Buprenorphine is utilized in what is known as medication assisted treatment (MAT) for people in Howe who are dependent to opoids such as prescription pain killers or heroin. Unlike Methadone which is also used in medication assisted treatment but is usually only distributed in highly structured clinics, Buprenorphine may be prescribed and administered by qualifying doctors which provides easier access to this type of opiate treatment.
When Buprenorphine is administered in recovery it can help individuals who are experiencing the intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with opiate withdrawal. Buprenorphine works to control and reduce these withdrawal symptoms so that the individual can stay off drugs as well as not carry out harmful drug seeking behaviors. When the medication assisted treatment idea was first envisioned and implemented, it wasn't meant to be a stand-alone activity but rather only part of a "whole-patient" treatment plan that would ideally incorporate actual rehabilitation for substance abuse and addiction. Buprenorphine use would only be one piece of a larger all-encompassing recovery plan.
Buprenorphine might also cause the euphoric "high" associated with other opiate narcotics so it can be abused. For this reason it is crucial for anyone choosing medication assisted treatment as the recovery route they want to take, to also work with addiction counselors to incorporate other types of substance abuse therapy & counseling and life repair actions into their course of rehabilitation to ensure they are not at risk of relapse.