At the Center for Network Therapy, we are dedicated to helping people recover from prescription medication and alcohol abuse. We encourage you to admit for treatment and return to your family, workplace, and community as soon as possible. Suboxone is a drug containing the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. The liver plays a crucial role in breaking down substances and removing toxins from the body. Overworking the liver with both Suboxone and alcohol can lead to conditions such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure.
Choose from a menu of options that include medication-assisted treatment, such as Suboxone®, Sublocade®, and Vivitrol®, as well as psychiatry, addiction counseling and mental health therapy. All of these services are accessible in-person and via telemedicine. Treatment options for Suboxone addiction include residential rehab centers and a guided detox.
If You’re Thinking of Mixing Suboxone® and Alcohol, Read This
Implications such as nausea and drowsiness, all the way up to a coma or overdose, are just some of the many negative consequences that can occur. There are several long-term health consequences that can occur as a result of mixing alcohol with Suboxone. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol while taking Suboxone can be a sign of alcohol abuse or addiction. If you or a loved one is unable to stop drinking alcohol while taking Suboxone, we can help. If someone is showing signs of alcohol poisoning or drug overdose after mixing these two substances, call 911 for help right away. Mixing alcohol with Suboxone increases the risk of accidental opioid overdose due to its complementary effects on the central nervous system.
Effects of Combining Alcohol and Suboxone
- This is particularly concerning for activities that require full cognitive and motor function, such as driving or operating machinery.
- Nisa has contributed valuable insights to various publications, addressing critical issues related to substance abuse prevention, treatment modalities, and recovery strategies.
- Contact Avenues today to discover a supportive and caring community, and the professional help you need to reach sobriety.
- Women sometimes share common stressful experiences that men don’t understand quite as well.
When mixed with the common pain reliever aspirin, alcohol can increase irritation in the GI tract. Alcohol and acetaminophen, or Tylenol, can be particularly dangerous. At normal doses, it may be safe, but Tylenol is processed by the liver, and so is alcohol. When large doses are combined, this can create serious damage to a very important organ. Substance use disorder is a treatable condition, and the professionals at The Recovery Village Ridgefield can help. In fact, almost all opioid addiction treatment centers discourage the use of alcohol while on Suboxone.
Why Do People Mix Suboxone and Alcohol?
The soothing effect may slow respiratory and cardiac function, leading to unconsciousness and even death. One of the most effective ways to prevent mixing Suboxone and alcohol is to seek support and resources for substance abuse and addiction. This can include enrolling in a treatment program, attending support groups, and finding a sponsor. It is also important to be mindful of triggers that may lead to substance use and to develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress and anxiety.
Suboxone is typically dispensed through an opioid treatment program, so anyone using the drug is likely to already be in treatment. The use of Suboxone outside of a treatment program is considered abuse because the drug’s only approved use is for the treatment of opioid dependence. Another significant risk of mixing Suboxone and alcohol is the impact on cognitive and motor functions. Both substances can impair thinking, coordination, and reaction times.
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Understanding Alcohol Dependence
Both drugs are central nervous system depressants, and when combined they can heighten the effects of one another. However, it can still cause the same serious side effects when mixed with alcohol as other opiates that affect the central nervous system. When they discontinue these drugs, they subsequently experience severe withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Suboxone aims to combat these issues so that opioid use patients can become sober once more.
- Treatment options for Suboxone addiction include residential rehab centers and a guided detox.
- Because of the alcohol, the person may require supportive care in the hospital for several days.
- It can make people feel buzzy and energized when they first take a drink.
- Warnings on Suboxone note that mixing the drug with alcohol increases breathing difficulty, may stop breathing, and can lead to death.
- A unique consequence of Suboxone is that is may cause people to drink more alcohol unintentionally.
- Suboxone and alcohol abuse is uncommon because an ingredient in Suboxone, naloxone, blunts the pleasurable effects of alcohol.
The combination can also put substantial stress on major organs like the kidney and liver, especially if an individual has abused alcohol in the past. While not as strong as other opioids, Suboxone can have addictive qualities, especially when combined with another substance like alcohol. Alcohol poisoning is also a risk of drinking too much with mixing suboxone and alcohol other CNS depressants, including Suboxone. Alcohol is most commonly abused in the form of beer, wine, or hard liquor.
The key to safe and sustainable recovery from opioid overuse disorder is deciding to treat your body and mind better and committing to the plan. When combined, Suboxone and alcohol can accelerate the side effects of each substance on your respiratory system. However, that is only the beginning because things can accelerate and run out of control pretty fast. Several studies have linked it to a wide range of heart-related problems, including stroke, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. Heavy drinkers place their pancreas and liver at risk for inflammation and degradation that is irreversible. Basically, the treatment is designed to “trick” the brain into believing that a full opioid dose has been taken.
This blog post will explore five potential risks of combining these substances together. To avoid the potentially dangerous consequences of mixing Suboxone and alcohol, it is important to hollow the prescribed treatment plan provided by a medical professional. This may include abstaining from alcohol entirely or limiting its use under strict guidelines. It is also important to inform medical professionals of any alcohol use and to be honest about any substance abuse issues. Regardless of the reason for mixing, it’s important to understand the serious health risks involved.
Ethanol, a type of alcohol created by the fermentation of sugars, leads to intoxication. While alcohol is legal to consume in the US if the person is at least 21 years old, it is also one of the most widely abused drugs. To understand alcohol and drug addiction, read this comprehensive blog and get the help you need for yourself or someone you love. Suboxone is a medication that is safe to use when taken as advised by a prescribing physician or other behavioral healthcare providers. You must adhere to your doctor’s recommendations and embrace the psychosocial support and therapy offered as part of the treatment plan.
Emergency medical assistance is required, especially if drugs like Suboxone and alcohol were combined accidentally or as a pattern of polydrug abuse. Ingesting alcohol with Suboxone is likely to increase the intensity of side effects, especially damage to organs. It also increases the risk of addiction and physical dependence, both to Suboxone and to alcohol. Nisa Samar has a Psychology degree and brings expertise to ChoicePoint’s blogs, with over 7 years of contributing valuable insights on substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery. Nisa has contributed valuable insights to various publications, addressing critical issues related to substance abuse prevention, treatment modalities, and recovery strategies.
The liver plays a vital role in metabolizing both Suboxone and alcohol. Mixing these two substances can cause damage to the liver and lead to liver disease. This can have serious long-term consequences for a person’s overall health.
It is essential to be aware of these symptoms to take prompt action. Since Suboxone is not very strong compared to true opioid agonists like morphine or heroin, a person may combine it with alcohol in order to intensify its effects and get high. At Granite Recovery Centers, we’re able to help people through every phase of recovery.