Opiate & Subutex Rehab
What Is Subutex?
Buprenorphine, sold under the trade name Subutex, is a long-acting opiate primarily used to treat opiates (e.g. heroin or methadone) dependence and addiction. It is most commonly sold as a pill that dissolves under the tongue. Its main purpose is to prevent the withdrawal symptoms which occur to someone with a heroin addiction. It does this by stimulating the opiate receptors in the brain. Subutex has a greater attraction to the opiate receptors than other drugs such as heroin and methadone, which reduces or removes the desire to take such drugs.
Subutex attaches itself to the opiate receptors in such a way that taking heroin or methadone no longer has any mood altering effect upon the user.
Subutex is generally used in drug treatment programmes for detoxification and stabilising purposes, and will be prescribed in various different doses depending upon the length of detox or point of stabilisation.
The mood altering properties of Subutex are significantly less pronounces than those of other opiate narcotics such as heroin, methadone or morphine. The user is most likely to feel completely normal or "straight", and not stoned, but yet comfortable and at ease.
Suboxone is a variant of Subutex, containing an additional ingredient called naloxone (not to be confused with Naltrexone). It is this form that is most likely to be given to clients at the moment - though pharmacology does evolve. Its effects are the same as Subutex.
When Subutex or Suboxone is mixed with other drugs (antidepressants, alcohol, sleeping medicine, etc.), the user may find that the effects are enhanced.
Subutex can cause death from overdose if injected with a tranquilizer.
Subutex Dependency and Addiction
Subutex has a less restrictive classification than other opiates. It is also less expensive, and becoming increasingly easier to obtain on the black market. Theses factors are contributing to amplify the number of drug addictions to subutex.
The fact that subutex costs far less than heroin and is widely more accessible has hastened the development of illegal markets in various countries. Buprenorphine manufactured in India, for example, is smuggled into Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as Bangladesh, where it is used by almost 90 percent of the country's intravenous drug users.
When someone starts to get addicted to subutex they will notice themselves having to take higher and higher doses in order to get the same comforting or numbing feeling. They may also get withdrawal symptoms if they can't take the drug for any length of time, these withdrawal symptoms might include things like:
- Headaches
- Tremors
- Sweats
- Runny nose
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Seizures
- Convulsions
- Insomnia and restlessness
- Muscular spasms
- Bone and muscle pain
- Vomiting and nausea
- Irritability, agitation and panic
- Diarrhoea
- Goose bumps (hence the term Cold Turkey)
Subutex is addictive. Subutex addiction is not easy to beat. However that doesn't mean that it's impossible, especially when given the right help and support from your family and friends.
Selecting the right rehab for a Subutex problem is a difficult decision to have to make. Few of us know what to look for in a quality Subutex rehab programme. Indeed, all drug rehabilitation centres differ and have their own "personality". Each Subutex rehabilitation centre has its own therapeutic programme, staff levels & qualifications, accommodation (on or off site), cost, and effectiveness, etc.
An Opiate and Buprenorphine (Subutex) rehabilitation treatment centre may offer a variety of treatment programmes that meet individual needs, or be established to treat everyone as a group (both methods are effective). Programmes may include inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options.
The difference between inpatient and a residential treatment centre is that inpatient services are provided by a licensed hospital, while residential programs usually do not meet the same standards of medical care and are more therapeutically based. Please note that both of these models are very effective and that a different client will respond differently to a different model.
Statistics compiled after years of research have found that the vast majority of people that completed alcohol or drug detoxification, but then failed to continue rehabilitative treatment in a residential addiction treatment centre, ended up in relapse and no better off (often worse) than they were beforehand. Detoxification is a necessary component in the path towards recovery, but permanent change and positive recovery is generally achieved through a multidisciplinary of protocols that address the root of someone's addiction and not just their physical symptoms.
The decision to enter an Opiate and Buprenorphine (Subutex) Rehab programme can be a very difficult and painstaking process. If you are confused by the many choices offered, then please call us on 0845 686 0337 - today.
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