Why Teens Turn to Suboxone for Opioid Recovery: Inside Silver State Adolescent Treatment Center
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways:
- Teenagers who are addicted to opioids often look for Suboxone as a medically supervised way to get better.
- Less than one in four treatment centers for teens in the US offer buprenorphine/naloxone therapy, even though there is strong evidence that it works.
- Combining medication and behavioral therapies helps young people with opioid use disorder get better, which helps them stay sober in the long term.
- Learning how Suboxone works helps families and providers make better choices and lowers the stigma around it.
The Silver State Adolescent Treatment Center is a Las Vegas Youth center treatment center that focuses on combining medication and psychosocial care.
Introduction
Teenagers who are trying to get over an opioid addiction often turn to Suboxone because they are desperate and hopeful. The decision to offer medication-assisted treatment, like Suboxone, at Silver State Adolescent Treatment Center is based on strong clinical evidence and compassion. This blog from the Silver State Adolescent Treatment Center looks at why more and more teens are using Suboxone to help them recover from opioid addiction.
Because more teens are abusing prescription drugs and getting fentanyl in their drugs, treatment centers need to change. When families look for care, they often have to choose between Las Vegas Youth center treatment centers. Silver State stands out because it offers medication, therapy, and support services for young people all in one place.
Why Are Teens Using Suboxone To Get Over Their Opioid Addiction?
Teenagers who are addicted to opioids often have a quickly growing dependence, especially with strong opioids like fentanyl. Between 2001 and 2014, the number of young people who used opioids went up a lot, and between 1999 and 2016, the number of deaths of children related to opioids went up by 268%. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, only one in four adolescent treatment centers offers buprenorphine-based therapies, despite this sharp increase. Withdrawal symptoms, strong cravings, and the chance of relapse make medication an important tool.
But only about 25% of residential programs across the country actually give teens buprenorphine-based treatments like Suboxone, and even fewer support continuing therapy. Without these drugs, teens can only get detox or counseling, which often leads to relapse or worse outcomes.
How Does Suboxone Help Teens Who Are Addicted To Opioids?
Families and teens going through treatment need Suboxone. Suboxone is made up of buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, and naloxone, which stops people from abusing it when they inject it. This drug helps with withdrawal symptoms and cravings and stops other opioids from working. Studies cited by SAMHSAshow that it can lower the number of overdose deaths by about 50% and help people stay in treatment.
There is more and more evidence that buprenorphine is safe for teens aged 16 to 18. Experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend it as a first-line treatment along with other psychosocial therapies that help.
What Do Las Vegas Youth Center Treatment Centers Do?
Integrated programming is very important at Las Vegas Youth Center treatment centers, such as urban programs and places like Silver State. These centers need to connect people with medications and behavioral support. The adolescent community reinforcement approach, or A-CRA, is one way to build resilience by looking at family, school, and social factors.
Silver State combines medication protocols with Teen Crisis Prevention & Intervention (CPI) Treatment to deal with short-term problems and stop them from coming back. They offer a full response to opioid addiction by coordinating care that includes Suboxone, counseling, and crisis planning for young people.
What Stops Teens From Using Suboxone?
There are a lot of systemic and attitudinal barriers that make it hard for teens to get and understand Suboxone. Lack of training for clinicians, rules that make it hard for providers to help, and stigma around medication-assisted treatment all make it hard to get. According to PolicyLab at CHOP, eliminating the X-Waiver has made it easier for doctors to prescribe drugs, but many pediatricians and facilities still don’t know how to do it or feel comfortable doing it.
Even though Suboxone has been shown to be helpful, fewer teens than adults get long-term treatment with it at labs and teen programs that do offer it.
How Does Combining Teen Opioid Addiction Treatment Services Lead To Better Results?
A holistic approach that uses both medication and psychosocial support to treat Teen Opioid Addiction works better than just medication alone. Combining Suboxone</b with structured therapy has been shown to keep people in treatment longer, lower their use of opioids, and lower the number of overdoses. A University of Washington report emphasizes the importance of integrating both for improved outcomes.
Teen Opioid Addiction treatment programs at Silver State focus on getting the whole family involved, teaching teens life skills, and preventing relapses. This makes sure that medication isn’t the only treatment but part of a longer-term plan.
Conclusion
Choosing a way to get better can be hard, but for a lot of teens, Suboxone means safety and stability. Combining medication with caring, youth-centered care at the Silver State Adolescent Treatment Center is a promising way to help teens break free from addiction and heal in a safe place. An increasing number of Las Vegas Youth Center treatment centers are adopting evidence-based standards, making it easier for teens and families to find hope and healing. We can change the way things are done so that getting medicine is no longer the exception but the rule.
Call Silver State Adolescent at Tel: 725.525.9897 today to get the support your teen deserves.
FAQs:
1. Why do teens get Suboxone and not just adults?
The FDA has approved Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) for people aged 16 and up. Clinical studies show that when used with teens, it leads to better treatment retention and less opioid use.
2. What side effects should parents be aware of?
When misused, common side effects include drowsiness, low blood pressure, and mild respiratory depression. Suboxone is safe and works well when used under supervision.
3. How long do teens stay on Suboxone?
There is no set time. As long as the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks, it can go on for weeks, months, or even longer, depending on progress and clinical decision-making.
4. What other treatments help with Suboxone treatment?
Behavioral therapy, family therapy, crisis plans, and approaches like the adolescent community reinforcement approach (A-CRA) all help people recover, along with medication.
Citations:
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Only 1 in 4 Adolescent Treatment Facilities Offer Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder. 13 June 2023 https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2023/06/only-1-in-4-adolescent-treatment-facilities-offer-buprenorphine-for-opioid-use-disorder/.
SAMHSA. What is Buprenorphine? Side Effects, Treatment & Use. 28 March 2024, https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/treatment/options/buprenorphine.
Washington State Health Care Authority. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for Youth Fact Sheet. 2024, https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/billers-and-providers/moud-for-youth-fact-sheet.pdf
