Rhonda serves as BrightView Health’s Vice President of Quality Operations. Prior to joining BrightView in 2020, Rhonda has over 18 years’... read more
If you have opioid use disorder, a Lexington, KY addiction treatment center can help you in a number of ways. One potential treatment option is Suboxone, a prescription drug that combines two medications into one. Suboxone is a brand name of a buprenorphine/naloxone medication. Other brand names include Sublocade, Brixadi, and Subutex.
Not all Lexington clinics include Suboxone in their recovery plans. Those that do make it part of a larger, coordinated approach to opioid treatment. This modern approach improves the odds of recovering from serious opioid problems for many people.
BrightView is a certified provider of outpatient addiction treatment for opioid use disorder. We include this medication in Lexington and other locations as part of our full slate of opioid recovery options.
Call us today at 888.501.9865 for more information on each of these options.
Suboxone Basics
Suboxone is a brand-name medication that contains precise amounts of two ingredients:
- Buprenorphine, a weak opioid
- Naloxone, a substance that stops opioids from reaching your brain
As a weak opioid, buprenorphine does not trigger the same reactions in your brain as a strong opioid like heroin. Strong opioids fully activate your built-in opioid receptors. As a result, they produce extremely powerful states of euphoria. Buprenorphine only partially activates your opioid receptors. This translates into a much lower level of euphoric sensations.
In treatment, buprenorphine acts as an opioid substitute while you withdraw from stronger substances. It won’t produce enough euphoria to trigger a classic opioid high. But it will keep enough opioids in your system to help you tolerate your withdrawal symptoms. Naloxone is present in Suboxone as a kind of buprenorphine cut-off switch. After a certain amount of time, it stops even this weak opioid from affecting you.
Some people receive a tapering dose of Suboxone. In this approach, you receive less and less of the medication as you go through opioid withdrawal. At the end of the withdrawal process, you stop taking it altogether. This can take anywhere from days to years. It all depends on what’s best for the patient. Other people do not taper off of Suboxone. Instead, they continue to use it for longer-term recovery support.
Treatment Programs in Lexington, KY: Medication for Addiction Treatment
As a rule, Suboxone is not used on its own. Instead, it’s used as part of a medication for addiction treatment (MAT) program. MAT is now a widely accepted standard for treating opioid use disorder. It combines and coordinates two recovery options:
- A medication
- One or more kinds of psychotherapy
Suboxone is just one of the possible medication choices for a MAT recovery plan. Other options include methadone and Vivitrol.
Addiction Treatment Programs in Lexington, KY: Operating Rules
Since Suboxone is an opioid medication, its use is monitored and controlled at the federal level. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has set forth guidelines for using Suboxone safely. Another agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, regulates this use. Only a SAMHSA-approved medical professional can administer Suboxone. These professionals may work in a variety of settings, including doctors’ offices and specialized treatment facilities.
Finding an Addiction Treatment Program in Lexington, KY
Addiction treatment programs in Lexington, KY, include facilities that use Suboxone as a primary option for MAT. All facilities in this category must have SAMHSA approval to operate. In addition, they use Suboxone alongside other treatment options, including therapy and ongoing case management.
BrightView: A Respected Provider of Addiction Treatment Services in Lexington
BrightView provides MAT programs in our Lexington, KY, treatment facility. We use medications like Suboxone in combination with group therapy or individual counseling. In addition, we place a solid emphasis on providing effective social support and case management. That’s part of our commitment to offering you a better approach to addiction treatment. Call us today at 888.501.9865 to learn more about our services.
