Since its approval by the FDA for medication treatment of opioid dependence in 2002, Suboxone has been caught up mild swirl, rumors, and myths in regards to how it treats individuals with an opioid addiction. Today, we will explore some of the most common myths about using Suboxone, sticking to the facts and leading to a better understanding of this drug used in medication assisted treatment (MAT) plans across the United States.
Before we get into some of the most common myths associated with using Suboxone, we should first explore what Suboxone is. Suboxone is an opioid prescription drug used to treat opioid dependence, specifically as a way to stabilize individuals going through withdrawal symptoms from opioid use disorder. It consists of a combination of two drugs: buprenorphine (a partial opioid agonist) and naloxone (an opioid antagonist) and is administered as a dissolvable film placed either under the tongue or in the cheek. The approval of Suboxone to treat and assist individuals going through opioid addiction is a benefit to the addiction treatment process, but the general scrutiny stems from the fact that Suboxone is essentially treating opioid dependence with an opioid. Once individuals can get passed that fact the debunking of myths seems to fall into place.
This truly does depend on the individual and their definition of the term “being in recovery.” That said, an individual doesn’t typically partake in the use of Suboxone for recreational purposes. They are taking Suboxone in an attempt to “recover” from an opioid addiction. It’s also not uncommon to use a like substance as a way of safely and effectively weening off a potentially harmful substance. Think of nicotine patches for quitting smoking. Just because you’re not jumping into sobriety cold turkey, doesn’t mean you’re not recovering in treatment.
It’s possible, any substance with effects and human intervention can be misused. That said, Suboxone is far less potent and euphoric than the addictive opioids, heroin, or fentanyl that these individuals are recovering from. Also, the active ingredient of naloxone, which is used during opioid overdoses makes it more difficult for individuals to misuse.
This myth is far easier to debunk as it is simply not the case. Suboxone is very difficult to overdose on when compared to other opioids. This is mostly due to the fact that Suboxone is only a partial opiate, and the limit at which the opioid receptors activate would remain below the point of impaired breathing which is the most likely cause of overdose. In nearly all instances where there is a Suboxone related overdose, these cases contain the mixing of sedatives such as benzodiazepines, medicines that can additively impair breathing.
This is another myth which can be chalked up to interpretation of the word “treatment”. Most authorities, in the medical field, study, and journals would all corroborate that a combination of medication assisted treatment (MAT) and some frame of therapy, whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other. That said, while combination treatment may be the most effective, it isn’t always practical, and as Dr. Peter Grinspoon of the Harvard Medical School sources, studies have shown Suboxone to be an effective standalone treatment for many individuals.
This myth about using Suboxone actually falls in the category of pointed fact with some opinion/interpretive deduction. Starting with the fact, there is no none evidence to support the claim that Suboxone should only be taken for a short period of time, as covered by the National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment and their clinical guidelines document. With that said, how long a client should stay on Suboxone is truly up to them and their treatment team to determine. If some find that they have found a healthy balance in their life while staying on Suboxone for a longer period, then they should stick to what’s working for them at that given time. This is the accepted recommendation by most professionals in the addiction treatment category, however, one additional fact remains, clients do have a higher rate of relapse after coming off of Suboxone or some other form of MAT. This isn’t to say that clients should stay on Suboxone or other treatments for the perpetual future, but rather that they should gauge where they feel they are at in the stability of their recovery, and make decisions on weening off based on that progress and not any stiigmas.
We hope you now have a better understanding of Suboxone and have helped to debunk some of the most common myths about using Suboxone for medication assisted treatment. If you or a loved one needs any additional assistance with addiction treatment services, please reach out to Long Island Center for Recovery at 1-800-344-5427, and we’d be happy to assist you or your loved ones in any way possible.
References:
Harvard Health Publishing – Harvard Medical School: 5 myths about using Suboxone to treat opioid addiction
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-myths-about-using-suboxone-to-treat-opiate-addiction-2018032014496
National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment: Clinical Guidelines for the
Use of Buprenorphinein the Treatment of Opioid Addiction
https://www.naabt.org/documents/TIP40.pdf
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