Suboxone is the brand name of a medication that is used to treat opioid addiction. This effective, FDA-approved medication is safe for long-term use and can help those recovering from opioid addiction in a number of ways. However, you might have questions about whether Suboxone can be addictive and if someone can get high on it.
At BrightView, we use Suboxone in our Suboxone clinic because it is safe and effective. Learn more about this medication and reach out to our team today if you’re in need of an opioid addiction treatment program near you.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is intended to treat narcotic addiction by decreasing the symptoms of addiction as well as reducing cravings for drugs such as heroin, codeine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. It also helps with opioid withdrawal. It is made up of two different medications:
- Buprenorphine
- Naloxone
Buprenorphine is considered a partial agonist, which, when taken properly, prevents other opioids from binding to receptors in the nervous system. In other words, it “blocks” the ability for someone who is taking it to feel that same high that they feel when they take heroin or other opioids. It also allows for the body to be able to wean off of heroin/opioids and also avoid withdrawal. Buprenorphine is not likely to cause the strong sedation and euphoria which most opioids cause. However, for someone who has an opioid addiction, buprenorphine will appease their basic opioid cravings and suppress withdrawal symptoms.
The second ingredient in Suboxone, naloxone, is an opioid antagonist. This means that it blocks and reverses the effects of opioids on a person’s nervous system. It is used in Suboxone to prevent people from overdosing on buprenorphine. Another equally important usage for naloxone in Suboxone is to minimize the risk of relapse. Ultimately, Suboxone prevents the euphoric and addictive sensation that opioids would normally produce.
Can Suboxone Get You High?
Our senior medical director at BrightView, Dr. Parag Patel, says, “If you are opioid naïve or have had minimal exposure to opioids, yes, as an opioid itself, buprenorphine can make a person feel euphoric or give them a ‘high’ feeling. However, this is why our medical professionals at all of our BrightView centers take extreme precautions when prescribing buprenorphine to our patients.” If you have been in active addiction with opioids as your main drug of choice, Suboxone will not give you a “high” feeling. This is because the buprenorphine in the medication will have something that is called a ceiling effect. This is the point where the medication reaches its limit in its ability to be used to achieve a “high” or feeling of euphoria. BrightView’s medical professionals have been extensively educated and trained on all of the maintenance medications that we offer and prescribe.
Is It Possible to Become Addicted to Suboxone?
Given buprenorphine’s slow onset, mild effects, and relatively long duration cycle, the effect on the brain’s reward system is minimal, as is its potential for addiction.
Every medical professional at BrightView is required to go through training on maintenance medications and buprenorphine prescribing and administering. Our doctors and nurses are educated extensively on the disease of addiction, and we encourage transparency with our patients. This ensures that the transition of information from doctor to patient is as effortless and straightforward as it can possibly be.
Reach Out to BrightView Today
If you need help, reach out to us today at 888.501.9865 to discuss treatment options. BrightView offers drug treatment centers that take Medicaid and Medicare throughout the state of Ohio, so if payment is a concern, please know that there are options available that can help.
