Unfortunately, opioid dependence is quite commonplace, not only in the United States but all around the world. The term opioids refers to a number of different drugs including morphine, heroin, codeine and oxycodone. All of these drugs are considerably dangerous, especially when abused on a long-term basis. The problem is that opioid dependency is such a complex health condition. It is extremely difficult for a person to get off of opioids once their body has become addicted, and it can even be dangerous. The withdrawal symptoms a person experiences, especially if they have been abusing the drugs for an extended period of time, can even be potentially life-threatening.
The treatment of opioid dependency must be done in a careful and cautious manner, in order to allow them to get off of the drugs and get their life back, without putting themselves in any danger. There are various different treatment methods that doctors turn to when a patient is trying to overcome opioid dependency, but using the Suboxone drug is one of the first things most doctors try.
It may seem a bit confusing making someone take one drug when they are trying to get off drugs, but the purpose of using Suboxone is to help offer relief of the withdrawal symptoms. This allows the patient to cope as their body has time to get clean and get used to living without the drugs, and helps to prevent any severe symptoms from occurring during this time.
Suboxone is a medication often used in the treatment of opioid dependency, one which works by suppressing opioid withdrawal symptoms. Available in 2mg and 8mg sizes of sublingual tablet form, the drug contains an ingredient known as nalaxone, which blocks the effects of medicines like morphine and heroin. In other words, when a patient is taking the Suboxone drug, they not only find relief of any withdrawal symptoms as their body is going without the opioids, but also would not have the same feeling if they were to take those drugs, thus helping to contain the urges. Suboxone can be used for the short and long term, depending on the severity of the person’s addiction and their present state of health. Although it can cause certain side effects such as slowed breathing, swelling of lips and tongue, nausea and stomach pain, the effects of the drug are well worth it in most cases. It gives addicts the chance to let their body recover, without dealing with potentially serious side effects as a result.
If this is something you are interested in and you want to overcome your drug addiction, you need to talk to your doctor or another professional in the healthcare field, to get more information and see what your best options are. Remember that everyone is different and what may be suggested for one person dealing with a drug addiction, may in fact not be the best idea for you. The most important thing is that you are putting effort into getting off the drugs and making a positive life change.
Even though this drug is one of the most successful for its use in treating opioid dependency, you need to be extremely cautious and only take the amount prescribed by your doctor. The worst case scenario is that an addict gets off the opioids but ends up addicted to the new drug. This is why doctors often ensure their patients go into a health clinic or other professional facility for the daily dose of Suboxone on a daily or weekly basis, to ensure they are only taking the prescribed amount and are not abusing the drug they are supposed to be using to cope while they get off the other drugs.
Over a period of six months to a year, the body will return to normal and the patient will no longer have the need to take the Suboxone drug to help cope. At this time, proper follow up care is important, to help the addict learn how to live normally again and how to deal with stresses and any urges they may experience to use drugs again. Living as an addict is never easy and once you are an addict, you are technically an addict for life. You may know you never want to live like that again, but unfortunately your body may have triggers or sudden urges for the drugs and you need to know how to fight that urge and stay clean.
There are qualified, reputable rehab facilities located all around the world, so no matter where you live you can find help and support. It is always important to have people there you know you can count on and trust in, to offer advice and to help you out when needed. No matter how lost you may feel and how long you have been struggling with your addiction, you can get your life back.
