Looking for Suboxone clinics in Anchorage but unsure what you’re looking for? Perhaps you want to find out more about Suboxone therapy and how it can be used to treat opioid disorder? You might also want to know if you have reached the point where you, or maybe a loved one, needs help. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
This article will explore the basics of the medication Suboxone, its effectiveness, and how to choose a Suboxone clinic in Anchorage.
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is the brand name for a specific medication: buprenorphine/naloxone. Buprenorphine/naloxone is one of only three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. You might have heard this treatment referred to as medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
The goal of medication-assisted treatment is to lead a person to a full recovery, including the ability to live a self-directed life. There are numerous studies to support the effectiveness of MAT. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, this treatment approach:
- Improves patient survival
- Increases retention in treatment
- Decreases illicit opioid use and other criminal activities among people with substance use disorders
- Increases patients’ ability to gain and maintain employment
- Improves birth outcomes among pregnant women with substance use disorders
Research shows that MAT is a far more successful treatment of opioid use disorder than alternatives, resulting in less likelihood of overdoses.
How does Suboxone work?
Suboxone medication works in the brain to alleviate dependence on heroin, fentanyl, and other prescription pain relievers. This medication has a low potential for misuse, but it does work in the brain in a way similar to other opioids which cause addiction, like heroin and pain pills. This means it helps with withdrawal and cravings caused by opioid addiction but is safer to take. Many people say Suboxone, or other forms of buprenorphine/naloxone, helps them get their life back after opioid addiction.
You can read more about Suboxone in our comprehensive guide, The Science of Suboxone (Buprenorphine).
What to look for when choosing a Suboxone Clinic in Anchorage
Drug use in Alaska is higher than the national average, especially use of alcohol and opioids, resulting in an increase in preventable deaths. You can read more about drug use in Alaska in our blog: Does Alaska Have a Drug Problem? We understand that there are unique factors leading to drug use in Alaska, and we want to help. Below, we’ve listed our top tips for finding the best Suboxone clinic in Anchorage.
Tips for choosing a Suboxone clinic
When looking for a provider, it is important to understand the unique characteristics of opioid use, effective treatments, and potential barriers to care, like work or remote living. It’s also important to consider personal goals of recovery, what you’re looking for with treatment, and, perhaps most importantly, how experienced a provider will be at meeting your needs. Here are our top five tips to consider when choosing the right provider:
- Individualized. Find a treatment solution that meets your needs. If you work full-time or live remotely, can you find an experienced treatment provider that offers remote telemedicine for addiction treatment?
- Experienced. Look for providers with experience in the treatment of opioid use disorders, especially medication-assisted treatment.
- Personal. Find a provider that listens to your treatment goals. Ask if they will work with you to establish your recovery goal. That might mean abstinence, or it might mean methods of harm reduction. It’s important that the provider works with you to find the solution right for you.
- Safety. If you decide to go for in-person treatment, check if the provider has strict protocols in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Also, consider whether you will receive personalized medical care during your treatment by licensed physicians.
- Counseling. Given that Suboxone is most effective when combined with talk therapies, ask the provider what counseling is available as part of your treatment.
- Aftercare. Make some inquiries about aftercare treatment and support groups. Is that offered as part of the provider’s treatment plan?
The Workit Health solution
An alternative to finding an in-person Suboxone clinic in Anchorage is to use Workit Health’s online Suboxone clinic. Workit began providing MAT in 2017, using telemedicine, coaching, and counseling to provide holistic care for those with opioid use disorder. Workit uses a range of technologies for our telemedicine program that we know helps to overcome barriers to care. Our digital platform allows us to provide addiction services to patients who may live hundreds of miles from addiction providers, and we are authorized to provide Suboxone treatment in Alaska. We are able to reach a greater number of patients with our evidence-based program who would otherwise be without care. If you live at a distance from a pharmacy, we can even partner with a mail-order pharmacy to send your Suboxone to you.
Workit Health delivers personalized psychotherapy to individuals in varying stages of opioid use disorder. We know that psychotherapy is a generally effective addition to MAT, especially if the approaches are tailored and flexible. In addition to the online curriculum, Workit counselors provide real-time support through text messaging, video calls, or phone calls. Our counselors are thoroughly trained in evidence-based counseling modalities.
