Most drug addictions begin with social experimentation. However, in recent decades, many addictions begin with well-meaning prescriptions received from medical care professionals.1 Oxycodone addiction is a particular concern in the United States.
Oxycodone is an opioid drug. It is a painkiller medication that was once used to treat severe pain for conditions such as cancer and end-of-life conditions. Today, it is prescribed by everyone from primary care doctors and surgeons to urgent-care doctors and dentists. It can be found in many homes. About two million Americans have abused prescription opioid painkillers in the last year alone.2
It is important to seek help for any type of oxycodone issue as soon as possible. Accidental overdose of any opioid prescription drug will drastically slow an individual’s breathing, which can lead to unexpected death. That is why remaining monitored by a doctor during use is so important. Any complications that an individual has experienced with breathing in the past, such as asthma, will increase the risk of negative complications while taking oxycodone.
People who become dependent on this drug or use it illegally often make desperate or unwise decisions. Snorting, cutting, chewing, or tampering with oxycodone can lead to death. While a person may initially tamper with this drug in ignorance, the body reacts more strongly to the substance when it is chewed or broken, and that individual is more likely to overdose or develop a compulsive use disorder. To make matters worse, those who become addicted to this drug often end up stealing medications or money from others.
Oxycodone can result in death for both adults and children. Youngsters have been known to find their parent’s medications and misuse them. Some teens think that if their mom or dad uses this drug as a prescription, then it must not be so dangerous to use in recreational settings. Many teens are led to believe that oxycodone will give them a temporary high, and others might be tempted to use it to get through a sports event on an injury without feeling the pain. Hence, if there is any access to oxycodone in your home, it should be well monitored, and there ought to be clear communication with all family member so that the terms of use are understood and upheld firmly.
When Oxycodone Use Becomes Problematic
You do not need to feel overwhelmed with guilt if you have developed an opioid use disorder or oxycodone addiction. If you are not sure about your oxycodone use and think you might be addicted, a private consultation can help. Ultimately, if you have taken it more frequently than prescribed, or in any manners other than you were instructed, or have found yourself continuing to seek prescriptions for it without legitimate necessity, you need to be open about this and find out how treatment might help.
The length of time and severity with which you have used the drug will help identify what type of treatment may help best. As is the case with nearly any addiction disorder, there may be a need for a medically supervised detoxification or a medically assisted detox.With the right support, withdrawal will pass quickly.The right medical staff will be sensitive to your personal concerns and needs. A quality treatment program can help you have the most comfortable detox possible, and even address any underlying pain issues that you may still have.
Addiction recovery from oxycodone requires more than detoxification, and some therapy can help, also. Both inpatient care (treatment that involves staying in a facility overnight) and outpatient care (treatment that allows you to return home or to sober living) provide this. If any type of mental health concern has also plagued you, integrated treatment (such as the treatment program at Skywood) can help you overcome multiple issues in one comfortable location.
Benefits of Oxycodone Recovery
Do not let fear hold you back from getting treatment. Addiction causes you to become distant from people you love, your goals, and your true self. Your ability to perform at work and in daily life is altered, and you cannot realistically function the way you normally would if you were free from the compulsion to take this drug. These mental and physical repercussions are what you ought to fear, if anything. On a positive note, they can all be reversed.
Individualized treatment plans for oxycodone dependence are incredibly important. If chronic pain led to addiction, it is important to also treat the chronic pain in safe ways. If addiction persists because of a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder, then it is important to receive support for both the addiction and the mental health concern. Treatment will help you establish new outlooks, new hope, and new mental and spiritual alternatives for coping with physical and emotional pain without returning to oxycodone abuse.
Oxycodone addiction is an expensive problem, and the cost of treatment can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical, legal, and even funeral expenses.3 Our experienced recovery professionals can help you find the best treatment for you or your loved one. One confidential call may just save your life.
1 Diseases and Conditions: Drug Addiction. Mayo Clinic. Web. Accessed 14 Jul 2017.
2 Prescription Drug Overdose: Understanding the Epidemic. When Prescription Becomes the Problem. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. Accessed 14 Jul 2017.
3 The Controversy Surrounding OxyContin Abuse: Issues and Solutions. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management. 2005 Jun; 1(2): 77–82. Web. Accessed 14 Jul 2017.
