Suboxone Clinics Near Me

While many people in society stereotype those who are addicted to drugs, it can happen at any income level, stress level, family background, career, and gender. There is a plethora of treatment programs that are all geared toward breaking addiction and regaining control over one’s life, one such being a suboxone clinic. These clinics are medication-assistant treatment programs that focus on the person as a whole, making it easier to find a comprehensive way to reinsert themselves in relationships with family and friends. Suboxone is one of two most commonly used prescription medications, the other being methadone, used to help someone out of the drug addiction that has claimed control of everything about how they live. It is administered to counteract the effects of the addictive opioid, as well as prevent the harsh withdrawal that usually accompanies it, offering less side effects than methadone. With a combination of other treatment possibilities, it can be the path which someone can take to change their life.

What is drug addiction?

Facing the problems that life throws at us can sometimes be overwhelming, and some individuals seek out quick fixes that help take away negative feelings, if even for a short time. Addiction is a complex disorder that affects everyone differently, and if left to gain momentum, can cause immeasurable damage to relationships, health, and the ability to take care of oneself financially. For family looking for treatment for a loved one or a user in a sober moment takes stock of their life, there a few common signs that point to that person being an addict. They include:

• Having to increase amounts of drugs taken because a tolerance has built up
• Taking drugs only to avoid withdrawal symptoms
• Inability to stop taking drugs

All drugs affect brain chemistry and create long-lasting depletion of brain function, as well as increasing the craving for the drug. Addiction is extremely powerful. Drugs interfere with the addict’s ability to:

• Think clearly
• Practice good judgment
• Control behavior and cravings
• Feel “normal”

Understanding how drugs affect the brain helps scientists to be able to treat addicts more effectively. Drugs target the brain’s reward system with consistent euphoria and intense pleasure in the beginning. They also suppress the natural reward wiring of the brain, causing the user to rely on drugs to experience pleasure of any kind. The addict’s need to increase their drug usage to feel normal leads to addiction. Wanting more and more drugs can lead to crime just to get what they need, while destroying families, school, and work. 

What happens with the cessation of drugs?

It takes some time to slide down the slippery slope from that first snort, hit, or injection to watching a loved one walk out the door, so it’s going to take some time to rid one’s body and mind of the dependency upon drugs.  The first step of any program is detox, which is ridding the body of the illicit drugs. Two stages of drug withdrawal take place:

• Acute stage
  • Lasts one to two weeks with physical and psychological symptoms that can include one or all of the following:
    • Digestive issues (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)
    • heart palpitations and difficulty breathing
    • insomnia and tremors
    • headaches
    • muscle and bone pain
    • chest tightness
    • appetite and weight loss
    • sweating and cold flashes
    • anxiety and irritability
    • depression with suicidal thoughts
    • paranoia and social isolation
    • restlessness
• Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)
  • Can be the most difficult part of that can critically impact recovery, lasting a few days to a few weeks. Symptoms include:
• • • Incapability to process and organize thoughts
    • Emotional instability or incapable of feeling emotions
    • Insomnia
    • Lack of physical dexterity
    • Lack of ability to cope with stress of any kind

What is suboxone?

Suboxone has been highly praised for its ability to treat narcotic (opiate) addictions by reducing symptoms of withdrawal. Most of the medical community agrees that it is a safer alternative to using methadone, which helps assuage addiction but is an addictive drug that was originally used as a painkiller. Suboxone is the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone that helps prevent relapse throughout the recovery.

While it seems like a wonder drug for substance abuse treatment, it can have seriously adverse effects if not used properly or used in addition to other health issues. Upon walking into a suboxone clinic, the expert staff will conduct a consultation to determine:

• health history
• current medications
• social situation for recovery purposes
• blood and urine tests to determine liver health and overall physical health.

These are all to ensure that there will be as little as possible interfering with safe treatment. 

What happens at a suboxone clinic?

Suboxone is used as part of an effective treatment program for those with opioid addiction and must be prescribed by a doctor who has special training and is registered with the DEA. These doctors are also only allowed to treat a certain number of patients at one time, so it can be difficult to find one taking new patients. Suboxone administration once someone has detoxed and been taking a consistent daily sublingual dose has become stable, they may have another option to have it implanted under the skin for a six-month constant dose without daily visits to a clinic.

Calling around to find a suboxone doctor that will take new patients can be frustrating and takes dedication; however, requesting a match to suboxone clinic through the NAABT’s treatment match center may shorten any search. It helps users wade through providers and allows them to enter contact information or apply anonymously to obtain more information. Some physicians are even offering telemedicine appointments for online Suboxone treatment as long as someone passes drug testing, adheres to the therapy, and shows progress. They are typically affordable since they are usually federal and state funding.

No drugs work alone in a substance addiction treatment program and must be combined with other forms of treatment for the greatest success. Standard medication-assistant treatment approaches resemble the following format:

1. Acute – getting through the detox phases, which takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
2. Rehabilitative – online medical intervention which restores normal brain function to avoid future substance addiction.
3. Supportive care – Behavioral Group or individual therapy that helps addicts recognize, avoid, and cope with their triggers. Family counseling and 12-steps programs are examples.
4. Medical maintenance - Which restores normal brain function and helps recovered users avoid future substance addiction, as well as helping restore and maintain other health issues, like HIV, mental illness, and other chronic illnesses.
5. Tapering (optional) – to reduce the amount of suboxone that is needed on a daily basis.
6. Continuing care – ensure patients have an existing social life because this is where the potential to relapse is strong. This may exist as a monthly check-in but can be different for each program.

Learning how to cope with the challenges that face adolescents and adults in modern society can be intense and challenging. While some individuals transition adequately into new phases of life, others feel like they cannot handle it and end up using drugs to make themselves numb to the overwhelming feelings they are facing. Drug addiction not only ruins lives emotionally and can possibly result in jail time, but it can also result in bodily harm and even death. With the rise in addition over the past decade, effective treatments give people a better chance to regain control of their lives and create a routine that results in their ultimate goal of happiness. The comprehensive therapies found in suboxone clinics can help anyone get back to family and friends.