The age-old question of whether you are sober if you take Suboxone or Methadone, continues to pursue in the recovery world. Some people think that if you use Suboxone or Methadone, or even antidepressants, that means you are not truly sober.
What is Suboxone?
A prescription medication that is a mixture of Buprenorphine and Naloxone that is useful in treating opioid addiction. Buprenorphine relieves withdrawal symptoms and Naloxone reverses the effects of the narcotics.
What is Methadone?
A prescription medication that is considered a pain reliever for drug detoxification and maintenance programs with people who are addicted to heroin or other narcotic drugs. Methadone will provide relief from cravings and block feelings of euphoria.
While both drugs can relieve withdrawal symptoms and reverse the effects of getting high, if they are not used exactly as prescribed, they can get an addict high if misused.
The controversy begins with these drugs being able to get you high in prescribed doses and ends with people that do not have any medical background giving unsolicited advice to someone who has a substance abuse disorder that cannot stop using drugs on their own because of their physical dependency issues.
Members of 12-Step programs have their own opinions on whether or not Suboxone or Methadone counts in sobriety. There are many that say that you cannot be sober unless you are completely substance free. While the other side says that if you take Suboxone or Methadone in the manner that it is prescribed and then wean yourself off, you’re using aid that is designed to help addicts stay sober without getting high. The physical aspects of withdrawal are different for everyone and some people need a supervised and safe medical detox to get them through the early weeks of sobriety.
Every addict is different and if you are using your medical professionals, your medication, your program, and your Higher Power in a rigorously honest way, you will have a chance to get and stay sober. The key is to be in honest in your recovery and if you are doing just that, then you are doing the right thing for your recovery.
At Serenity Oaks Wellness Center, we can help you safely detox off drugs and alcohol. We are here to walk you through your recovery as easily as possible. Our staff is ready to get you started immediately. Call us: 844-720-6847
