What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is the brand name for buprenorphine/naloxone — the most widely prescribed medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States. It is a sublingual film (dissolved under the tongue) or tablet taken once daily. At Mediversity in Turnersville, NJ, our addiction medicine program prescribes Suboxone as part of a comprehensive, supportive recovery program for patients across South Jersey.
How Suboxone Works
Suboxone contains two components:
- Buprenorphine — a partial opioid agonist. It binds to opioid receptors and activates them enough to eliminate withdrawal symptoms and dramatically reduce cravings, without producing the intense euphoria of full opioids like oxycodone or heroin.
- Naloxone — an opioid antagonist added as a deterrent to misuse. If someone attempts to inject the medication, the naloxone activates and precipitates immediate withdrawal. When taken as directed (dissolved under the tongue), the naloxone is poorly absorbed and does not interfere with buprenorphine’s effects.
The ‘ceiling effect’ of buprenorphine — a point at which higher doses produce no additional effect — makes it significantly safer than full opioid agonists like methadone, with a much lower overdose risk.
The Suboxone Induction: Starting Treatment
The induction is the process of starting Suboxone. This is a critical step that must be done correctly to avoid precipitated withdrawal — a severe, sudden withdrawal caused by displacing full opioids from receptors before buprenorphine is taken.
Before Induction
- Patients must be in mild-to-moderate withdrawal before taking their first dose (typically 12–24 hours after last opioid use)
- A Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) assessment confirms the appropriate time to start
- Your physician will give clear instructions on timing based on the opioid you have been using
The First Dose
The initial dose is typically 2–4 mg of buprenorphine, taken under medical supervision. If withdrawal symptoms are not adequately controlled, additional doses may be given in the first 24 hours. Most patients feel significantly better within 1–2 hours of the first dose.
Stabilization
Over the following days, the dose is adjusted to find the level that eliminates withdrawal and cravings throughout the day (usually once-daily dosing). Most patients stabilize between 8–24 mg per day.
What Recovery Looks Like on Suboxone
When properly stabilized on Suboxone, patients describe feeling ‘normal’ — not high, not sick. Many return to work, repair family relationships, and reengage with life. This is the point of MAT: not to exchange one high for another, but to provide neurological stability so the real work of recovery can happen.
At Mediversity, we pair Suboxone prescriptions with:
- Regular monitoring appointments to assess stability and adjust dosing
- Referrals to counseling and behavioral health services
- Random drug screenings to support accountability
- Treatment of co-occurring conditions (depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain)
Common Questions About Suboxone
Is Suboxone Just Trading One Addiction for Another?
This is the most common misconception. Suboxone is a medical treatment for a medical condition. Physical dependence (meaning the body adjusts to the medication) is not the same as addiction (compulsive use despite harm). People with properly managed diabetes are dependent on insulin — we do not call that addiction. Suboxone allows people to function normally and reclaim their lives.
How Long Do Patients Stay on Suboxone?
Treatment duration is individualized. Research shows that patients who stay on medication-assisted treatment longer have significantly better outcomes — lower relapse rates, lower overdose mortality, better social functioning. Some patients taper off after 1–2 years of stability; others benefit from longer-term maintenance. This is a clinical decision made with your physician.
Can I Get Suboxone If I Also Use Alcohol or Other Substances?
Alcohol and benzodiazepines combined with buprenorphine carry an increased sedation risk and require careful evaluation. This does not automatically disqualify you from treatment, but it requires an honest conversation with your physician about your complete substance use picture.
Starting Suboxone in South Jersey
Mediversity’s addiction medicine program serves patients across Turnersville, Salem, and the broader South Jersey area. We offer compassionate, non-judgmental care and can often initiate treatment quickly for patients who are ready. Learn more about our addiction medicine program or contact us today to take the first step.