Should my boyfriend get prescribed suboxone? my boyfriend wants to start being prescribed suboxone for his opiate addictions. personally i don't think he has an addiction. he does do opiates on occasion and at one point was addicted to heroin. when he

Hello. : Hello. This is a complex issue. There isn't a simple answer, nor can a conclusion be made via email. Since your boyfried is interested in a recovery program, he needs a comphrensive substance abuse evaluation by an addiction specialist. Information obtained usually includes a very thorough history of all substances used, amounts, chronology & chronicity. He and the medical provider will get an idea of how serious the problem is and then he will be offered appropriate treatment options. It is not possible to say with the paucity of info if he needs to be on an anxiolytic or antidepressant medication. However, there are usually fairly stringent indications for use of suboxone. I hope that he does well in dealing with his addictions. Take care.

Your : Your boyfriend is right. He has a chronic relapsing disease called opioid dependence. It is not to be ever cured similar to diabetes, asthma, and other chronic diseases. Months and even years can go by without a "flare" up but those can be devastating and deadly. There are many reasons for this but the primary one is that as humans we have evolved to learn and remember very well and unless one gets totally demented there are parts of one's memory that always can be activated given the proper cues. The best long term prognosis for patients who are opioid dependent involve not only ongoing behavioral but medical agonist therapy. A small minority of patients who have mild disease might get by with Naltrexone or an abstinent based treatment. If your boyfriend was addicted to heroin however i would not recommend a long term abstinence program if you want to play the reasonable odds. I don't care how beautiful, foxey, or loving you might be, you can't fix or cure him. I highly recommend you finding out more about the disease and attending alanon meetings regularly if your relationship is going to work out well for the both of you.

Sounds like an addic: To me. It's not up to you to decide if he has a problem. This is about him. Sounds like he does. Suboxone is no panacea. He will not feel high. People fail therapy if not motivated. Drug addiction kills people. Every day. Support him and help him get help if he needs it. Go to meetings with him. Suboxone is a way to get off opiates. Then get off the suboxone. Get into a good life. Be well.