First developed as an opiate addiction treatment medication in 2002, buprenorphine treatment offers an effective and proven approach to helping those in recovery maintain abstinence on a continuous basis.
Much like methadone, buprenorphine addresses the harmful aftereffects of chronic opiate abuse on brain functioning. Unlike methadone, buprenorphine treatment can be administered on an out-of-office basis as opposed to the strict clinic requirements that come with methadone treatment.
While buprenorphine treatment works well at relieving much of the physical discomfort experienced in recovery, once a person completes detox, the psychological effects of addiction must also be addressed in order to ensure continued abstinence.
For these reasons, buprenorphine treatment includes a range of other treatment services that work to help a person develop the type of mindset that supports continued abstinence in recovery.
Buprenorphine Treatment Purpose
Overcoming the persistent drug cravings and residual withdrawal effects left behind by chronic opiate abuse becomes the biggest challenges a person faces in recovery. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, buprenorphine acts as a substitute in terms of meeting the brain’s need for opiates without posing the high risk of abuse and addiction that comes with addictive opiates.
In effect, buprenorphine treatment works as a long-term maintenance therapy that offers considerable relief from the uncomfortable aftereffects of addiction.
Not sure if your insurance will help cover your treatment costs? Call our helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? for more information.
Other Forms of Treatment Provided
12 step support groups offer a long-term approach to battling the effects of addiction.
Individual Psychotherapy
Other forms of buprenorphine treatment work to address the psychosocial or behavioral effects of addiction in terms of how a person thinks as well as his or her motivations, habits and priorities.
Individual psychotherapy enables recovering addicts to work through the root issues that drive addiction-based thinking and behaviors, according to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. In the process, addicts develop healthy coping skills for managing daily life pressures.
Group Therapy
Like individual psychotherapy, group therapy addresses how a person thinks except this form of treatment focuses on helping him or her develop healthy ways of interacting with others and working through conflicts. Group therapy also offers a supportive environment where a person can learn to form genuine bonds and friendships as they progress through recovery.
12 Step Support Groups
As another buprenorphine treatment intervention, 12 Step support groups work in much the same way as group therapy in terms of offering a supportive group environment for growth and healing. The 12-Step support model also provides a step-by-step path for developing a drug-free mindset on a day-to-day basis.
This particular form of treatment offers a long-term approach to countering addiction’s effects in daily life, whereas individual and group therapy typically run for a predetermined length of time.
Opiate Addiction Treatment Options during Pregnancy: Methadone vs. Buprenorphine
Considerations
While buprenorphine treatment does provide considerable relief from withdrawal and drug cravings effects, addiction-based thinking remains unchanged unless directly addressed. In effect, the other forms of treatment used in buprenorphine treatment treat the actual addiction problem whereas buprenorphine’s effects only treat the physical aftereffects of chronic opiate abuse.
If you or someone you know are considering buprenorphine treatment and need help finding a program that meets your specific needs, please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? to speak with one of our addictions specialists.
