Suboxone is an opiate drug prescribed to drug-addicted patients. Suboxone is used to help patients withdraw from opiates. The main ingredient in Suboxone is buprenorphine. Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist that works on the brain in a similar fashion to addictive drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin. Its effects, however, block the euphoric feelings addicts chase, which helps the patient withdraw more comfortably than if he abruptly stops taking drugs. The downside to Suboxone is that it is also an addictive drug.

See Your Doctor

You need help when withdrawing from an opiate addiction. Depending on how much of the medication your system is accustomed to getting, quitting cold turkey could cause aches and pains at best, and seizures, or even death, at worst. The first step to detoxing is to tell your doctor how much Suboxone you take on a daily basis and begin weaning yourself off by first halving your dose for several weeks.

Weaning

The key to a safe drug detox is to not remove all of the drugs from your system at one time. That's when the body goes into shock. If it is accustomed to being medicated every day, you cannot simply stop taking the medication without having unpleasant side effects. After your body adjusts to taking half the dose of Suboxone, you can again reduce your dose by a half. You should give your body no less than one week to adjust to the lower amount of medication. Also, never adjust your medications without first consulting with your doctor.

During Detox

While your body is detoxing, you will probably feel fatigued and anxious. Physical symptoms include aches, pain, runny nose and eyes, alternating between perspiring and the chills. Essentially, it will feel like the flu. You can reduce your symptoms by taking over-the-counter pain relievers with an antihistamine to help you feel tired and get some sleep.

Support

While you're detoxing from a drug like Suboxone, it would be helpful to see a counselor who specializes in treating patients with addictions. There may come several moments while you are detoxing that you feel like you're not strong enough or you don't have a good enough reason to stop taking drugs. A drug counselor will understand your feelings and, with cognitive talk therapy, together you can figure out why you began taking drugs, what made you continue taking them and how you can stay drug free.

12-Step Program

Recovery programs like Narcotics Anonymous are the standard tool recommended by drug counselors to help patients get sober and stay sober. It is recommended to go to 90 meetings in 90 days. During this time, others who have gone through the same experience will offer support and share stories of how they managed to get clean. The purpose of a 12-step program is not just to admit you're powerless and to find a higher power, but to connect with other people and through your relationships learn to love yourself enough to stay off drugs.

Source:

Suboxone Detox

Suboxone Addiction

Buprenorphine: Potential for Abuse

More Information:

Narcotics Anonymous