Suboxone is the gold standard within Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and is known as an opioid antagonist. An opioid antagonist is the opposite of traditionally abused opioid agonists.
Opioid agonists include heroin, fentanyl, codeine, morphine, oxycodone (Percocet, Percodan, Oxycontin, Roxicodone), oxymorphone, methadone, meperidine (Demerol), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
When you are on a properly prescribed regimen of Suboxone, the drug will activate pain-blocking receptors in your brain, altering your perceptions of pain and releasing endorphins that mimic pleasure. This is known as the opioid effect.
When you make an opioid antagonist like Suboxone part of your recovery, the medication will negate the effects of any opioid by preventing them from activating those pain receptors. This is highly effective at managing your cravings and reduce symptoms of withdrawal.
Suboxone is less habit-forming than other options
Addiction treatment specialists prefer Suboxone over other Medication-Assisted Treatment options like methadone. Suboxone became prevalent in recovery from opioid addiction in the early 2000s due to its far lower risk of dependency compared to methadone combined with less severe side effects of use. This is due to Suboxone being specifically created with the express intention of helping addicts successfully recover from opioid addiction.
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