Many people who begin treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) are prescribed a medication that can help, called Suboxone. Suboxone is very safe and can be very effective for managing withdrawal symptoms and cravings. However, mixing Suboxone with other substances, such as alcohol, can lead to some potential health risks.
In this article, we’ll talk about the dangers of drinking alcohol while taking Suboxone for opioid use disorder. We’ll also discuss how Groups can play a role in the management of your Suboxone treatment.
4 risks of mixing alcohol with Suboxone
Suboxone is a daily pill or film strip that’s placed underneath the tongue to minimize withdrawal symptoms and decrease opioid cravings. If you drink alcohol while on Suboxone, here are the possible effects:
- Intensified sedative effects — Alcohol is a “downer”; it slows down brain activity and motor functions. Alcohol can cause sedative symptoms, such as drowsiness and slowed breathing. Although Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist, which means its effects aren’t as strong as full agonists like methadone, Suboxone does have sedative properties. If you mix the two, the sedative effects can become more intense, which can decrease the rate of breathing, which can result in an overdose and death.
- Poor decision-making — It’s no secret that drinking alcohol can lead to higher-risk behaviors. That’s because it affects the parts of the brain that control judgment. Combining alcohol with Suboxone can further slow down the brain’s functions needed to make decisions. The combination can lead to unsafe situations.
- Stronger intoxication symptoms — As we’ve covered in the previous points, mixing Suboxone and alcohol can lead to more intense symptoms of both. While it’s possible that you’ve been intoxicated before, drinking alcohol while on Suboxone can make your body react differently to it. This may mean that the amount you’re used to drinking may now have more of an effect on your body, potentially causing symptoms like nausea, sweating, and trouble staying balanced.
- Decreased Suboxone effectiveness — If you’re using Suboxone on your recovery journey, alcohol can cause a setback in your progress, as it may impact how the medication affects your body. It’s possible that the alcohol can weaken the effects of Suboxone, potentially causing cravings that lead to using again.The lowered inhibitions caused by alcohol can also increase the risk of taking opioids if faced with the option.
Treatment and recovery create the opportunity to build new, adaptive coping skills to manage the issues that may have contributed to using drugs. Many people become dependent on alcohol in the same way other people become dependent on other drugs. If depression or other mental health symptoms play a role in your relationship with opioids, it’s important to remember that alcohol can increase these symptoms. It’s up to you, with the help of your care team, to figure out what’s right for you.
Groups can guide you through Suboxone use without alcohol
Suboxone can help individuals take a big step in their recovery from opioid use disorder. However, if it’s not properly managed — or it’s mixed with substances like alcohol — it can cause challenges and health concerns.
At Groups, we provide fast access to Suboxone as the first step in treating opioid use disorder. We want to help you work toward achieving the life you want. But we also don’t expect every member to be 100% substance-free. We won’t kick anyone out of treatment for using substances.
It’s important to recognize the risks that can come from mixing Suboxone and alcohol. We’ll guide you through potential issues that come from your prescription to keep your risk low from further complications.
Give our Recovery Support Specialists a call today for more information or to begin your recovery.
