Understanding Substance Use Disorder
Substance Use Disorder
Substance use disorder is a disease that affects how your brain works. It causes you to need to use drugs or alcohol. Over time, you may need more of the substance to feel the same way. Once this happens, you will have a hard time living without the drug. Going without the drug or substance causes adverse effects. These effects are called withdrawal symptoms.
When to Seek Help
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You should see a healthcare professional when your substance use is out of control and causes problems to your wellbeing. If meeting with a provider makes you nervous, you can call a helpline to learn and talk about treatments and outcomes.
Healthcare providers treat substance use disorder with medicine. They also suggest going to support groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous) where people can help each other.
Treatment Options
Specialty Medications for Substance Use Disorder
Three specialty medications treat substance use disorder. These are injections given once a month by a healthcare professional. Talk to your prescriber to see if these medications would work for you.
Brixadi®
buprenorphine extended-release injection
An injection given under the skin in the abdomen or back of the arm, administered once monthly by a healthcare professional.
Sublocade®
buprenorphine extended-release injection
An injection given under the skin in the abdomen, administered once monthly by a healthcare professional.
Vivitrol®
naltrexone extended-release injection
An injection given into the muscle in the buttock, administered once monthly by a healthcare professional.
Learn More
Resources on Substance Use Disorder
To learn more about substance use disorder, explore the trusted resources below from leading health organizations.
- Opioids for Acute Pain – CDC Patient Guide
- Opioid Addiction – CDC Fact Sheet
- Vivitrol Brochure – Alcohol Dependence Recovery
- Rethinking Drinking – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Sublocade Brochure – How It’s Given, Side Effects & More
Ready to Get Help?
Patriot Pharmacy’s Specialty Pharmacy team can support you or your patients through the substance use disorder treatment journey. Our clinical experts specialize in monthly injectable medications and can help coordinate care from prior authorization to administration.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Opioids for acute pain. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/patients/Opioids-for-Acute-Pain-a.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Opioid addiction fact sheet. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/aha-patient-opioid-factsheet-a.pdf
Ghoshal, M. (2022, September 12). Sublocade injection: How it’s given, side effects, and more. Healthline. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/sublocade
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Rethinking drinking. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/NIAAA_RethinkingDrinking.pdf
Once-monthly Vivitrol along with counseling may give you a path forward in your alcohol dependence recovery journey. For Alcohol Dependence | Why VIVITROL®. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.vivitrol.com/alcohol-dependence/why-vivitrol
What is a substance use disorder? Psychiatry.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction-substance-use-disorders/what-is-a-substance-use-disorder
