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Why Opioid Addiction Recovery Programs That Use Suboxone® are More Successful
Having an opioid addiction means that changes in your brain make breaking the addiction an insurmountable task — unless you have proper medical intervention. Suboxone® is a prescription medication that makes it possible to break an addiction to opioids while making the effects of withdrawal tolerable.
As part of a comprehensive opioid addiction recovery program at HealthFirst, the premier functional and alternative medicine practice in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, you can get the help you need to be free of your addiction. Dr. Jonathan W. Singer takes the time to give everyone who comes in seeking addiction recovery his personal time and attention. He relies on safe and natural therapies whenever possible to treat all aspects of your addiction.
Discover why opioid addiction recovery programs that use Suboxone as part of a holistic treatment plan are more successful in helping you beat your dependency on drugs.
Understanding how opioids affect your brain
Addiction to opioids is a progressive disease. As you take the drugs, prescription or otherwise, the opioids stimulate the reward system in your brain. Opioids boost levels of dopamine in your brain and trigger endorphins. This causes a rush of good feelings that may improve your mood, lower your inhibitions, and alleviate your physical pain.
Over time, as you continue to take opioids, they bind to the receptors in your brain, your spinal cord, and other areas of your body. As this happens, they block your perception of pain and also give you feelings of euphoria. Eventually, your brain develops a tolerance to the drug, so you require a higher dose to achieve the same effects.
Because opioids affect the reward system in your brain so profoundly, it’s easy to become addicted to needing more and more of the drug. This makes it nearly impossible for you to stop taking them, especially when you feel the effects of withdrawal, such as:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Muscle aches
- Insomnia
- Nausea and vomiting
Suboxone helps reduce these symptoms so you can gradually overcome your addiction.
How Suboxone works
Suboxone contains two medications to treat opioid dependency: naloxone and buprenorphine.
Naloxone
Naloxone is a pure opioid antagonist. This means it blocks the effects of opioids on the receptors in your brain. Naloxone intercepts the signals that the receptors send to your nervous system, so you no longer feel the effects of the opioids.
Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that delivers a diminished dose of opioids to your brain. This way, you can slowly wean off the higher dose your brain and body are addicted to. Buprenoprhine also helps minimize withdrawal symptoms.
When you take a prescribed amount of Suboxone containing these two medications, it helps make it possible for you to stop taking opioids without having to endure intolerable withdrawal symptoms. Trying to quit opioids without Suboxone to aid in the physical aspects of your addiction makes it much harder to succeed.
Suboxone treatment is a gradual process
As part of your complete addiction treatment plan, which includes medical treatment along with psychological and social support, Dr. Singer prescribes Suboxone when you’ve reached a moderate state of withdrawal from opioids. He explains how to take Suboxone and when to stop taking opioids during your addiction recovery process.
Addictionology, Dr. Singer’s approach to addiction, treats all aspects of your drug dependency. Suboxone provides medical support while therapy provides psychological support. When you take this holistic approach to managing all aspects of your addiction, you’re set up to succeed.
As part of your ongoing support during your recovery process, Dr. Singer also determines when you can gradually reduce your dose of Suboxone and then stop taking it altogether as your body adjusts.
If opioid dependency has taken over your life, don’t lose hope. Contact the HealthFirst office closes to you or request an appointment online anytime, day or night. Same-day appointments are available for anyone who needs help immediately.
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