Buprenorphine is used in what is known as medication assisted treatment (MAT) for people in Milo who are opiate dependent to heroin or prescription pain killers. Unlike Methadone which is also used in medication assisted treatment but is usually only dispensed in highly structured clinics, Buprenorphine may be prescribed and dispensed by qualifying doctors which gives easier access to this type of treatment.
When Buprenorphine is used in recovery it can help individuals who are experiencing the intense withdrawal symptoms and cravings associated with opiate withdrawal. Buprenorphine works to manage and diminish these withdrawal symptoms so that the person can stay off drugs and not engage in harmful drug seeking behaviors. When the medication assisted treatment idea was first formed and put into action, it wasn't intended to be a primary form of treatment but rather only part of a "whole-patient" treatment plan that would typically include actual therapy practices for substance abuse and addiction. Buprenorphine use would only be one component of a larger all-encompassing plan.
Buprenorphine will also produce the euphoric "high" associated with other opiates so it is commonly misused. For this reason it is important for anyone thinking about medication assisted treatment as the recovery route they'd like to take, to also enlist the help of professional addiction counselors to include other types of behavioral therapy & counseling and life repair programs into their plan of recovery so that they feel confident about recovery.