eddiev6

Hello I was just thinking how people feel about people on suboxone an go to AA meetings. There are people in the meetings that think that if your on suboxone that your not SOBER, I think that's wrong myself, as long as your taking it as prescribed whats the problem its a med. Its OK to take antabuse an your SOBER. I just don't get it, I think it keeps people away from going to meetings an that's not right if you can't help one then don't hurt them.

mkintexas

There is no right or wrong answer. Technically. Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist. It binds to your receptors just like your drug of choice. However it only partially activates those receptors. Since it is a partial activation the feeling of euphoria is greatly reduced or eliminated. It is this euphoria that we addicts chase.

Are you SOBER? My opinion is both a yes and no.

Yes in that you most likely will stop your drug seeking behavior, you will (or should be working on) the underlying cause while you are taking suboxone.

No in that you are still on a mind altering substance.

I think for the most part when you jump to sub you have begun your journey to sobriety. Suboxone is a tool that helps someone get to their goal.

As far as what those muffin heads say. Who cares. If suboxone is moving you forward to you goal. Then their opinion is about as useful as a wet fart.

GJClay

I have strong feelings about whether or not I (not you or anyone else) am sober if on suboxone in that I fought very hard to get off of it so for me, no, I personally was not sober when I was on it. I thought I was because I stopped feeling high very quickly into it and took this particular medication as prescribed for once in my life, though it was not a low dose at all. However, after fighting like hell to get off of it and going through severe PAWS for many, many months, I realize I absolutely was altered physically AND mentally even though the high was not what we addicts normally chase; it still made life WAY WAY different that what it is now that I have been free of my opiate habit for 11 months.

I was on subs for maintenance twice; and both times wound up craving the high I got from methadone and went back to that. Finally when my life as I once knew it was completely gone because I was an opiate addict, I did a suboxone taper for six days in rehab and got completely clean as I watched other patients get maintenance level subs which was so, so hard. Words cannot described the living hell I was in. The doctor wanted me to go back on subs so I could get the most out of treatment and somehow I refused and it has been a long, long road and one I hope to never, ever take again.

It is your journey so don't worry about what other people say; if they're working a program they shouldn't really be worried about yours, anyway. With that said, I went to NA while in treatment and someone suggested I collect a thirty day coin and I refused as I was counting the days I did the sub taper into my clean time and others were counting clean time while still on subs. Saying "thanks guys, I'm clean but not yet thirty days clean"was an empowering moment that is difficult to describe to anyone who has not been in this situation particularly regarding the subs/ clean time debate, etc.

Good luck though, and I have to say I fully recommend getting off of subs as you will experience life (not all of it good I'll admit) in a way you don't even remember it being and most of all, feel like you can now conquer anything if you can get off of these horribly addictive time released opiates.

Marcus

I say don't worry about what other people think or say. You decide for yourself - To Thine Own Self Be True. I never found a need to share about Suboxone at meetings. My sponsor knew of course. If someone at a meeting is being EXCLUSIVE and telling you that you don't belong just ignore them. I think it says way more about them than it does about you. It tells me they have more work to do. Stick with the winners and you will be fine.

Fatthew

I've gone to meetings while being on subutex. I decided not to bring it up. Not really the point of the meetings to me. I take a relatively small dose at 4mg a day, but as long as you are getting what you need out of the meetings, I wouldn't worry what other ppl think about it.

TiredEnough

I didnt chose Sub but I wasnt on the dose of oxy or heroin some people were. I think for the super high dose folks, it can mean the difference between life and death.

cleaninLI

Well, I was trying to ignore this thread. No offense to you Eddie. Its just that I don't believe debating a person's recovery method is SUPPORTIVE. SR is a SUPPORT FORUM. My view about recovery methods is that it should be up to each individual to decide which way works best for them. I don't think anyone has the right to judge whether someone is sober or not sober based on their approach to recovery.

You specifically mentioned that AA members say that if your on sub your not clean. I don't attend AA, but it is my understanding that to attend the meetings a person must only have the desire to get sober. Isn't that correct? AA doesn't say you actually have to be sober to attend the meetings! Right? So, isn't that a contradiction to their philosophy anyway?