Suboxone.com - Importance of Counseling

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

On December 8, 2006, Federal legislation was passed allowing physicians to treat up to 100 opioid dependent patients with Suboxone at any given time—a significant increase from the previous limit of 30 patients.

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Importance of Counseling

Stopping the use of heroin or painkillers is an important step in the treatment of opioid dependence. However, it is only the first step—the next step is not starting again.¹ Reducing the risk of relapse is actually something that opioid-dependent patients learn how to do.¹

Helping patients to develop the skills to avoid the triggers and situations that might put them at risk is one of the key functions of counseling during treatment.¹

Counseling has other benefits, too, such as:

Helping patients substitute positive behaviors for substance use
Helping patients work toward realizing their treatment goals
Providing support, encouragement, and hope

Numerous studies have shown that long-term treatment success (ie, stopping any use of drugs of abuse) is more likely when patients regularly participate in counseling as part of their opioid dependence treatment.^1-4

Please see Optimizing Your Counseling for in-depth information about counseling and patient support.

References

1.	McCann M, Olbert J, Ling W. Buprenorphine treatment of opioid addiction: a counselor's guide [Danya Learning Center website]. Available at: http://www.danyalearningcenter.org/courseprofile.asp?cid=7. Accessed April 1, 2005.
2.	Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Buprenorphine in the Treatment of Opioid Addiction. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 40. DHHS Publication No. (SMA) 04-3939. Rockville, Md: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2004.
3.	Lavignasse P, Lowenstein W, Batel P, et al. Economic and social effects of high-dose buprenorphine substitution therapy. Ann Med Interne. 2002;153(suppl 3): 1S20-1S26.
4.	Kakko J, Svanborg KD, Kreek MJ, et al. 1-year retention and social function after buprenorphine-assisted relapse prevention treatment for heroin dependence in Sweden: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2003;361:662-668.