Suboxone Detox for Addiction | Clearbrook Massachusetts

Suboxone is a medication commonly used in opioid detox to reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone, which contains buprenorphine and naloxone, is only available via prescription. It’s considered a partial opioid agonist, meaning it impacts the same opioid receptors as those activated by opioid or opiate-derivative drugs. Suboxone works by partially binding to opioid receptors in the brain, allowing it to reduce cravings and the severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms. However, these effects also make it addictive. Our Massachusetts inpatient drug rehab offers Suboxone detox both for individuals who have become addicted to it and as a form of medication-assisted treatment in opioid detox.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a prescription drug that’s used as part of an opioid treatment program that includes behavioral therapy and counseling. Suboxone contains buprenorphine and naloxone. As we previously mentioned, Suboxone works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, producing similar side effects as other opioids.

The medication is also commonly used in opioid detox to reduce drug cravings and the severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms. While a person won’t experience as intensive of a high from using Suboxone as heroin or other opioids, people will sometimes abuse the drug for this purpose. Mostly, Suboxone is purchased on the black market and is often misused as a way to prevent heroin withdrawals and symptoms from other opioid drugs.

It’s sold in many forms, but Suboxone is most commonly available in tablets, sublingual strips, and stamps. People who buy Suboxone on the street will sometimes refer to it as “subs.” Users may crush the tablets, dissolve the powder into an injectable liquid, or snort. With the stamps, users will sometimes put several under the tongue.

The majority of individuals who abuse Suboxone aren’t the ones who are in opioid addiction treatment, but rather they obtain drugs illegally and use them to prevent withdrawals caused by other substances, such as heroin. In some cases, individuals taking the drug illegally will become addicted, and they may doctor shop (when a patient goes to numerous clinicians to obtain multiple prescriptions) or buy the drugs illegally online or on the black market.

Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

While this medication can be effective in reducing symptoms of opioid withdrawal, some individuals abuse the drug for its euphoric and sedative effects. Suboxone can also be addictive and produce similar withdrawal effects to other opioids if someone quits using it cold turkey.

Withdrawal is the result of long-term drug use and physical dependence. When a person who’s been taking Suboxone for long periods suddenly cuts back or reduces their doses, their body will go into a state similar to shock because they’re physically and mentally unable to function without the drug. Specifically, since Suboxone targets chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, their levels drop during withdrawal, which contributes to symptoms.

Common symptoms of detox from Suboxone include:

Anxiety
Chills
Concentration difficulties
Depression
Digestive distress
Drug cravings
Fever
Headache
Indigestion
Insomnia
Irritability
Lethargy
Muscle or body aches
Nausea
Sweating
Vomiting

The symptoms experienced while detoxing from Suboxone can vary in severity and duration, depending on factors like how long the user has been taking Suboxone as well as the person’s typical dosage. The longer and more heavily a person uses this drug, the more severe their withdrawals will be. As is the case with other drugs, it’s safest for individuals who have developed an addiction to Suboxone to undergo medically-led detox.

How Long Does It Take To Detox From Suboxone?

Generally, physical Suboxone withdrawal symptoms last up to a month, though psychological symptoms may last longer. Symptoms are the worst the first 72 hours of detoxing off Suboxone. This is when most physical symptoms occur.

Within the first week after the person’s last dose, symptoms generally subside to general aches and pains, insomnia, and mood swings. After the second week, depression tends to occur intensely as the brain adjusts to a drop in dopamine levels. After a month, users will likely still experience depression and cravings for Suboxone.

Suboxone detox can be both physically and mentally challenging if attempted at home or without medical support. It’s common for users to relapse during the first month of stopped use because of withdrawal symptoms, which can delay or even prevent recovery altogether. For this reason, it is recommended to individuals who have become dependent on this drug seek out a medical Suboxone detox program, such as the one offered at our rehab in Massachusetts.

Finding Suboxone Detox Near Me

Although we’ve discussed detoxing from Suboxone, our facility also utilizes Suboxone in opioid detox to alleviate withdrawals as part of our medicated-assisted treatment. As we previously mentioned, Suboxone is illegally obtained when used for recreational purposes, which greatly differs from cases in which the drug is safely administered in a medical setting.

To ensure our clients are as comfortable and safe as possible during treatment, our medical team administers Suboxone (as needed). Since we are a professional facility, there is no danger of patients receiving too much of any medication, as we are trained, licensed, and staffed with professionals.

Whether you need help detoxing from Suboxone or need Suboxone detox treatment to support a safe withdrawal process, our facility can help. Contact Clearbrook Treatment Centers today for more information about our Massachusetts substance abuse treatment and how to get started.