Approximately 5.7 million Americans ages 12 and older have opioid use disorder (OUD), a medical condition characterized by compulsive opioid use that causes significant impairment or distress.
This number is lower than it was at the start of the opioid epidemic, but many experts still consider it an undercount due to stigma and embarrassment.
If you’re struggling with OUD, you may wonder whether there’s a treatment option that can help reduce opioid use without severe withdrawal. Enter Suboxone®. Suboxone can help reduce cravings, ease withdrawal, and support long-term recovery.
At HealthFirst, our team of Suboxone and addiction specialists often prescribes Suboxone to help people manage OUD. This blog explains what Suboxone is, how it works, and why it’s so helpful in quitting opioids for good.
Suboxone is a prescription medication to help treat opioid addiction. The drug received FDA approval in 2002 and has saved over 80,000 lives in the years since.
Many people with OUD struggle to quit due to cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone is a safe and effective tool for overcoming addiction.
Several treatments for OUD exist, but Suboxone is considered the most effective by many experts. Studies show that it:
Despite these benefits, Suboxone isn’t a cure for OUD. When used as prescribed, it helps many people live happy, healthy, and active lives while reducing the risk of relapse.
Suboxone is a type of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction. It’s administered through dissolvable tablets or films that you place under your tongue or between your gums and cheek.
Once the medication dissolves, it enters your bloodstream.
It is easier to manage cravings and withdrawal safely, while supporting lasting recovery.
Some people worry that treating their OUD with another medication is admitting defeat or “replacing one drug with another,” but it’s not that simple. While Suboxone is a medication, it’s scientifically proven to help manage opioid addiction, which is a chronic disease.
Suboxone doesn’t produce a “high.” You don’t use it to have a good time or escape. Rather, it helps stabilize your brain chemistry and reduces cravings, so you can continue on your recovery journey.
Whenever we prescribe Suboxone, it’s always done alongside professional therapy. This approach helps people make lasting progress while minimizing withdrawal and other unpleasant side effects.
If you’re struggling with OUD, Suboxone may help. After a physical exam, lab testing, and a review of your health history, we can determine if you’re a candidate.
To get started, contact the HealthFirst office in Greenwood Village, Colorado, or Cheyenne, Wyoming, to schedule an appointment with our caring team.
