Addiction Info - Hydrocodone
Prescription drugs are often an unmentioned area of addiction, though the patterns of loss & destruction wrought by Rx drugs are no less threatening than crack cocaine or heroin.The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that more than nine million people in the US use prescription drugs for non-medical purposes.
Hydrocodone (generic name: Vicodin) is commonly prescribed legitimately. Make no mistake – Hydrocodone is a mood-altering drug and chronic addiction is commonplace; either the result of a course of treatment during which addiction grows or not.
“I’m taking it for pain…”
“Dr. Lawrence said I could take six instead of four…”
Hydrocodone produces a mild sense of euphoria, relaxing the mind, body and spirit while relieving pain.
The addiction lasts longer than the prescription and several things occur – prescription shopping or illicit sales, all the while the addiction continues to tighten its hold on the addict.
Hydrocodone affects the way the brain works – and finally the body hears the message that it cannot function without the drug. Dependency on the drug becomes addiction, and severe withdrawal symptoms can and do occur when the drug level dissipate in the body.
Recovery from Hydrocodone addiction can and do occur. Long-lasting effects of Hydrocodone use include renal and liver damage, gastrointestinal complications, blood pressure problems and chronic constipation.
Many become addicted to this class of drugs following a legitimate prescription following an accident or surgery. Addiction begins, and the cycle of taking the pills to answer the addiction follows. “I take the pill…I feel good!” we hear the addicted say. It’s this connection that leads to addiction. Thus, the cycle of craving, use and then regret begin to become the new ‘normal’.
Life becomes more and more unmanageable. The things lost become more important & valuable.
For many who have become addicted to Hydrocodone, a medically supervised detox is imperative, as going “cold turkey” can be very dangerous.
The cycle of addiction can be broken – and it begins with getting the addicted individual in to treatment. The recovery process will begin for the entire intervention network.
