White Knuckling On To Suboxone

The 24 hour struggle

One of the most difficult parts of starting Suboxone treatment is waiting to take the first dose. Unfortunately, if you want the treatment to work properly, you have to wait until you are in withdrawal. Therefore, you have to prepare to wait for up to 24 hours. In some cases, you may have to wait longer. Fortunately, when you do take that first dose, the withdrawal sickness will subside and you will feel better. During the waiting period, you must resist the urge to get high again. In recovery circles, they call this struggle to resist drug cravings, “white knuckling” as described in this article. Continue reading “White Knuckling On To Suboxone”

Medication Assisted Treatment Power: MATPWR

The Power Of Treatment That Works

For many years, addiction treatment programs have continued to do what they have always done. In addition to individual and group therapy sessions, they require residents to attend 12-step meetings. This is the foundation of abstinence based addiction therapy. In fact, this is the way that most programs run. Essentially, they use a lot of talk therapy to treat a medical condition. We must spread the word about medication assisted treatment power. Continue reading “Medication Assisted Treatment Power: MATPWR”

Medication Assisted Treatment Virtual Reality: MATVR

The Future Of Opioid Addiction Treatment

Medication Assisted Treatment Virtual Reality will be a part of the future of addiction treatment. In fact, it is already, in the form of telemedicine, in use today. Patients are getting medical help to recover from opiate and opioid addiction without having to leave their homes. MATVR will someday advance opioid therapy to the point that remote treatment may be superior to regular in-office visits. Continue reading “Medication Assisted Treatment Virtual Reality: MATVR”

Stopping Trains: Why can’t I stop using drugs on my own?

Why can’t I stop?

My patient looked at me with frustration. he was almost in tears. “Why do I keep doing this?” As I listened to him, I started to think about stopping trains. Fighting addiction alone is as impossible as trying to stop a train with your bare hands. After letting him talk for a while, I explained that relapse happens and is common when it comes to opioid addiction. Even with opioid treatment, relapse can happen to anyone, especially if they are not strict in their program of recovery. Continue reading “Stopping Trains: Why can’t I stop using drugs on my own?”

A Journey To Healing And Growth In Addiction Recovery

Starting The Journey

What is the first step to getting better in your journey to recovering? You have found a way to get clean from opiate or opioid dependence and addiction through opioid treatment. Now what? How do you figure out what to do next to make your life better? Are there things to change in your life to make it less likely that you will relapse and use drugs again? Continue reading “A Journey To Healing And Growth In Addiction Recovery”

MAT for Opiate and Opioid Dependence and Addiction

MAT: What is it?

MAT is an acronym. Simply, it stands for Medication Assisted Treatment. Doctors use MAT in conversation when they are talking about medical treatment for opioid addiction. Continue reading “MAT for Opiate and Opioid Dependence and Addiction”

Heroin and Suboxone: Are they the same?

Heroin and Suboxone: Are they the same drug?

There are articles online proposing that heroin and Suboxone are no different. They make this argument by going down the list and checking off similarities. Both are opioids. Check. Both have abuse potential. Check. And, both heroin and Suboxone have a physical withdrawal syndrome. Hence, heroin and Suboxone are the same. Therefore, doctors are essentially prescribing heroin to drug addicts.

Continue reading “Heroin and Suboxone: Are they the same?”

Overcoming Opioid Addiction

Why are we not yet overcoming opioid addiction?

The crisis is getting worse. More people are dying than ever before from opioids. Yet, we pour more and more money and resources into addiction treatment programs that do not work. Why do rehabs fail? Continue reading “Overcoming Opioid Addiction”

Fishhook Effect

Fishhook Effect

What is the difference between a fishhook and a paperclip? It’s the barb. The sharp, triangular part at the beginning of the hook. It’s the point of entry, the first part that enters a fish’s flesh. And, it is what keeps the fish from escaping and swimming away. Continue reading “Fishhook Effect”