands fits would fit into my life if I were addicted to drugs. Currently, I need to have my broken sliding patio door replaced. Everyone’s sick of not being able to use it and I have the job of getting it all lined up. I’ve been involved with two different contractors, one door I like, some specifications suggested by one contractor, questions from the other one, the contractor’s time frame, our family schedule, and I need to run the price by my husband one more time. Right now, I have a general plan of when this could happen, but we haven’t bought the door yet and his schedule could change.

Yes, this looks somewhat exhausting already, and this is just one patio door. Just imagine if I had a drug or alcohol addiction. What would this be like if I was trying to hide my addiction from everyone including my family? How might it be different if my family knew but we didn’t talk about it, and we all hid it from the outside world? This project has involved specific numbers, details, and contact information that I might easily lose or confuse. What if I forgot to call back one of the contractors and he thought he got the job, but I actually hired the other one?

And then there’s getting the dates mixed up, some of the cost information wrong, forgetting to be home when the contractor shows up, being drunk or high (or not properly clothed, or asleep) when the contractor shows up. Any of these things could easily happen if I had a drug or alcohol addiction. This might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back – you think you can handle it, but it all goes horribly wrong and it’s hard to cover up.

Drug Treatment Can Get Your Life Back On A Good Track

Drug addiction like this needs drug rehab – period. It’s not healthy for you or your family. If this is just an isolated example, imagine what my kids would have to do to cover for my problems with their school teachers, their friends’ parents, the neighbor kids, etc. Drug treatment would help me to join with my family again. Drug treatment would help me become functional again. Drug treatment can help me regain my ability to think more clearly.

If my pretend addiction story sounds too much like your real addiction story, then just do one thing after you finish reading this paragraph. Tell someone you trust that you need to go to drug rehab. It’s the choice for getting your life back, and now is the time.

As much as we would all love to do things amicably, there are times when showing that you love someone means you have to get tough with them. The Encarta North American Dictionary defines tough love as “a caring [and] strict attitude adopted toward a friend or loved one with a problem, as distinct from an attitude of indulgence.” If you feel like you’re talking ‘till your blue in the face, the words just aren’t getting through, and the chaos is escalating, then it might be time to take a different approach with your efforts at intervening.

The Need for Tough Love Drug Addiction Interventions

If your loved one is known to have a history of any of the following:

• Violence
• Mental illness
• Multiple drug addictions
• Threats to self or others
• Emotionally unstable reactions

it’s a good indication that they are already under immense strain with their personal life and may react in such a volatile way that personal safety becomes top priority.

Any involvement that elicits physical, emotional or verbal abuse is counter-productive for everyone involved. Lashing out in kind only adds fuel to the fire, and sitting back and taking it puts all your control in the hands of the abuser. Assertiveness, on the other hand, allows each individual to claim control over their own actions without bulldozing over anyone else.

Mentally Preparing for Tough Love Interventions

Realizing you are the master of only your actions and no one else’s is the first step in being able to separate from the situation and observe what’s happening from a distance. Thinking over the risks associated with getting involved vs. doing nothing, can you live with yourself if someone gets hurt – or worse?

Take the time to talk over your options with a pastor, mentor, therapist, or good friend who has experience with drug abuse and interventions. Explore the possible reactions that could surface when your loved one discovers you’ll no longer play the role of the victim or enabler. Know ahead of time how you will respond to assertively defend your decisions.

Tactical Maneuvers for Tough Love Interventions

When faced with a crisis situation, your first priority is to protect yourself from harm. Teach family members and children to call 911 for threats of violence or suicide, any type of physical assault, and loss of consciousness (drug overdose). These are legitimate emergencies that need to be handled promptly by paramedics and first responders.

Notify law enforcement when you suspect drugs are on your property, or your loved one is driving under the influence. Report thefts, trespassing, vandalism, and truancy immediately and press charges whenever possible.

Ignoring the problem will not make it go away; it rewards the behavior by allowing a free ride for unaccountability. Responding assertively brings a new awareness of consequences and sense of responsibility to a drug addict’s chaotic world. Eventually – hopefully – they will begin to understand the reactions to their own behaviors and realize that it is up to them to change the pattern by getting help for their problems.

If your child was using, would you choose the same or different methods than the ones described here?