Quick Answer
Suboxone treatment is medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder using buprenorphine combined with naloxone — dramatically reducing cravings, preventing withdrawal, and lowering overdose mortality by 50–60%. BetterChoice Treatment Center provides Suboxone induction during medical detox, continuation throughout residential treatment, and aftercare connection with long-term prescribers. Call (725) 550-5655.
What Suboxone Actually Is
Suboxone is the brand name for a combination medication containing buprenorphine (a partial opioid agonist) and naloxone (an opioid blocker). Buprenorphine attaches to the same opioid receptors that heroin, fentanyl, and prescription pain medications target — but produces a much weaker effect, with a built-in ceiling. The result: cravings drop dramatically, withdrawal stops, and the high you would get from continuing to use other opioids is largely blocked.
The naloxone component is included to prevent misuse of the medication itself (if Suboxone is injected rather than taken sublingually as directed, the naloxone blocks the buprenorphine).
How Suboxone Treatment Works in Stages
- Induction (Day 1–3) — once you have early withdrawal symptoms (so the medication is safe to start), a physician initiates buprenorphine at a starting dose, then titrates upward over the next 24–72 hours. Timing is critical — starting too early can precipitate severe withdrawal.
- Stabilization (Day 4–14) — dose is fine-tuned to the level that fully suppresses cravings without sedation. Daily check-ins with the medical team.
- Maintenance (ongoing) — once stable, the question becomes how long to continue. The honest clinical answer for many patients: months to years; sometimes indefinitely. Some patients eventually taper off; many remain on Suboxone permanently.
- Optional taper — when the patient and prescriber decide the time is right, a slow taper is designed (typically over months). Premature or rushed tapering is a major risk factor for relapse.
Why MAT Matters
The clinical evidence on MAT for opioid use disorder is overwhelming. Patients on Suboxone (or methadone, or naltrexone) have:
- 50–60% lower overdose mortality
- Significantly higher treatment retention
- Lower rates of return to active opioid use
- Better employment, housing, and family outcomes
- Reduced infectious disease transmission risk
We offer MAT openly, without stigma, and frequently recommend it as part of long-term recovery.
Common Misconceptions
"Suboxone is just substituting one drug for another." Suboxone is a medication, not a drug of abuse. Patients on a stable Suboxone dose are not high; they are medically managed. The same logic that says insulin is "substituting one drug for another" for diabetes would apply.
"You need to be ready to stop all medications to be in recovery." Modern addiction medicine does not agree. Recovery includes patients on indefinite MAT. Stopping MAT prematurely is a major risk factor for relapse and overdose.
"Suboxone is hard to get off of." It is — but the timeline matters less than staying alive and stable. Tapering, when it is the right call, is done slowly under medical supervision.
"It is for people who cannot do real recovery." No clinical data supports this. MAT is consistent with the strongest possible recovery; many patients do AA or NA while on Suboxone.
Suboxone vs Methadone vs Vivitrol
| Medication | Type | How Taken | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suboxone (buprenorphine + naloxone) | Partial agonist | Daily sublingual | Most patients with opioid use disorder |
| Methadone | Full agonist | Daily liquid at clinic | Patients with very high tolerance, longer addiction history |
| Vivitrol (extended-release naltrexone) | Opioid blocker | Monthly injection | Patients who want to be on a non-opioid medication; require 7–10 day opioid-free period before starting |
Each has tradeoffs. Our prescribers help each patient choose the right option.
Suboxone at BetterChoice
We integrate Suboxone treatment fully into our residential and aftercare programming. For Las Vegas-specific information, see our Suboxone treatment in Las Vegas page.
Many people use commercial insurance toward treatment when their plan includes eligible benefits. Admissions can check benefits with carriers such as Aetna, Cigna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Magellan and TRICARE; network status and any single case agreement depend on the specific plan and are not guaranteed. To learn what your plan may cover, verify your benefits with no obligation to admit. Ask admissions about private-pay rates and any payment arrangements currently offered.
BetterChoice Treatment Center is licensed in Nevada and located at 198 Ebb Tide Cir, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Call admissions at (725) 550-5655.
