Understanding Addiction Medicine

Sublocade can be a useful option for some patients who are stable on Suboxone or buprenorphine and want to work toward stopping medication over time. Because Sublocade releases buprenorphine slowly, it may help reduce the ups and downs of daily dosing and allow the medication level to decline gradually after the final injection. The direct research is still limited, but the approach makes sense pharmacologically and is increasingly used in real-world addiction medicine. The best candidates are stable, motivated patients who are tapering by choice and have a plan for support, follow-up, and restarting treatment if needed.

You do not have to decide forever today. Suboxone and buprenorphine can be continued long term, and there is no required deadline for stopping. Many people do best by staying on medication because it protects their stability, recovery, and safety. Others may eventually decide to taper once life is more stable and the risk of relapse is lower. The best plan is individualized: based on your goals, your recovery, your support system, and your real-world overdose risk.

Yes, Suboxone works for many people with opioid use disorder. The strongest evidence shows that buprenorphine treatment helps people stay in care, reduces illicit opioid use, lowers overdose risk, and reduces mortality. But “working” does not mean it fixes every part of addiction or recovery. Suboxone helps quiet withdrawal, cravings, and overdose risk so patients can focus on the rest of recovery: health, relationships, work, mental health, support, and rebuilding daily life.

Suboxone does not automatically ruin your teeth, and dental risk should not be a reason to stop treatment suddenly. But dissolvable buprenorphine products can increase the risk of tooth decay, cavities, gum problems, or tooth loss in some patients. The best approach is to understand the risk, take prevention seriously, and know that there are practical steps that may help minimize or mitigate dental harm while continuing effective treatment. If you are worried about your teeth, talk with your treatment provider and dentist before making any medication changes.

You do not have to have your final answer figured out before asking for help. Some people are able to reduce drinking and reduce the problems alcohol is causing. But when alcohol has led to withdrawal, blackouts, medical problems, legal issues, repeated failed attempts to cut back, or serious life consequences, stopping completely is often the safest and most effective goal.

At Shoreline, we start by helping you look honestly at your drinking, your risks, and what kind of plan is most likely to help you become safer, healthier, and more in control.

Semaglutide and similar GLP-1 medications — including medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound — are being studied for their possible effects on alcohol cravings and addiction. Early findings are promising, but these medications are not currently standard or FDA-approved treatments for alcohol use disorder.

Proven treatments such as naltrexone, Vivitrol, acamprosate, disulfiram, counseling, and individualized medical care remain the foundation of treatment.

There is currently no FDA-approved medication for methamphetamine use disorder. That does not mean there are no options. For some patients, doctors may consider off-label medications, including the combination of extended-release naltrexone/Vivitrol and bupropion/Wellbutrin, as part of a broader treatment plan.

The evidence for medication is real but modest. These medications are not a cure, and they do not work like Suboxone works for opioid use disorder. The best treatment plan often includes medical follow-up, treatment of depression, anxiety, sleep problems, or alcohol use when present, and behavioral treatment such as contingency management, which uses structured positive reinforcement to support recovery goals.

Kratom can be addictive for some people. While kratom leaf products are not the same as prescription opioids, kratom contains chemical compounds that can interact with opioid receptors and may lead to tolerance, withdrawal, cravings, or difficulty cutting back.

7-OH, or 7-hydroxymitragynine, is a potent kratom-related compound that is typically present only in trace amounts in natural kratom leaf. Concentrated or chemically enriched 7-OH products are different from traditional kratom leaf products and may carry higher risk, especially when used frequently or in larger amounts.

Suboxone diversion is real, and responsible addiction treatment clinics should take it seriously. But diversion is often more complicated than the idea that people are simply “selling their medication.” Many people who use non-prescribed Suboxone are trying to avoid withdrawal, reduce opioid use, taper themselves, or get through gaps in treatment access. At Shoreline, we use monitoring, structure, and clinical judgment to reduce risk while preserving the trust, dignity, and access that make treatment work.

Drug testing should be used to guide treatment, not punish patients. When expectations are clear and results are handled thoughtfully, testing can support accountability, build trust, identify risk, and help clinicians adjust care without removing someone from treatment when they may need it most.