Buprenorphine Addiction & Treatment
Buprenorphine is a medication that is commonly used to treat opioid dependence and drug addiction. If individuals engage in abuse of buprenorphine, there is a potential risk of developing a drug addiction to opioids or developing an opioid dependency. If your use or a loved one’s abuse of buprenorphine has become a concern, an addiction treatment program will provide you with the support in successfully overcoming your substance abuse and mental health disorders. Treatment programs will incorporate a variety of levels of care that will support you in healing from the underlying causes of your substance abuse while developing the tools for a future in addiction recovery.
What is Buprenorphine?
Buprenorphine, also known under the generic name of suboxone, is a medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence. Buprenorphine therapy is provided to patients that are heroin abusers or opioid users to help alleviate any presenting opioid withdrawal symptoms and severe opioid drug cravings. Buprenorphine is provided in sublingual tablets that requires individuals to place the tablet underneath your tongue to allow it to dissolve. Buprenorphine and naloxone work as a maintenance treatment to support drug abusers in avoiding opioid overdose and opioid abuse in the future.
Buprenorphine Effects
Buprenorphine is an opioid antagonist that works by creating mild or moderate effects of opioid abuse. Buprenorphine works by treating opiate addiction by reducing withdrawal symptoms and decreasing the severity of opioid cravings allowing individuals to remain focused on your drug treatment programs. When taking formulations of buprenorphine it works by binding the opioid receptors in the brain. This works as a method of relapse prevention as it will block the effects of opioid abuse.
Signs of Buprenorphine Abuse and Addiction
If someone engages in abuse of buprenorphine, there are common signs and indicators that your abuse of buprenorphine has developed into a drug addiction.
- Lack of or decline in motor functioning
- Decrease in physical functioning and abilities
- Weakness
- Slurred speech
- Lack of concentration or focus
- Vision difficulties including blurred vision
- Shallow breathing or respiratory depression
- Drowsiness
- Excessive sleep patterns or shifts in regular sleep schedule
- Nausea
- Stomach aches and pains
- Elevated heart rate
- Itchiness
- Changes in appetite
- Decline in participation or interest in activities or hobbies
- Avoiding loved ones due to your drug addiction
- Inability to maintain work or school performance due to your substance abuse
- Having financial problems from your substance abuse
- Lying and hiding your substance abuse from others
- Stealing money to gain access of buprenorphine to continue in your substance abuse
- Going to multiple doctors to prescribe buprenorphine
- Your thoughts and time are consumed with planning for, thinking of, and engaging in substance abuse.
Buprenorphine Withdrawal Symptoms
If you are ready to begin reducing opioid consumption and start your addiction treatment program, the first step of your recovery process is to overcome the physical addiction that your body has become dependent on opioids to function. During your drug detox program, you will experience opioid withdrawal symptoms that will range in severity depending on the seriousness and length of your drug addiction.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Body pains
- Difficulty sleeping or experiencing insomnia
- Irregularity or problems with digestive functioning
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Excessive sweating
- Fever
- Body chills
- Severe opioid drug cravings
Long Term Side Effects of Buprenorphine Abuse
When an individual has been engaging in substance abuse with buprenorphine for an extended period of time, there is potential for long term side effects of opioid abuse including:
- Confusion.
- Dizziness.
- Pupil constriction or dilation
- Visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations.
- Low blood pressure.
- Respiratory depression.
- Seizure.
- Coma
- Psychological impacts on mental health conditions causing exacerbated symptoms of various mental health conditions
Buprenorphine Addiction Treatment
At The Detox Center of LA, we offer patients treatment programs that will support you through personalized programs for treatment for opioid dependence. Addiction treatment will incorporate a variety of evidence based therapy methods that will support you in overcoming the effects of opioid dependence while healing from the underlying causes of your drug addiction. Our team will provide you with a comprehensive treatment program that will support you in healing from your drug addiction within your body, mind, and spirit. Contact us today to begin your healing journey of addiction treatment.
