How Suboxone Works
Buprenorphine is the primary ingredient in Suboxone. It is a relatively mild opiate analgesic that functions to moderate the levels of pain. It is also used to suppress withdrawal symptoms and reduce drug cravings. On the other hand, naloxone is included in Suboxone to help prevent misuse. Its primary purpose is to ensure that one does not misuse the medication. Naloxone, an opiate antagonist is used to reverse or eliminate the effects of opiates in the individual’s system.

Buprenorphine is a long-acting form of medicated-assisted treatment, meaning that it gets ‘stuck’ in the brain’s opiate receptors for about 24 hours. When buprenorphine is stuck in the receptor, the problem ‘full opioids’ can’t get in. This gives the person with opioid addiction a 24-hour reprieve each time a dose of Suboxone is taken. If a full opioid is taken within 24 hours of Suboxone, then the patient will quickly discover that the full opioid is not working – they will not get high and will not get pain relief (if pain was the reason it was taken). This 24-hour reprieve gives the patient time to reconsider the wisdom of relapsing with a problem opioid while undergoing medication-assisted treatment.