According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, approximately 2.1 million people abused heroin or opioid painkillers in 2016 alone. In addition to treatments such as psychological therapy and rehab facilities, patients seeking to end their dependence on these drugs are increasingly turning to prescription medications such as Suboxone and methadone. Both medications can prevent withdrawal symptoms while taking the place of other opioids, a treatment called replacement therapy. Suboxone combines two medications, buprenorphine, which helps relieve symptoms of opiate withdrawal, and naloxone, which reverses the effects of narcotics. Methadone is itself an opioid that can be used to relieve pain, but it also blocks the high from drugs like heroin and oxycodone while reducing withdrawal symptoms. Both can be effective in tandem with other recovery efforts, but despite often being touted as miracle drugs, they are not in themselves a cure for addiction. Both medications have been criticized for sometimes replacing one addiction with another.
Methadone is a synthetic opiate that works similarly to morphine. It might seem the preferred treatment in cases where an underlying injury or disease led to the misuse of painkillers, as it is effective in treating extreme pain. However, patients can develop an addiction to methadone, and it is not intended to be used forever. If used properly, it is taken for at least a year and then slowly stopped to prevent withdrawal. At the end of this period, those with chronic pain will still have to find some means of relief without returning to opioid abuse. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control found that one-third of all prescription drug-related deaths were caused by methadone.
Suboxone has been touted as a safer alternative to methadone. It is not useful as a pain medication, and in fact, blocks the pain-relieving effects of opioids. While the absence of a high from taking these drugs can serve as motivation to quit, it is also important to remember that many people who end up abusing opioids start out taking painkillers for innocuous reasons. If the pain returns, so too might the desire to discontinue treatment and return to illicit means of pain control. Suboxone can itself cause addiction and overdose, and those predisposed to addiction are in danger of abusing it. It is sometimes sold illegally as an alternative to heroin, or to be taken in between doses of heroin to keep withdrawal symptoms from occurring.
Both of these medications are sometimes seen as the lesser of two evils. The potential for abuse still exists, but it is lower than with heroin or narcotic painkillers. Both drugs also have serious side effects such as respiratory problems. Despite these risks, the potential for overcoming addiction with the help of these medications does exist. A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information compared heroin use over the course of 90 days, finding that Suboxone reduced use from 38.64 days to 8.5 days, while methadone reduced from 37.40 days to 24.15 days It is also worth noting that both medications are intended to be taken in conjunction with other treatments, such as counseling, inpatient programs, and twelve-step programs.
If you or some you love is addicted to opioids or another addictive substance, you need help. You shouldn’t walk this road alone. Asana Recovery has the ability to assist you through the difficult and long road to recovery. We are available to assist you with medically supervised detox programs. We also have residential treatment programs that are available. Call us at 949-438-4504 today to speak with one of our admissions counselors and get started on your path to sober living.
