One of the comments I hear the most from suboxone piatients that they had their own group– a place to talk about addiction issues, frustrations, inspirations, etc, without the need to hide their use of suboxone. Many suboxone patients attend AA or NA for the fellowship, but are held back from complete honesty for fear of being ostracized (a valid fear).
My hope is that suboxone patients will use this site to discuss their experiences, hopes, and frustrations in a positive way. This is not a forum to debate whether or not suboxone is a wonder drug or the work of the devil, as there are already plenty of sites dedicated to particularly the latter opinion. But for those patients who are taking suboxone to induce remission of opiate addiction, who prefer the stability and normal mind that comes from suboxone maintenance over the chains of active opiate addiction, please use this space to tell your story, to ask questions, to post answers, or to just say ‘hello’.
To comment on a topic, click on the word ‘comments’. At the present time I do not plan to moderate what is written. If you would like to author an article, send an e-mail to drj at suboxonetalkzone.
And of course, be sure to visit us at ‘the Forum’!
2 Comments
Crystal · October 23, 2008 at 4:39 am
Hello every one my name is Crystal and I can finally admit that I am an opiate addict. I have been on pain pills for about 2 years,and I have recently took the greatest step of my life.I took the step to get off of the drugs and I am now on suboxone 3 times a day.I only take it 2 times a day.I think this is a big step for me,and I thought I was alone in my addiction. My only fear is that I have a very addictive personality and I am afraid I might get addicted to the suboxone. I have a friend that is on them and she is very addicted to them. My fear is that I am trading one addiction for another… I don’t want to feel that way,I have heard that suboxone withdrawal is so much harder then opiate with drawl.Maybe I am just nerves I don’t know.But I do know that this was and is a big step for me,and I hope I am doing the right thing. I use to think that this could only happen to people with real bad drug problems,like people who do crack and stuff.Boy was I wrong and I put my foot in my mouth really quick.Well I will say more about my self later on.I think you all who are here for the people like me!!!
admin · October 23, 2008 at 7:57 am
Hi Crystal,
Thank you for writing, and congratulations on your insight. Please read through as much of the site as you can; I address many of your concerns. It is NOT more difficult to get off Suboxone than other opiates– we know that for certain, and I talk about it in a number of posts.
As far as trading addictions, Addiction is not the same as ‘physical dependence’. Yes, people on Suboxone are ‘physically dependent’ in that they will have some (mild) level of withdrawal if they stop it abruptly. The same thing happens with antidepressants, with blood pressure medications, and with many other medications. Addiction consists of other things as well, including the total obsession with using a substance such that other interests are crowded out of your mind. As you now can see, that goes away with Suboxone– that is what makes it such a unique medication.
Another large part of addiction is ‘conditioning’– similar to training an animal to hit a lever for food. Read my last few posts, including the one I am about to put up– In my experience, Suboxone can be used to ‘extinguish’ that conditioning, but only if it is taken correctly: once per day, in the morning, automatically and never in response to feeling like you ‘need’ it. Once per day is PLENTY– the half-life is over 70 hours, so every other day dosing would even be fine! Those extra doses people take only reinforce the conditioning; all of those symptoms– sweats, irritability, fatigue– COME FROM the conditioning, as the mind thinks you are still on the ‘take something every four hours’ schedule. If you medicate those conditioned feelings they will continue; if you ignore them and immediately distract yourself they will disappear, usually within a week or two. THEN you will really be amazed– you won’t even think about opiates anymore, and you can start moving forward in life. Good luck!