As a doctor working with opiate addiction and Suboxone treatment, I have encountered many myths about Suboxone treatment and opiate addiction.  Here are the top 3 myths about Suboxone treatment.

1. Suboxone is frequently abused like other opiates.

Although Suboxone can be easily abuse, like other opiates, the addiction to Suboxone is less severe than opiates. Suboxone is only a partial agonist of the main opiate receptor, thus it causes less euphoria than other opiates such as heroin and oxycodone. Morever, addiction to Suboxone to help a patient manage withdrawal from heroin or other opiates is the better of the two evils.

2. Suboxone should only be take for a short period of time.

Many experts have different views on the length of time Suboxone treatment should last. However, there is no evidence that Suboxone treatment should be only for a short period. Suboxone treatment varies for individuals depending on many factors. Suboxone treatment can last a long period of time much the same way as a diabetic person managing diabetes with insulin.

3. Suboxone treatment should be treated along with therapy.

Ideally, Suboxone treatment should be treated along with combinations of therapy, group counseling, social and employment assistance etc. However, treatment for opiate addiction depends on individuals access to healthcare and insurance etc. In other words, few can get all the components of opiate addiction treatments. However, Suboxone treatment without other combination of treatments does not invalidate the treatment for addiction.