What Are the Symptoms of Suboxone Withdrawal?

Suboxone is listed on Schedule III of the Schedules of Controlled Substances. As such, it is a narcotic that can cause low to moderate physical dependence or high potential to cause psychological dependence. Because of this, people dependent upon Suboxone will experience withdrawal symptoms after they stop ingesting the substance.

The following symptoms are common during Suboxone withdrawal:

• Difficulties concentrating
• Sweating
• Chills or fever
• Cravings
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Lethargy
• Insomnia
• Muscle aches
• Headaches
• Vomiting
• Nausea

Suboxone Withdrawal Timeline: How Long Do Symptoms Last?

How long Suboxone withdrawal symptoms last will depend on several things. For example, it will depend on whether or not you have a medical condition or a mental health disorder. It may depend on whether or not you took other substances with Suboxone or drank alcohol. It can also depend on how much Suboxone you were ingesting and the length of time you were ingesting it.

In most cases, Suboxone withdrawal adheres to the following timeline:

• After 72 Hours
  • The physical symptoms listed above begin.
• After One Week
  • The muscle aches, mood swings and insomnia begin.
• After Two Weeks
  • You begin to experience depression.
• After One Month
  • Depression continues and the cravings begin.

If the cravings are particularly persistent, you risk relapsing into your substance use again.

Managing Drug Addiction without Medication

Suboxone is a medication that physicians prescribe for patients experiencing an addiction to opioids. Rather than replacing one addiction with another, Suboxone is part of the medication-assisted treatment that drug treatment centers use to remove all traces of the substances from your body. After the detoxification process is complete, you will continue to receive treatment for your psychological addiction with therapy.

If you are wary of receiving Suboxone, you can be assured that it will only be used temporarily. Your physician will slowly reduce the dose that you receive so that you can eventually stop taking the drug altogether. It is imperative that this is done slowly so that your body can become accustomed to smaller doses of the medication. If Suboxone has become the object of your addiction, it’s time to begin treatment without medication of any kind.

This requires that your medical team has the following qualities:

• They can support you for many years to come.
• They can tailor a treatment plan specifically to treat your individual needs.
• They understand the reasons that you are experiencing a substance use disorder.
• They have education and experience in the treatment of substance use disorders.

Medication may not be necessary if you are participating in a program that offers comprehensive substance abuse treatment, physicians and nurses to treat your physical symptoms, and therapists to treat your psychological addiction.

Key Characteristics of Non-Medicated Detox

The key characteristics of non-medicated detox include the following:

• Treatment by professionals who received advanced education and training in treating people with substance addictions. They must also have an extensive amount of experience delivering treatment.
• Therapies other than medication that can reduce or eliminate Suboxone or other opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Therapeutic Support and Recovery

If you were to undergo detoxification and not receive any therapy for your psychological addiction, you would have only completed half of the treatment. The detoxification process can keep you sober for a short period of time, but long-lasting abstinence requires that you obtain ongoing treatment.

Addiction is a relapsing disease, so you will likely return to using your substance of choice after you receive treatment for your substance use disorder. It is like being treated for hypertension. If you stop treatment, your blood pressure will go up again. That is why you must remain in treatment on an ongoing basis. It doesn’t mean that treatment fails. Approximately 40% to 60% of those who receive treatment will relapse at some point in their lives.

A therapeutic treatment plan that addresses Suboxone would include the following elements:

Evaluation and Assessment

To create the most effective treatment plan, a drug treatment center must do an evaluation and assessment. This is when we will determine all of the issues that cause you to engage in substance use. We will discover whether or not you are experiencing any mental health disorders, medical conditions, behavioral disorders, trauma, or other issues that contribute to substance use so that we can address all of these issues during your treatment.

A Personalized Treatment Plan

We can create your personalized treatment plan based on the evaluation and assessment. We also take your personal recovery goals, how long you are going to be in treatment, and the resources that are available to you into consideration.

Individualized Therapy

The one-on-one therapy sessions you attend with your therapist will be your “flagship” treatment throughout the treatment process. You will spend the time working through your past challenges and negotiating your present challenges while your therapist manages your treatment goals.

Personalized Case Management Services

You must engage in case management services that assure you and your therapist that your treatment goals are being met by your treatment plan. These services ensure that you are learning the coping skills needed to remain abstinent during treatment and after you have entered the aftercare phase.

Group Therapy

Group therapy offers you a network of people with the same struggles that you are experiencing in treatment for a substance use disorder. These relationships will last throughout the years as you address new challenges.

Alternative Therapies

Long Island Interventions can offer you holistic therapies, including yoga, acupuncture, meditation and massage. We offer these therapies in addition to traditional therapies. These types of therapies are not necessarily for everyone, but if you are inclined to join a particular therapy, you may do so. Holistic therapies focus on treating your mind, body, and spirit so that you can have a complete recovery.

Aftercare

Substance use is a chronic disease, so treating this disorder doesn’t end after your stay in a rehab facility ends. It must continue throughout the rest of your life because substance use disorder is a relapsing disease. It is possible to relapse into substance use after several years or even decades. You must continue your treatment of your substance use disorder, any medical conditions, and mental health disorders after you are living on your own again. You might decide to meet with a personal therapist, or you may join a 12-step program. Continuing your holistic therapies is also an excellent way to maintain your sobriety.

How to Cope with Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

Suboxone withdrawal symptoms can cause an inordinate amount of stress, but there are many ways to cope. The great thing about these strategies is that you can use them when you are stressed. When you experienced stress in the past, you often turned to your substance of choice. Now, you will have positive ways of dealing with stress to maintain your sobriety.

The following coping strategies help you address Suboxone withdrawal symptoms without resorting to the use of medication:

Engage in Social Activity

Remain in close contact with your friends and family members. It isn’t necessary to let them know that you are contacting them because you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Their emotional support will be just what you need to endure the detoxification process.

Take Time to Relax or Enjoy Your Hobbies

It may be difficult to find the time to relax in the middle of your busy day, but you must try to do so because your recovery depends on it. When you are going through withdrawal from Suboxone or other opioids, it can be challenging to find a way to relax in a way that will not be damaging to you. If you find a hobby that interests you, you can keep from relapsing into your drug or alcohol use again.

Find a Way to Adapt to New Situations

Withdrawal is part of recovering from substance use, so you must be prepared to accept the fact that you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. It helps if you think positively about the entire recovery process. Then, you aren’t feeling depressed, upset, or ashamed about your substance use and will feel proud and satisfied with your recovery instead.

Long Island Interventions

Long Island Interventions helps friends and family members of people addicted to substances at the very beginning of the treatment process. The intervention requires that a certified interventionist lead a discussion with your loved one to get the person to admit that he or she has a substance use disorder. It often has much greater results for the affected person than when friends and family members address the substance use independently without professional help.

At Long Island Interventions, we also offer inpatient or outpatient information for ongoing treatment. Contact us today if you want more information about our interventions and treatment.

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