Rates of opiate abuse and dependence are skyrocketing in our nation. According to Littrell (2017), overdose deaths from opiates, including prescription pills and heroin, quadrupled between the years 1999 and 2010. Furthermore, precipitating opiate dependence often leads to negative comorbid physical health conditions (HIV, Hepatitis C), as well as has a marked impact on social, psychological, and community behaviors (Bell, 2012). Even with the abundance of abstinence-based treatment programs in the United States, relapse is scarily common with opiate use disorder, and the efficacy of these approaches are often challenged. One differentiating model for treating opiate use disorder, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), uses the application of either opiate agonist or antagonist medications as a treatment modality (Preston, O’Neal, & Talaga, 2017). This paper will evaluate the case of Joey, an individual struggling with opiate use disorder, and explore the appropriateness of Buprenorphine (Suboxone) MAT for his situation. Side effects of …show more content…
Dependent on the dose, buprenorphine provides opiate like highs that can lead to further dependence for individuals (Perry, Alexander, Liskow, & DeVane, 2007). While Neilson et Al. (2015) found reduced polysubstance use in buprenorphine clients compared with prescription opiate clients, the combination of buprenorphine with other substances, especially alcohol and benzodiazepines, can lead to fatal overdose. Aside from typical opiate side effects, including dizziness and nausea, buprenorphine clients develop tolerance to the drug and can thus experience withdrawal symptoms (Bell, 2012). If Joey decided to titrate off of Suboxone, if not done properly, he may experience the withdrawal symptoms that motivated his continued heroin abuse, thus triggering a potential