Suboxone And Trucking

Here is a different angle to consider:

There are drivers on the road right now dealing with undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues who I would daresay are more of a liability risk than someone who is aware of their mental illness and taking medication to control it.

The difference is that the ones who are currently driving have either never been diagnosed and/or prescribed medication to treat the mental illness or they lied about their mental health history. Therefore they can pass the background checks and get hired as a driver.

I'd rather share the road with someone who is treating their mental illness under the care of a doctor than someone who is not.

I get it though. It comes down to liability. If the company doesn't know about an employee's mental illness they can clear themselves of any liability in the event that some kind of tragedy occurs. Whereas if the company was aware of the mental illness they can be held liable.

If the company doesn't know about an employee's mental illness they can clear themselves of any liability in the event that some kind of tragedy occurs. Whereas if the company was aware of the mental illness they can be held liable.

Bingo

Suboxone has one purpose and only one purpose. It is used to cut withdrawal from opiates. It was originally intended as a short term taper off alternative to methadone. If you are taking subs, it indicates that you have an addiction issue, that long term suboxone use is just transference of substances, it's not genuine clean time.

Yes. By all means, you should be off of subs if you want to be clean. The addiction is the elephant in the room that you're not addressing. There are a variety of programs and peer support groups available to help. Many people go on to live healthy happy lives completely drug free with support and treatment that doesn't involve other substances.

As was said, trucking may not be the best fit for a person with a history of recent suicide attempts and other mental illnesses.

Suboxone has one purpose and only one purpose. It is used to cut withdrawal from opiates. It was originally intended as a short term taper off alternative to methadone. If you are taking subs, it indicates that you have an addiction issue, that long term suboxone use is just transference of substances, it's not genuine clean time.

Yes. By all means, you should be off of subs if you want to be clean. The addiction is the elephant in the room that you're not addressing. There are a variety of programs and peer support groups available to help. Many people go on to live healthy happy lives completely drug free with support and treatment that doesn't involve other substances.

As was said, trucking may not be the best fit for a person with a history of recent suicide attempts and other mental illnesses.

I didn't know that about this particular medication. That's pretty good insight.

Here is a different angle to consider:

There are drivers on the road right now dealing with undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues who I would daresay are more of a liability risk than someone who is aware of their mental illness and taking medication to control it.

The difference is that the ones who are currently driving have either never been diagnosed and/or prescribed medication to treat the mental illness or they lied about their mental health history. Therefore they can pass the background checks and get hired as a driver.

I'd rather share the road with someone who is treating their mental illness under the care of a doctor than someone who is not.

I get it though. It comes down to liability. If the company doesn't know about an employee's mental illness they can clear themselves of any liability in the event that some kind of tragedy occurs. Whereas if the company was aware of the mental illness they can be held liable.

Seriously, this right here. I guarantee there are plenty of truckers out there with raging mental illness that just knew better how to finesse the system. Then they get hammered at night in the sleeper and drive hung over. It sucks that you tried so hard to do it the right way and it's not working out. If this is your dream, make it happen. Get with your doctor and figure out a plan to get off the suboxone and move forward with other treatments. You got this bro. Don't let some stranger's comments on a forum based on a few posts ruin your dream.

Some of you sure do fancy yourselves as the ultimate gatekeepers dontcha?

I get it though. It comes down to liability. If the company doesn't know about an employee's mental illness they can clear themselves of any liability in the event that some kind of tragedy occurs. Whereas if the company was aware of the mental illness they can be held liable.

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Seriously, this right here. I guarantee there are plenty of truckers out there with raging mental illness that just knew better how to finesse the system. Then they get hammered at night in the sleeper and drive hung over. It sucks that you tried so hard to do it the right way and it's not working out. If this is your dream, make it happen. Get with your doctor and figure out a plan to get off the suboxone and move forward with other treatments. You got this bro. Don't let some stranger's comments on a forum based on a few posts ruin your dream.

Some of you sure do fancy yourselves as the ultimate gatekeepers dontcha?

No, no one here thinks of themselves as the ultimate gatekeepers. The guys and gals commenting deal in facts.

Dreams are just that....dreams. The trucking business deals in reality, not dreams. The moderators deal in reality also and make sure that information given by any members is factual.

What exactly makes you think that they are gatekeepers? Actually, I went through all the posts again and I see no one acting as gatekeepers.

Laura

Some of you sure do fancy yourselves as the ultimate gatekeepers dontcha?

After 30 years in this industry, with 15 behind the wheel, I'm very comfortable giving advice, which sometimes will include the recommendation that someone does not enter the trucking industry. This goes for the other moderators and veteran drivers amongst us, as well.

Are you under the impression that just anyone can do this? Do you think we should encourage everyone to get behind the wheel of a big rig, regardless of their past or present circumstances?

Please, share your trucking wisdom with us, since you seem to think you're in a position to critique our advice.

OMG!

Ultimate gatekeepers?

We don't have any power or authority to hinder anyone pursuing their dreams. But... we do know what they are going to encounter in that pursuit. Generally, individuals pursuing this career are their own ultimate gatekeepers. We know Suboxone is going to be a non-starter.

Yeah as someone with over 12 years in recovery and very active in the addiction recovery community, as well as budding experience in trucking, I feel pretty safe in giving advice about a substance used exclusively to tread withdrawal from opioid addiction. It's a tragic crisis, particularly with the proliferation of fentaynol. I don't support denial and rationalization of addiction and mental health issues.

I meant the "gatekeeper" comment as more of a lighthearted thing, I guess it didn't come off that way.

Do I think anyone can do this? No, but I also don't think that it's neurosurgery exactly either.

Hey OP, if you read this, and this is your dream, don't let anyone tell you you can't do something. Get with your doctor and come up with a treatment plan that doesn't involve Suboxone.