Not everyone who enters drug treatment wants to be free of all substances. They may have a desire to cease the drug that is causing the most negative consequences.  Writer, Ross Fishman of THE FIX featured a father’s dilemma about Suboxone treatment and wrote his expert advice to the father.  In this podcast our members respond to the questions posed by the father who is concerned about his son who is opiate free but continues to abuse multiple other substances. Listen in to hear our group of recovering opiate addicts give their opinions and advice.

Discussion Guide:

Did you continue to abuse substances, other than your drug of choice,  on your path to recovery? (cross addiction)

How much control does the prescribing doctor have over cross addictions?

What is your advice to a father who asks “should my son stay on Suboxone if he is still using other drugs?

What are the pros and cons of stopping medication assisted treatment?

How much influence do family and friends have over an addict’s behavior?

Supplemental Reading:

Ross Fishman, Ask an Expert: Should My Son Stay On Suboxone If He Is Still Using Other (Non-Opioid) Drugs? https://www.thefix.com/ask-expert-my-sons-suboxone-treatment-working

The University of New Mexico, Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions (CASAA) Readiness Ruler, http://casaa.unm.edu/inst/Readiness%20Ruler.pdf