Myth #1: You aren’t really in recovery if you’re on Suboxone.

Reality: While it depends on how you define “recovery,” the abstinence-based models that have dominated the past century of addiction care are generally giving way to a more modern conception of recovery that encompasses the use of medications such as Suboxone that regulate your brain chemistry. As addiction is increasingly viewed as a medical condition, Suboxone is viewed as a medication for a chronic condition, such as a person with diabetes needing to take insulin. To say that you aren’t really in recovery if you are on Suboxone is stigmatizing to people who take Suboxone, and it’s not the medical reality of effective addiction treatment.

Myth #2: People frequently abuse Suboxone.

Reality: Suboxone, like any opiate, can be abused. However, because it is only a “partial” agonist of the main opiate receptor (the “mu” receptor), it causes less euphoria than the other opiates such as heroin and oxycodone. In many cases, people may use Suboxone (or “abuse” it, if that is defined as using it illegally) to help themselves manage their withdrawal, or even to get themselves off of heroin.

Myth #3: It’s as easy to overdose on Suboxone as it is to overdose with other opiates.

Reality: It is extremely difficult to overdose on Suboxone alone. It is more difficult to overdose on Suboxone compared to other opiates, because Suboxone is only a partial opiate receptor agonist, so there is a built-in “ceiling” effect. This means there is a limit to how much the opioid receptors are able to be activated by Suboxone, so there isn’t as great a risk of slowed breathing compared with potent opiates such as heroin, oxycodone, or morphine. When people do overdose on Suboxone, it is almost always because they are mixing it with sedatives such as benzodiazepines, medicines that also slow breathing.

Myth #4: Suboxone isn’t treatment for addiction if you aren’t getting therapy along with it.

Reality: In a perfect world, addiction treatment would include MAT and therapy, support groups, housing assistance, and employment support. But that doesn’t mean that one component, in the absence of all of the others, doesn’t constitute valid treatment for addiction. About 10% of people with addiction are getting treatment, so while combination treatment is an admirable goal, it is unrealistic to expect that everyone with an addiction will receive all the aspects of treatment that they need, especially without access to regular healthcare, insurance, or both.

Myth #5: Suboxone should only be taken for a short period of time.

Reality: Expert practitioners have different theories on how long Suboxone treatment should last for, but there is no evidence to support the claim that Suboxone should be taken for a short period of time as opposed to being maintained on it for the long term, just as a person would manage their diabetes with insulin for the long term.

One of the main obstacles to getting lifesaving treatment for addiction is the stigma people face. Fortunately, our society’s perception is slowly starting to transform away from an outdated view of addiction as a moral failing, toward a more realistic, humane view of addiction as a complex disease that needs to be addressed with compassion, as well as modern medical care. Eliminating myths and misinformation about addiction, and supplanting them with up-to-date, evidence-based treatments, is a critical step in the evolution of addiction treatment.

The central question as to why people get addicted has still not been fully answered. 

People abuse drugs because it makes them feel good; some drugs also make day to day problems of life easier to cope with.  There are two very important factors underlying the causation of this illness.

First, 15 to 20 percent of the population has a genetic predisposition that makes them more likely to become addicted.  Most of us take pain medication and all it does is take away the pain. nothing more nothing less.  People who are genetically predisposed to addiction get a real buzz and say it makes them feel very happy and relaxed. 

Second, there is a high prevalence of psychiatric illnesses amongst the population. Among the 20.2 million adults in the U.S. who experience a substance use disorder, 50.5%—10.2 million adults—had a co-occurring mental illness. Rather than recognizing this for what it is, people tend to use street drugs to cope.  This problem has been made worse by poor access to psychiatric care and misconceptions surrounding the recovery process.

Many people believe that severe withdrawal is a pre-requisite for treatment and recovery. They believe using medically assisted treatment is ‘just substituting one drug addiction for another’. However, thanks to newer treatments such as, suboxone, clonidine derivatives, and vivitrol. Withdrawal can be controlled, and recovery can be achieved over time without suffering.

Since drug use alters the chemistry and structure of the brain, there is no “quick fix”. The brain takes time to heal because the receptors that produce the high during drug use become more active over time. Even after stopping, they require activation and lead to withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Use of FDA approved medications to help the brain deactivate these pathways and return the pathways to normal levels of responsiveness. These drugs allow people to avoid the terrible symptoms associated with drug withdrawal. In addition to the medication, time needs to be spent focusing on the psychological and social aspects of the illness. This means treating the underlying psychiatric conditions, looking at the economic and social situations, and improving family support systems and relationships.  This comprehensive method of treating the biological, psychological, and social aspects of the illness ensure that the whole person is cared for and increases the likelihood of total recovery.

To find out more about the disorders we treat and what treatment is like, please contact RASSIK at 844-727-7451 or fill out the form below.

Learn About Withdrawal

When a person decides to stop using a drug, after dependency or addiction has begun, that individual may experience physical symptoms of withdrawal as the body adjusts itself. Many symptoms in the body are altered upon taking large amounts of opiates for periods of time. Withdrawal effects occur as it takes time for the body to adjust to no longer having opiates in the system. Withdrawal may be mild to severe depending on the individual’s circumstances. A primary care provider can typically use diagnostic tools to sort out history of use and symptoms to determine best course of action.

