Why are opiods used to treat addiction?
**Many family members wonder why doctors use buprenorphine to treat opiate addiction, since it is in the same family as heroin. Some of them ask, “Isn’t this substituting one addiction for another?” But the three medications used to treat addiction to heroin – methadone, LAAM and buprenorphine – are not “just substitution.” Many medical studies since 1965 show that maintenance treatment helps keep patients healthier, keeps them from getting into legal troubles, and prevents them from getting AIDS. These medications do not eliminate physical dependence, and if they are stopped suddenly, the patient will experience withdrawal symptoms. But with the ability and guidance of our staff, and the desire of the patient to stop using a drug, buprenorphine can be used to gradually cut down the dosage of the drug and live a completely drug-free life.
