Opioid addiction is a deadly disease, but for severe cases there is finally an alternative to the oftentimes lifelong prison of Oxycontin, Heroin or Methadone Maintenance
Suboxone, deemed by some as the miracle pill, has recently become a much more sought after solution than its widespread alternative, but due to the fact that there aren't many doctors that can prescribe the drug yet and its extremely high cost, the majority of addicts are forced to settle for lifelong methadone maintenance programs.
Methadone is a chemically engineered opiate that is at least the same, if not more addictive than street grade heroin according to Dr. Sterling Potter, addiction specialist and licensed suboxone expert.
According to Potter, as long as we have had the ability to create drugs, all intentions considered, sadly there has and always will be individuals that bravely go where someone else has already been and informed them that if thay take enough of this and a little bit of that, they will get "high".
"One of the biggest problems concerning drug abuse that society is facing is parents who tell their children how bad drugs are, right before they ingest their nightly dose of oxycontin or other pharmaceutical grade problem solver yet can't figure out (nor willing to believe) why their pill bottle is a little on the light side," said Potter.
Farming, or Stealing from Family and Friends
"The main reason that today's youth are turning to heroin is because its cheaper and stronger than pain pills," said Deputy U.S. Marshal, Cletis Steele. "It starts with an act referred to as 'farming', stealing prescription medication from family and friends. As the nature of the disease spawns, the individual will begin faking injuries to acquire the pills as well as buying them off the street."
Early Phases of Addiction
Once individuals start down this deadly path, their bridges are usualy still standing, such as the trust of parents, relatives and a well regard within the community (these resources depend completely on the individual, all steriotypes aside). Persons in this early stage of addiction hardly ever recognize that they have become dependant on the substance before it is too late, said Steele.
It is common for an individual in this early stage to attract other addicts in later stages of the disease (mostly the ones that have introduced them to the drug in the first place). What the individual does not realize is that soon; if use is continued, addiction is imminent. All the while being looked at through the tainted eyes of so-called friends as just another source, said Steele.
Unfortunately, once people become physically dependent on opioids, there is less than a 10% chance of escaping the addiction, according to Vice President of Operations for the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abuse (TROSA), a comprehensive, long-term, residential substance abuse recovery program located in Durham, North Carolin and recovering addict from the Dalancey Street program, Mike Keene.
"It's kind of like a black hole, every way you try to go, you always end up back in the same position, facing the same demons, said Keene." "The drug abuse is usualy a side affect of a much deeper behavior flaw that must be pin-pointed and addressed before reaching a healthy, maintainable level of recovery."
Methadone
Until recently the only alternative that doctors were using to effectivley treat opioid addiction was methadone, which according to Potter does nothing but trade one addiction for a government controlled, synthetic version of the same thing.
"The only difference between heroin and methadone is that the latter lasts longer in the persons system and is even harder to get off than the former," said Potter.
A new age in recovery
According to Potter, suboxone has shown dramatically less withdrawal symptoms than methadone and is just as effective in long term maintenance cases.
According to "The Discovering Alcoholic" website, both drugs are used to treat heroin and pain pill addictions. Methadone and buprenorphine (the main ingredient in suboxone) work in a similar fashion but are usually administered differently. Both drugs block opioid receptors in the brain to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Neither of the drugs will produce the meteoric euphoric high that accompanies heroin and painkillers, they in fact cancel out the high of other opioid drugs taken during treatment, making it seem like a waste of time for an addict to continue using heroin or other pain medications.
According to Potter, suboxone has proven to be a more effective form of buprenorphine because of the additive naloxone, which prevents misuse and abuse by injection and intranasal ingestion (snorting).
The copyright of the article Oxycontin, Gateway to Heroin, Suboxone in Drug Abuse is owned by Kris Kohler. Permission to republish Oxycontin, Gateway to Heroin, Suboxone in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Thanks for the info Kris, I have a loved one that has been on Methadone and
cant get off. Suboxone seems to be the answer that we have been looking
for. I just need to find a doctor that can prescribe.
Sep 6, 2008 9:16 AM
Guest
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Thanks Kris for the info, I have known about suboxone, but cant find anyone
to give me a prescription. The heroin pic scares me, lol....
Sep 7, 2008 12:17 PM
Guest
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I really thought this article was great! I feel well educated now about
drugs and the different uses for them. I also really liked the links
available, I really think this article was well put together. I would also
like to comment on how great I think it is about the detail, most articles
I read are very vague and you leave still wondering about alot of the
article and having alot of questions. I feel like this article had plently
of detail to well educate the reader and also had alot of advice. I
really enjoyed reading this and will be looking forward to reading more
articles!
Sep 7, 2008 4:44 PM
Guest
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Very interesting, well written article.
Sep 8, 2008 12:03 PM
Guest
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This is very good information, how come this drug is not available?
Sep 10, 2008 6:57 AM
Guest
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Thank you for all of the information, it was eye-opening to me. Keep up the
great article writing.
Sep 12, 2008 8:59 AM
Guest
:
Hey thanks man for the info! You have no idea how we need more articles
like this! Good balance of information and detail. Very good article. Keep
writing.
Sep 12, 2008 9:19 AM
Guest
:
Wow, this was a very well written and interesting article. Keep up the good
work. I look forward to reading more.
Sep 12, 2008 9:21 AM
Guest
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Great article!!! I think that to a lot of people this was a secret and you
shed some major light on it. Hopefully parents will read this and have
some realization.
