Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the leading intervention for substance use disorders (SUDs) that involve opioids like heroin or prescription painkillers. It’s challenging to overcome SUDs like these without medication, and most people who try to quit opioids without the help of MAT relapse within weeks.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves only a few medications for MAT programs. Chief among the FDA-approved medications is Suboxone, which is used to wean patients off opioids.
Suboxone, like other opioid replacement medications, works by binding to the same brain receptors as addictive opioids but does not produce the same euphoric effects. This process helps patients stick to addiction treatment, avoid cravings, and withstand withdrawal symptoms.
Suboxone treatment programs at the MD M.A.T.T. White Marsh clinic are customized based on each patient’s needs. Our experienced staff members assist our patients in overcoming addiction and leading better, happier lives through community, technology, and purpose. To discover more about Suboxone medication-assisted treatment, contact our Suboxone clinic in White Marsh, MD, by calling 410.505.7434.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a medication that contains two components:
- Buprenorphine – This medication is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it binds to the same receptors in the brain as full opioids but causes fewer effects.
- Naloxone – This is a medication that blocks the effects of opioids. Narcan, used to counteract opioid overdoses, contains naloxone as its active ingredient.
How does Suboxone work for addiction treatment? Overall, one medication in the composition is used to help ease opioid withdrawal symptoms, while the other targets opioid cravings. Suboxone works by lessening cravings and withdrawal discomfort. However, it’s worth noting that Suboxone isn’t a cure for opioid addiction. Instead, it’s a medical aid in addiction recovery.
When Suboxone binds to the opioid receptors in the brain that contribute to the pleasurable sensations of opioids, it reduces cravings. It also makes withdrawal symptoms easier to get through. Suboxone even aids in preventing relapse. If a patient attempts to use any opioid while on Suboxone, the naloxone will block the effects they expect from the addictive substance.
How a Suboxone Treatment Clinic Promotes Addiction Recovery
A chemical or physical dependence on opioids is one of the most significant barriers to overcoming opioid use disorder (OUD). While Suboxone is not an established cure for OUD, it may be an essential tool in addiction recovery. Suboxone can help people focus on other aspects of their rehabilitation by alleviating opioid cravings.
A Suboxone treatment program is most effective as part of a customized and comprehensive treatment plan that includes behavioral psychotherapy in its components. Patients working on recovery discover the reasons behind their OUD and how to handle triggers and avoid repeating addiction-related behaviors in the future during counseling sessions. Through this therapeutic process, they also learn ways to deal with stress and other emotions healthily.
When it’s time to stop taking Suboxone, each patient works with their primary medical practitioner in the clinic to gradually wean themselves off the FDA-approved medication. This tapering process varies from patient to patient but usually takes several weeks.
Contact MD M.A.T.T. White Marsh’s Suboxone Treatment Clinic
Our Suboxone clinic at White Marsh, MD, is committed to helping you or someone you know struggling with OUD. Our experienced staff can aid in putting you on the path to addiction recovery. MD M.A.T.T. White Marsh offers same-day appointments so that our team can be here for you as soon as you or someone you know is ready to seek help. Our MAT programs are designed to promote community support and finding purpose, so patients have a higher success rate in maintaining sobriety in the long term.
If you or someone you know is ready to walk the first mile on the addiction recovery path, contact MD M.A.T.T. today at 410.505.7434 to learn more about our Suboxone clinic at White Marsh, MD. Ask our knowledgeable staff about our programs and services that can aid you in overcoming OUD and getting your life back.
