So in addition to SecondRoad.com and Narcotics Anonymous meetings blogging about your recovery like the fabulous bottlecappie does, there is yet another online resource for those who are looking for support during the often-isolating Suboxone detox: SoberCircle.com.

Online Recovery Resources at SoberCircle.com

SoberCircle.com is one of the largest online recovery communities I’ve seen with more than 28,000 members to date. If you’re looking for a virtual recovery community, this one provides just about everything you could possibly ask for: forums, access to a variety of recovery resources including local treatment facilities and interventionists, blogs, a marketplace. Their resources pages has tons of informational articles on treatment resources and prevention resources in addition to recovery resources. There are also links to journals as well as resources for friends and family members of those who are addicted to all manner of drugs and alcohol, not just opiates.

The Future at SoberCircle.com

They’re also redeveloping the entire site to include online meetings, more media, online audio and video, among other things. Check it out! It’s free to join and you might just read something that you needed to hear today or run across old friends or make new ones that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

What’s your favorite online recovery resource?

So lots of questions have popped up on this blog about different aspects of Suboxone and its effects that haven’t been touched upon in different posts. In an effort to answer those questions, I’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions below.

Does Suboxone have side effects?

Yes. Just like other opiates, Subutex and Suboxone has side effects, not the least of which is withdrawal symptoms if taken too soon in an attempt to detox off of other opiate medications or heroin, especially for people who are addicted to a high dose of other opiates. Nausea and vomiting as well as constipation are most often reported to varying degrees. Withdrawal symptoms are like that associated with all opiates: muscle aches and cramps, sweating, runny nose, diarrhea and stomach cramps, low fever and chills, irritability and an inability to sleep or eat.

Can Suboxone be abused?

Yes, it sure can. Especially if you’re not addicted to opiates, you can get high by taking bupe. It doesn’t have the same euphoric effects that other opiates provide and there’s a ceiling to what little amount of a “high” it will provide, so it’s not a drug that is commonly abused but it certainly is possible. The naloxone in Suboxone prevents it from being abused by injection.

Is Suboxone a pain reliever?

No. It is only prescribed for opiate addiction treatment and not for pain. If you are addicted to pain pills and suffer from chronic pain then your pain will return if you detox off of your medication with Suboxone.

Is Suboxone better than methadone?

No. It’s different, and some people should not take buprenorphine for drug addiction treatment but should take methadone instead. For example, pregnant women and those who suffer from chronic pain should not take Suboxone or Subutex and will fare much better on methadone maintenance treatment. Suboxone works best for to help those who became addicted to prescription pain medication after a short-term bout with pain.

Why do I have to get sick before I can take Suboxone?

The best way to explain it is to show you, and the online buprenorphine training at buprenorphineCME.com explains very clearly how buprenorphine binds to receptors and why it can cause withdrawal. Plus, it has pictures!

Do you have any questions about Suboxone or how it works?

There are as many triggers to relapse during opiate detox as there are people undergoing opiate withdrawal treatment. It can be as simple as the mention of a certain drug or the description of using it or what it’s like under the influence. For others visual triggers like seeing someone use in a movie is enough where others only find themselves fade under pressure when someone is using in front of them. Being offered something to drink can trigger the desire to use, even if alcoholism isn’t a problem. That’s why so many find that abstinence from all mind altering substances is the best way to stay off their addictive drug of choice. So how do you avoid relapse when you’re faced with a trigger?

Get. Out.

There is only one way to avoid relapse during opiate detox: take yourself out of the situation. If you feel vulnerable or unsafe in any way no matter what the situation, get out. It’s easy enough if it’s a movie you’re watching: just turn the channel. But what about when it’s a more difficult situation, like roommates who use or have guests who get loaded in front of you or a negative work situation?

Though not easy to deal with, the answer is the same: If you live with people who are using around you or who often have people over who use despite your sensitivity to the situation, find a new place to live. If you work with people who are using around you, find a new job as soon as you can.

In the Meantime…

Getting out may not be as simple as walking away. It may take time for you to find a new job, a new home, new places to hang out. What do you do in the meantime? Though you may not be able to squash the trigger permanently—and really, that will never happen—you can always remove yourself from the situation for the moment. If you can’t leave the building for whatever reason, go to another room or step outside, put on headphones to drown out the conversation, go online. If you can leave the physical presence of the people or situation that is causing you stress, just take a walk or head out to a coffee shop, window shopping, anything to put some space between you and anything that could interfere with your opiate detox.
What are your triggers? What tempts you to use during opiate detox and recovery? How do you avoid temptation?