Sep 12, 2008 10:38 AM
Guest
:
That was a really good article Kris, it will really help those who really
need it and want to get off the drug. It is a really scary thing to happen
to someone, a good friend of mine was on meth, I wish they would have had
something like this before, he died of several complications, I tip my hat
off to you, thanks!
Sep 12, 2008 12:01 PM
Guest
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I found this very informative. I appreciate all the research that went
into this to give us this usefull information! Thank you!
Sep 14, 2008 12:21 PM
Guest
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Wow, nice article. Lots of info, your a good writer. Definatly keep it
up!!! Thanks Kris.
Sep 20, 2008 10:54 PM
Guest
:
Thank you for all the info in this article. I have been on suboxone
maintenance for 9 months now. My life has changed so dramatically and
there is no doubt in my mind that suboxone is what made the change
possible. I highly recommend suboxone treatment as an alternative to
methadone. I did the methadone thing for 4 years and came out of it a
bigger junkie! I am a mother and a wife...suboxone has allowed me to
regain control of my life and to be a better mom, wife, and person.
Suboxone maintenance is by far the best alternative to addiction that I
have experienced, with the exception of course being complete abstinence.
However, in some cases, (such as mine) it is far better to be on a long
term maintenance dose of suboxone than to abstain for a period of time,
only to relapse again as if you had never quit using at all. I have a very
open and honest relationship with the md who prescribes my suboxone, and I
believe that is essential to the success of my program. Critics will say
that I have "switched one for the other..." Well...so be it!! I
am healthier, safer, and happier because of this medication. I am living a
good life now, and my family has their wife, and mother The medication
does not get you "high". I am actually present in my own life
now! If you are struggling with opiate addiction and have tried every
other type of treatment (I did) this may be the help you need. I know that
it has changed my life, maybe it can do the same for you or someone you
know.
Sep 26, 2008 7:52 AM
Guest
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If suboxone is such a miracle drug then why aren't the hospitals, doctors,
and other rehabilitation authorities using it. It makes a person wonder the
market for addition is part of the problem. To me it's a given, get the
streets clean use the miracle drug and be rid of the cycle.
Sep 26, 2008 8:13 AM
Guest
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If this drug suboxone is the answer to help battle opiate
additions, it can be the answer to a great new beginning. But the
rehabilitation is also needed to rehabilitate a users way of thinking that
brought them to the drug originally. So along with the use of the drug
suboxone I believe that rehab should partner the drug and become a
prescribed package deal. One should go with the other just to reinstate the
effectiveness of this drug and the value it processes. So it to cannot be
used as a quick fix to a rollercoaster addition.Fix the problem where it
started.
Sep 26, 2008 8:31 AM
Guest
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For those of you who are serious about getting the help you need click on
the the advertisement site of "Opiate Detox" on this page.
Researching each site I found this program actually is using the drug
suboxone in the form of meditox which is the proper and safe usage of
ridding yourself of the addiction. If you have already gone this course let
other readers know if it really worked for you.
Oct 3, 2008 5:01 AM
Guest
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To those of you trying to find a doctor, try the website, suboxone.com. It
has a physician locator included with it.
Oct 5, 2008 7:56 AM
Guest
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Suboxone is the "miracle pill" that all opiate addicts have been
waiting for. I used to be addicted to pain medication for the last ten
years until i found out about suboxone i thought i was going to be a
addicted for the rest of my life. I was told about suboxone from a friend
and looked into and found myself a dr. to prescribe it to me. i have been
off of drugs for the last 4 months and i don't have cravings that i once
had when i was taking pain medication. Like you said in your article it is
very hard to find a dr. that is liscened to prescribe it. I found a dr.
who was liscened by talking to my primary care physician and asking him if
he could refer me to a dr. who could prescribe it to me and a week later i
started my treatment and have been clean ever since and i have no
intentions of ever going back to that life.
Oct 30, 2008 10:50 AM
Guest
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I would make a suggestion to anyone considering Suboxone.....Do not allow
your Dr. to keep you on it for an extended period of time because it's hell
to come off also. I've had to be on it twice and both times were horrible
to stop taking. I would suggest you cut the dosage down starting the
second week to when you get to the fourth week you're only taking a small
portion of the pill and then quit after the fourth week. The longer you're
on it, the harder it is to stop taking it.
Nov 19, 2008 10:36 AM
Guest
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For all seeking suboxone - here is the website you need to visit. It has a
doc locator: http://www.naabt.org/ I've been on Suboxone for almost 2
years now, and I have been clean just as long. I was an oxycontin addict,
snorting about 160mg/day. Suboxone has been a key element to getting my
life back. It isn't 100% of the answer though, it just eliminates cravings.
It will not fill that void inside you that is seeking acceptance,
fulfillment, love, etc. You'll have to somehow find a Higher Power and
support from other addicts, or you'll be in serious danger. My
insurance covers suboxone almost completely. I pay $5 per script (compared
to $180+ if I were paying out of pocket, as the 8mg subs cost anywhere from
$5 - $8 each). However, my insurance provider and the treatment counselours
that come with Suboxone maintenance think I need to move on and taper off
of it. I'm quite scared and torn between whether they're right, and I
should move past opiod replacement, or if I should fight to stay on it.
Anyways, thats my dilemma - good luck in all of your searches for recovery.
The opiod addict life is a living nightmare, find help - do it NOW before
you give away everything you love. Peace, Drew in NorCal
