Subutex Rehabilitation and Treatment

This guide was written to provide an overview of the Subutex rehabilitation process as well as to offer helpful resources for persons recovering from Subutex addiction.

Subutex addiction treatment begins when someone reaches out to a professional for help. Treatment professionals help the individual understand what type of treatment might be appropriate — such as whether they should start with inpatient or outpatient options. In either case, treatment typically starts with orientation to the facility or program and an assessment that lets counselors know where someone is with addiction so an individual treatment plan and goals can be set.

Typically, the person then works through the rehab process. While every person is unique and each program is different, many follow a similar type of road map through rehabilitation. That might start with detoxification, move on to behavioral therapies, and end with discharge planning and aftercare. One of the goals of a treatment program is to set individuals up with appropriate skills and coping mechanisms as well as referrals and suggestions for support systems for long-term recovery.

Subutex is a Schedule III drug because buprenorphine is. This means that the drug has a recognized medical use but is also commonly abused and has a likelihood of fostering addiction when abused. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, buprenorphine and medications containing it are used illicitly worldwide. People who are most likely to abuse the drug include non-addicted opioid abusers and people who are using the drug as part of a treatment program.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for anyone in Subutex rehabilitation is that their drug of choice is the medication that is otherwise used to help make opioid detox more bearable. For those addicted to opioids such as heroin or prescription pain meds, Subutex offers a slightly easier road to quitting and can even help keep someone from returning to harder drugs in the critical early weeks or months of rehab. Someone seeking treatment for Subutex addiction may not have the same options.

Subutex and other forms of buprenorphine are being increasingly used to treat opioid addiction in a variety of settings. In fact, the number of U.S. treatment facilities providing buprenorphine increased from just over 1,000 in 2005 to just under 4,000 in 2017. Because of the potential for abuse and the nature of the Schedule III designation, the federal government does limit how much of these drugs each physician can prescribe.

Recovery from any type of opioid, including Subutex, typically begins with a detox period of a few days to a few weeks. During this time, professionals work with the person being treated to make them as comfortable as possible while their body rids itself of the opioid.

Subutex has a fairly long half-life for an opioid, with an elimination half-life of between 31 and 35 hours. While the effects of Subutex, and subsequently the withdrawal symptoms, may be less fierce than those associated with heroin or other opioids, the time line for primary withdrawal signs might be longer.

Whether or not someone struggling with a Subutex addiction is offered detox medications depends in part on the type of facility they enter and the methods of their treatment provider. Some providers prefer to adopt an abstinence approach, especially when a person has already moved from one drug to another in the addiction cycle. Others may be willing to try treatments with other drugs, such as Suboxone, or attempt to taper of Subutex use in a supervised setting.

Suboxone is another FDA-approved drug for treating opioid addiction. It also contains buprenorphine that can be prescribed in smaller and smaller doses to help someone wean off opioids. However, Suboxone contains naloxone, which mitigates the effects of opioids to keep someone from abusing more drugs to get the high they seek.

For more information about withdrawal, read our guide on Subutex Addiction.

For the most part, Subutex addiction is typically treated with behavioral remedies. Behavioral treatments, including various types of therapy, can be administered in inpatient, residential, or outpatient settings.

Depending on someone’s needs and goals for recovery, they might begin in a program where they stay 24 hours per day (inpatient or residential). Alternatively, someone might start rehab in a partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient program that requires attendance for a few hours several days a week.

Within either an inpatient or outpatient setting, treatments such as detoxification services, behavioral therapies, and medication-assisted treatments are offered for varying lengths of time.

Inpatient treatment involves living full time (including overnight) at a treatment facility for a set period of time. Outpatient treatment involves scheduled appointments at a facility in which you are free to come and go. Within each category, there are several distinctions.

Behavioral therapy for substance addiction seeks to identify and manage addictive behaviors that lead to use and prevent relapse. Behavioral therapy is based on the concept that all behavior is learned, and thus, unhealthy behavior can be changed through learning coping skills and increasing awareness of negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to substance abuse.

When looking for a rehab center for Subutex addiction, it’s a good idea to find one with professionals who are experienced in dealing with this specific addiction. Often when you search for Subutex rehab, you find a list of facilities that are adept at treating opioid addictions with the medication. Before you commit to a facility or treatment provider, explain that you are addicted to Subutex and ask if their counselors are familiar with treating that issue.

Rehab centers that combine an option such as cognitive behavioral therapy with 12-step facilitation and support might be one option to consider. It’s also typically important to ensure that you enter a program that has the resources to offer aftercare or recommend suitable options for you when you’re ready to step down into a lower level of recovery.

Our directory of rehab programs includes a comprehensive list of available treatment centers and programs as provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In the directory, you will find tools to filter the programs by setting, price, and location.