Suboxone and Brain Chemistry: How It Reduces Cravings and Withdrawal Symptoms

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Opioid addiction is a worldwide problem that affects millions of people. The American Psychiatric Association reports that 81,000 of the 110,000 US drug overdose deaths in 2022 were from opioid medications or recreational drugs.

You can break your opioid addiction through rehabilitation, but it's a tough road. Dr. Lori Scott is an addiction specialist who can help. She provides various treatment methods, including Suboxone, to alleviate symptoms on the road to recovery.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a synthetic drug that contains buprenorphine and naloxone. It's only available as a prescription, and treatment requires frequent follow-up appointments to monitor your progress.

Dr. Scott prescribes Suboxone for people with opioid addiction who want to begin the recovery process. You take it as a sublingual tablet (under the tongue) to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings for opioid drugs.

Suboxone is typically part of a medically assisted treatment program that also includes counseling, rehabilitation, and long-term support. Dr. Scott and her team must supervise you while you're using Suboxone to verify that the dosage is appropriate for you and to alleviate any issues that may arise.

The goal of Suboxone is to gradually wean you off of opioid medications or drugs. As time passes, you feel less of an urge to use it, and we taper the dose down until you're strong enough to no longer need it.

Suboxone and your brain

Suboxone contains two essential medications that ease opioid addiction — naloxone and buprenorphine. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, while buprenorphine is an opioid agonist — but what does that mean?

Buprenorphine

A partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine works by activating opioid receptors within the brain to reduce cravings of full-blown opioids like fentanyl and heroin. By only partially triggering opioid receptors, buprenorphine doesn't provide the high that these opioids do — your brain doesn't get that reward. 

For that reason, buprenorphine works to reduce your cravings for opioids. Over time, you become less dependent on the need to satisfy that urge.

Naloxone

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, meaning it blocks the effects of opioids on the brain. People using Suboxone are at risk for trying to misuse the drug, which is where naloxone comes into play.

If someone using Suboxone attempts to inject the drug, naloxone immediately blocks opioid receptors and induces withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms are severe, and they deter those using Suboxone from trying to abuse it.

How Suboxone works for withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms begin when you no longer feed the opioid receptors with opioids, precipitating significant symptoms that include agitation, muscle aches, and nausea or vomiting. Severe withdrawal symptoms include seizures and significant gastrointestinal distress.

Using Suboxone alleviates these symptoms as you begin the recovery process. Instead of feeding opioid receptors dangerous opioid drugs, Suboxone alleviates the craving by only partially binding to the receptors.

That gives your brain the satisfaction it requires to avoid withdrawal without giving you the high you used to crave. We slowly reduce your dose of Suboxone as your brain becomes less dependent on opioids to function.

Once you're at a good point, we can wean you off Suboxone entirely. By then, you are well past the point of experiencing withdrawal symptoms. You can continue the recovery process through behavioral therapy and support groups.

Dr. Scott and her team can help you overcome addiction, providing the medication and support needed for success. Contact Lori Scott Family Care in Kinston, North Carolina, today to schedule an appointment to learn more about Suboxone therapy.