One great way to wean yourself off of opioid substances is to take Suboxone. It’s a combination of two medications, buprenorphine and naloxone, that work together to ease your withdrawal symptoms.
While it might sound counterproductive to replace one drug for another, Suboxone is not intended to be a long-term treatment. Instead, it is meant to prevent you from taking any medications in the future. To understand how long a typical Suboxone treatment plan should be, it’s important to understand better how Suboxone works.
How Suboxone Works
Suboxone is what’s known as an opioid partial agonist. It works by tricking your brain into thinking it’s receiving an actual dose of opioids, activating your opioid receptors and causing a weakened form of euphoria. This prevents withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking opioid drugs.
However, unlike real opiates, Suboxone’s effects begin to level off at a certain point. Even if you try and take more of the medication, you won’t be able to experience a more potent euphoria. This prevents people from misusing the drug and becoming addicted to it.
Additionally, it also blocks the effects of other drugs, meaning you can’t get high like you used to.
Because you are no longer receiving any pleasurable benefits from the drug and have your withdrawal symptoms under control, it makes it easier to wean off of.
The Different Phases of Treatment
During the maintenance phase, you’ll be given a daily dose of Suboxone.
Suboxone treatment typically begins with an induction phase, during which the medication is administered at a low dose in the presence of a doctor. This occurs after you have stopped taking drugs for at least 12 hours.
After this initial dose, the doctor will increase the amount of Suboxone you are taking. Generally, you will take one dose a day, with certain dosage adjustments made by your doctor. This is known as the stabilization phase, and will eventually eliminate your cravings and side effects.
Finally, you will enter the maintenance phase, during which you will have a steady dose of Suboxone every day. Some people stay in this phase for the rest of their lives, but many people are able to slowly eliminate the medication from their lives.
Average Length of Suboxone Treatment
With this information in mind, you can see how there could be a large discrepancy in how long Suboxone treatment lasts. However, the average length of treatment should last between 30 to 90 days. This should be plenty of time for your body to fully detox and improve your cognitive and physical function.
However, many people choose to stay on Suboxone for a long-term basis because it is easier. While this might seem easier than detoxing, it can lead to mountains of medical bills as well as a chance of future health issues.
As you can see, Suboxone is best when used only as a short-term tool rather than a long-term maintenance medication. However, it’s best to consult your doctor to know exactly what method is right for you. Only they can access your chances of relapsing and if you would thrive without maintenance treatment.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your doctor, we can also help. Our hotline is available 24 hours a day at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?). You can speak with a specialist who will talk more with you about Suboxone treatment and what method is right for you.
Why Opium Dependence is Dangerous -
Alcohol and drug dependence has become a pressing issue within the U. S., affecting people of all ages, races and socioeconomic levels. Opium drugs in particular lead the pack as one of the most highly addictive substances available. Like all addictive substances, opium exerts its most damaging effects inside the brain. In effect, any drug ... 
Opium Derivatives -
It’s important to understand that different medications that you may be taking and to understand which of the medications you may be taking are actually derived from opium. Taking multiple opiates could pose a significant risk to your own health and could result in overdose. There are many different drugs that are derived from opium ... 
On Opium Addiction & Why ‘Knowing Your Limits’ is Not Enough -
While opium, per se, has a long history of recreational use dating as far back as the 1960s, many of today’s most addictive substances use opium-derived substances as main ingredients. Heroin and prescription pain medications lead the pack as the most commonly abused opium-based substances in existence. Opium drugs rank number one in terms of ... 
Ways to Get Relief from the Symptoms of Opium Withdrawal -
Opium is a naturally occurring highly addictive drug that claims 5% of the United States as its slaves. Slaves to opium addiction find that the cycle they have started seems nearly impossible to break due to tolerance build up and immediate withdrawal symptoms as soon as the effects of the “high” recede into the shadows. With ... 
Risks Associated with Prescription Pain Pill Abuse & When to Seek Treatment -
Prescription pain pills offer an effective means for relieving most any type of pain symptom. These drugs also produce certain unintended side effects that carry a high risk for abuse and addiction. While no one expects to fall prey to addiction, prescription pain pills work quietly behind the scenes, taking over essential brain chemical processes. ...