For Tennesseans searching online for answers, one of the first questions people ask is “is Suboxone like heroin?” This question often comes from fear, confusion, or past negative experiences—especially for adults ages 18 to 65 who are tired of avoiding withdrawal, worried about overdose, and ready for a better solution.

The truth is this: Suboxone is not like heroin. In fact, Suboxone is one of the most effective, FDA-approved medications for stopping withdrawal, reducing cravings, and protecting people from opioid overdose. And with Recovery Care of Columbia’s TeleMAT program, you can get treatment completely online, safely and privately, without ever walking into a clinic.

Is Suboxone Like Heroin? Understanding the Key Differences

Many people in Tennessee—whether in Columbia, Memphis, Knoxville, Clarksville, or Murfreesboro—want to know if Suboxone “acts like heroin.” While both affect opioid receptors, they are not the same:

How Suboxone Works

• Suboxone contains buprenorphine (a partial opioid agonist) and naloxone (an abuse-deterrent).
  
• Buprenorphine activates receptors just enough to stop withdrawal and cravings.
  
• It has a “ceiling effect”—meaning you cannot get high the way you can from heroin or fentanyl.
  

How Heroin Works

• Heroin is a full opioid agonist that overwhelms the brain’s receptors.
  
• It causes intense highs but also severe withdrawal, tolerance, and extreme overdose risk.
  
• Heroin is illegal, unregulated, often contaminated with fentanyl, and deadly.
  

What National Authorities Say

• The FDA regulates Suboxone as a safe, approved medication for opioid use disorder (OUD).
  
• The DEA classifies heroin as an illegal Schedule I substance with no medical use.
  
• SAMHSA supports Suboxone as one of the most effective evidence-based treatments available.
  

You can learn more about these federal agencies at:

• FDA.gov
  
• DEA.gov
  
• SAMHSA.gov
  

Why People Ask “Is Suboxone Like Heroin?”

People who ask this question are often experiencing one or more fears:

• Fear of withdrawal
  
• Fear of replacing one addiction with another
  
• Fear of judgment from family, employers, or the court system
  
• Fear of losing control or being “stuck” on medication
  
• Confusion from street-level misinformation
  
• Past trauma, mental abuse, or feeling dismissed by healthcare providers
  

Many of our patients first tried Suboxone on the street because they didn’t know legal, virtual treatment existed—or because they lacked reliable transportation to a clinic.

For people hiding their opioid addiction from coworkers, spouses, partners, or parents, TeleMAT is often the safest, most private way to begin recovery.

The Truth—Suboxone Helps You Feel Normal, Not High

Suboxone is designed to stabilize your body, not intoxicate it. When taken correctly:

• You feel clear-headed
  
• You can work, drive, parent, and live normally
  
• Withdrawal disappears
  
• Cravings stop
  
• You wake up without needing to chase pills
  
• You are protected from overdose
  

This is why Suboxone is recommended for adults 18 to 65 who are transitioning off:

• Heroin
  
• Fentanyl
  
• Oxycodone
  
• OxyContin
  
• Percocet
  
• Morphine
  
• Hydrocodone
  
• Tramadol
  
• Methadone
  
• Oxymorphone
  
• Kratom / 7-OH
  
• And all other opioids
  

TeleMAT™: Tennessee’s First, Most Experienced Virtual Suboxone Clinic

Recovery Care of Columbia is proud to be the first addiction clinic in Tennessee to receive a virtual medical license to treat opioid addiction fully online. We also created the now-widely-used acronym TeleMAT, meaning Telemedicine Medication-Assisted Treatment.

Why Patients Choose Us

• 6 years of proven success
  
• Over 1,000 Tennesseans treated through TeleMAT
  
• 100+ five-star Google reviews
  
• Accredited by The Joint Commission (the gold standard in healthcare)
  
• Master-level counselors
  
• The owners are in active recovery, creating a patient-centered program built on respect
  
• No in-person visits—ever
  
• Same-day Suboxone prescribing
  
• Medications sent to your local pharmacy or delivered overnight
  
• Kind, supportive clinicians who understand opioid addiction deeply
  

Meet our compassionate team.

Benefits of Suboxone for Opioid Addiction in Tennessee

1. Stops Withdrawal Within Hours

Most patients feel normal the same day they start Suboxone.

2. Reduces Cravings to Near Zero

Buprenorphine attaches tightly to the receptor, blocking heroin and fentanyl.

3. Protects From Overdose

Because of the ceiling effect, Suboxone rarely causes deadly respiratory depression.

4. Allows You to Live Your Normal Life

Patients often tell us they feel “finally themselves again.”

5. Works Even If You’ve Failed Rehab or Detox Before

Long-term success often requires medication + counseling—not willpower alone.

Apply for our Sliding-Scale Program.

How Our Tennessee TeleMAT Program Works

Step 1: Register Online

Choose the right option for you:

• Commercial Insurance
• TennCare Medicaid
• Self-Pay
• Insurance & Pricing

Step 2: Meet Your Clinician by Phone or Video

We use the secure Spruce Health app for easy messaging.

Step 3: Get Suboxone Prescribed the Same Day

Your medication is sent to your local pharmacy or shipped overnight.

Step 4: Ongoing Support

• Master’s-level counselors
  
• Judgment-free support
  
• Compassionate clinicians
  
• A recovery plan built around your life
  

Returning patients can log in here.

FAQs About “Is Suboxone Like Heroin?”

Is Suboxone an opioid?

Yes—buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, but it works very differently from heroin or oxycodone. It stabilizes the brain without producing a high.

Does Suboxone feel like heroin?

No. Suboxone helps you feel normal—not euphoric, sedated, or high.

Is Suboxone addictive?

Suboxone can be physically dependent, but dependence is not addiction. Addiction involves harmful behaviors and loss of control—Suboxone prevents these.

Can you overdose on Suboxone?

It is extremely rare due to the ceiling effect, especially compared to heroin or fentanyl.

Will I go through Suboxone withdrawal?

If stopped suddenly, mild withdrawal can occur. With medical tapering, symptoms are minimal.

Why is Suboxone safer than heroin?

Heroin is illegal, unpredictable, often cut with fentanyl, and has a major overdose risk. Suboxone is FDA-approved, regulated, and medically safe.

Heading With Primary Keyword – Is Suboxone Like Heroin During Treatment?

Some people wonder if Suboxone feels like heroin during the first few doses. The answer is no. When transitioned properly, Suboxone replaces withdrawal with stability—not intoxication. Most patients report feeling clear and functional within hours.

If you’re afraid of withdrawal, relapse, or overdose, Suboxone can help you regain control and build a stable future.

Call or text us anytime at (931) 548-3062 for confidential help.

Ready to Stop Heroin or Pain Pills? TeleMAT Makes Recovery Easy.

You don’t need to fight this alone.
You don’t need transportation.
You don’t need to explain yourself to anyone.

You just need a phone—and the willingness to start.

Register today and begin your recovery from the privacy of home.

Related Articles

• Suboxone Online Doctors in Tennessee: A Safer Path to Recovery
• Online Opioid Treatment: A Private, Affordable Path to Recovery From Home
• How to Get Suboxone: Safe, Easy, and Life-Changing Treatment in Tennessee

External Addiction Resources

• DEA.gov – Opioid Addiction Resources
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC.gov
• National Institute on Drug Abuse
• National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
• The DEA Announces Intent to Schedule Kratom