Suboxone saves lives. Research proves it. Yet misinformation about this medication keeps people from getting the help they desperately need.
If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction, the last thing you need is bad information standing between you and treatment. Let’s separate what people believe from what science actually shows.
The Short Answer
Most of what people “know” about Suboxone is wrong. It is not trading one addiction for another. It does not just get you high. It is not the easy way out. Suboxone is an FDA-approved, evidence-based medication that reduces opioid cravings, prevents withdrawal, and cuts the risk of overdose death by more than half. The science on this is clear.
Myth 1: Suboxone Just Replaces One Addiction with Another
This is the most common myth, and the most harmful.
The Fact: Suboxone treats a medical condition. Opioid use disorder changes your brain chemistry. It disrupts the way your brain produces and responds to certain chemicals. Suboxone stabilizes that chemistry so your brain can function normally again.
Think of it like insulin for diabetes. Nobody tells a diabetic they are “just replacing one sugar problem with another.” That would be absurd. Suboxone works the same way. It corrects a biological imbalance caused by opioid use.
Buprenorphine, the active ingredient in Suboxone, is a partial opioid agonist. That means it activates opioid receptors just enough to prevent withdrawal and cravings but not enough to produce a high at prescribed doses. It also has a ceiling effect, meaning taking more does not increase the effect beyond a certain point. This makes it much safer than full opioid agonists.
If you are wondering whether Suboxone itself is addictive, we address that in detail in our guide on whether you can get addicted to Suboxone.
Myth 2: Suboxone Gets You High
The Fact: When taken as prescribed, Suboxone does not produce euphoria. Some patients feel mild relief or relaxation during the first few days as their withdrawal symptoms fade. That is not a high. That is your body stabilizing.
The confusion comes from the fact that buprenorphine is technically an opioid. But calling Suboxone treatment “getting high” is like calling blood pressure medication “drugging yourself.” The dose and purpose are completely different from recreational opioid use.
Patients on stable Suboxone doses drive, work, care for their families, and function normally every day. If someone is feeling impaired on Suboxone, their dose likely needs adjusting, which is exactly what medication management is for.
Myth 3: You Should Only Take Suboxone for a Few Months
The Fact: There is no evidence that short-term Suboxone treatment is better than long-term treatment. In fact, research shows the opposite.
Studies consistently find that patients who stay on Suboxone longer have lower relapse rates and better long-term outcomes. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends continuing medication for as long as it provides benefit. For some patients, that means years. For others, it means indefinitely.
The idea that you should stop Suboxone as quickly as possible comes from the same stigma that says you should not need medication at all. Your treatment duration should be based on your recovery, not someone else’s opinion.
Myth 4: Real Recovery Means Being Completely Drug-Free
The Fact: Recovery means reclaiming your life. How you get there is nobody else’s business.
The abstinence-only model has been the dominant approach to addiction treatment for decades. And it has failed millions of people. Not because abstinence is wrong, but because it is not the only valid path to recovery.
Medication-assisted treatment is endorsed by every major medical organization including the American Medical Association, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the World Health Organization, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Being on Suboxone and living a stable, productive life is recovery. Period.
Myth 5: Suboxone Is the Easy Way Out
The Fact: There is nothing easy about recovery from opioid addiction. Suboxone does not make the hard parts disappear. It makes the hard parts possible.
Without medication, many people cannot get past the physical withdrawal and intense cravings long enough to engage in therapy, rebuild relationships, or hold down a job. Suboxone removes those biological barriers so you can do the real work of recovery.
Choosing to get help takes courage. Staying in treatment takes discipline. Building a new life takes effort. Suboxone is a tool that helps you do all of that. It is not a shortcut.
Myth 6: You Cannot Get Suboxone Without Going to a Methadone Clinic
The Fact: Suboxone is prescribed by qualified providers in regular medical offices. You do not need to go to a methadone clinic or stand in line every morning.
At MindWell, Suboxone treatment starts with a psychiatric evaluation at our Las Vegas office. After that, you take your medication at home. Follow-up appointments can be done in person or through telehealth.
This flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of Suboxone over methadone. You can work, travel, and live your life without being tied to a daily clinic visit.
Myth 7: Suboxone Does Not Work for Fentanyl Addiction
The Fact: Suboxone works for fentanyl addiction, though starting treatment requires more care.
Fentanyl stays in the body longer than other opioids, which means patients need to wait longer before starting Suboxone to avoid precipitated withdrawal. Some providers use specific protocols to begin Suboxone safely in patients who have been using fentanyl.
Once treatment is established, Suboxone is just as effective at preventing cravings and withdrawal for fentanyl users as it is for people who used heroin or prescription opioids.
With fentanyl now present in the majority of the opioid supply in Las Vegas, this is critical information. If you or someone you know is using fentanyl, Suboxone treatment is not only possible, it could save your life.
Why Myths Matter
Every myth about Suboxone is a barrier to treatment. Every time someone repeats misinformation, another person who needs help decides to wait. And in the middle of an opioid crisis, waiting can be fatal.
Fentanyl has made the opioid crisis deadlier than ever. People are dying not because treatment does not exist, but because stigma and misinformation keep them from accessing it.
If you are considering Suboxone treatment, talk to someone who actually understands the science. Not social media. Not people who have never been through it. A qualified provider who treats this condition every day.
Many people dealing with opioid addiction also struggle with anxiety and depression during recovery. At MindWell, we treat both simultaneously because addiction and mental health are deeply connected.
FAQs
Is Suboxone FDA-approved?
In most cases, no. You can schedule directly with MindWell without a referral. Some insurance plans may require one, so check with your provider first.
Can you overdose on Suboxone?
Overdose on Suboxone alone is rare because of the ceiling effect. However, combining it with benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other sedatives significantly increases the risk.
Does insurance cover Suboxone?
Most insurance plans cover Suboxone treatment, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare. MindWell accepts most major insurance plans.
How is Suboxone different from methadone?
Methadone is a full opioid agonist that requires daily clinic visits. Suboxone is a partial agonist that you take at home. Suboxone has a ceiling effect that makes it safer, and it can be prescribed by qualified providers in a regular office setting.
Can I take Suboxone if I also have anxiety or depression?
Yes. Many patients on Suboxone also receive treatment for mental health conditions. Your provider can manage both at the same time.
The Facts Are on Your Side
You do not have to let myths keep you from getting help. The science is clear. Suboxone works.