Powerful Effects

Opiates attach to receptors in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract. When attached, the effects are exerted. This may include some impacts people are not aware of including:

• Brainstem function which controls breathing and heartbeat
• Limbic system which controls emotions of pleasure and relaxation
• Pain reduction by impacting spinal cord which sends messages from brain to rest of the body

Causes of Withdrawal

When medication is taken over a long period of time, the body may become desensitized. Over time, the body needs more of the drug to have the same effect. This creates dangerous risks of accidental overdose. Prolonged use of the drugs changes the way nerve receptors work in the brain and those receptors become dependent upon the drug to function. Withdrawal symptoms are the body’s physical response to absence of the drug. Many people do not realize dependence has begun and often mistake withdrawal for symptoms of flu or other condition.

Symptoms of Withdrawal

The symptoms a person experiences will depend on the level of withdrawal experienced. Multiple factors may dictate how long a person experiences withdrawal symptoms. Some of the early and later symptoms may include:

• Muscle aches
• Restlessness
• Runny nose
• Inability to sleep
• Yawning
• Diarrhe
• Goose bumps
• Dilated pupils and blurry vision
• Rapid heartbeat
• High blood pressure

Long term, a person can expect to be able to manage symptoms with the help of a doctor and some adjustments to the medication regimen. A person should not stop taking prescribed opiate medication without recommendation from the doctor. Help for opiate addiction can improve overall health and reduce risk of relapse, overdose or complications. Physical and mental health will increase and a person can feel better just knowing the addiction is being managed properly and can then focus on recovery.

Rassik Complete Recovery understands addiction is a difficult disorder and works with individuals on a case by case basis to find a way of managing symptoms and working through issues to overcome withdrawal and addiction. Call us to find out how we can be of help on this journey.

The Myth of Recovery

So why is recovery viewed as such a struggle? There are a number of reasons why that is:

• Those who relapse during recovery may describe how it was a real struggle for them. And they blame the recovery process instead of examining where they went wrong themselves.
• Staying sober means that the individual has to make significant changes to their life, and this can be an overwhelming challenge.
• If an individual is not fully committed to their recovery, they will find it a struggle to stay sober. This is because they have not fully given up on their addiction.
• Some individuals may have an untreated dual diagnosis and may be dealing with depression or another form of mental illness along with their addiction.

Easy Ways to Recover from Addiction

How can an individual ensure that their progress in sobriety is relatively easy? Here are some ways:

• Going to rehab will let the individual learn the tools they need to stay sober.
• Be willing to do whatever it takes to stay sober. So long as individuals maintain this attitude they will never relapse.
• Be aware of all the common relapse triggers and develop strategies for dealing with them.

• Having an effective support network can make a huge difference to those individuals who are starting over in recovery. This can be family, sober friends, members of the same AA group or even therapists.
• Helping other people who are also in recovery can be very beneficial to the person offering the help. This means they are not solely focused on their own problems. It can also make their problems appear less significant.
• Finding an appropriate program that suits the individual’s needs will make things much easier for them.

Ultimately, it is not necessary for addiction recovery to be a daily struggle. Treating challenges as a positive thing and a way to learn is what staying sober is about.

Each person has a unique experience with addiction. At Rassik Complete Recovery, we will work with you to ascertain what your personal needs are and develop an individual treatment plan to put you on your personal path to recovery.

Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever, approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain.¹ It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges and can be diverted for misuse and abuse in the United States.

However, most recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl.² It is sold through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often mixed with heroin and/or cocaine as a combination product—with or without the user’s knowledge—to increase its euphoric effects.

Illicitly-made fentanyl use is on the rise

Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, which includes fentanyl, increased almost 47% from 2016 to 2017.³ Roughly 28,400 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids other than methadone in 2017.⁴

Reports from law enforcement indicate that much of the synthetic opioid overdose increase may be due to illegally or illicitly made fentanyl. According to data from the National Forensic Laboratory Information System, confiscations, or seizures, of fentanyl increased by nearly 7 fold from 2012 to 2014. There were 4,585 fentanyl confiscations in 2014.⁵ This suggests that the sharp rise in fentanyl-related deaths may be due to increased availability of illegally made, non-pharmaceutical fentanyl, and not prescribed fentanyl.

The number of states reporting 20 or more fentanyl confiscations every six months is increasing. From July to December 2014, 18 states reported 20 or more fentanyl drug confiscations (See Figure 1). By comparison, six states reported 20 or more fentanyl drug confiscations from July to December 2013.

Figure 1:

What can be done?

CDC suggests the following actions in response to increases in fentanyl-related overdose deaths:

Improve detection of fentanyl outbreaks

• Public health departments:
  Explore methods for more rapidly detecting drug overdose outbreaks, including fentanyl.
• Medical examiners and coroners:
  Screen for fentanyl in suspected opioid overdose cases in regions reporting increases in fentanyl confiscations, fentanyl-related overdose fatalities or unusually high spikes in heroin or unspecified drug overdose fatalities. Not all jurisdictions routinely test for fentanyl.
• Law enforcement:
  Law enforcement can play an important role identifying and responding to increases in the distribution and use of illegally-made fentanyl.

Expand Use of Naloxone

Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid-related overdoses, including heroin and fentanyl, and is a critical tool in preventing fatal opioid overdoses.^6,7 Depending on state and local laws, this medication can be administered by EMS, law enforcement,⁸ other drug users,⁹ or family and friend bystanders who have obtained the medication.¹⁰

• Health Care Providers:
  Multiple doses of naloxone may need to be administered per overdose event because of fentanyl’s high potency relative to other opioids.¹¹
• Harm reduction organizations:
  Conduct trainings on naloxone use to persons at risk for opioid-related overdose and their friends and family members.