Why Oxycodone Is So Addictive

Oxycodone, often sold as OxyContin, is an opioid that relieves moderate to severe pain. Because it is not a pure opiate, many people believe that oxycodone is not as addictive as other medications, such as morphine. While true, oxycodone is still qualified as a Schedule II drug in the US and is one of the most abused drugs in the U.S. The danger of taking oxycodone lies in the gradual addiction that grows with each day the drug is taken. Addiction, both psychological and physical, does not occur overnight. It is a steady process, and a person often does not realize this until it has firmly set in. What a person may not know is that while the body becomes addicted to oxycodone, the mind is becoming addicted as well.

What Oxycodone Rehab Offers

Attempting to recover from oxycodone alone, or even attempting to detox from oxycodone alone, will most likely result in a relapse. For situations like this, the best decision to make for any addict would be to check into the best residential rehab center. Rehab offers the following benefits:

• Medical observation. While the body goes through detox, a person will be fully monitored by a round-the-clock professional medical staff. This will ensure that no fatalities will occur, and the addict will be made as comfortable as possible during this time.
• Therapy. After detox, a patient then addresses the psychological addiction. Licensed therapists will counsel the patient on psychological addiction in one-on-one sessions, in addition to many other types of therapy that will help break the mental addiction that has developed.

Oxycodone Addiction Help

It is unfair, but addiction comes in many different forms that people are often unaware of, thus rendering them unable to counter it. Fortunately, there is help, and it is possible for anyone to beat an addiction if they truly wish it. Feel free to call our toll-free, which is available 24 hours a day, as you fight your way out of all types of addiction.

• Slight nausea
• Dizziness
• Lack of energy

When oxycodone is abused, it affects the body much more strongly and results in a harsher range of side effects. Oxycodone is typically abused by taking the drug other than as prescribed or by snorting, smoking or injecting the substance.

What Oxycodone Does to a Person Physically

Oxycodone is a depressant, as it inhibits the functions of the central nervous system. This commonly leads to the following effects:

• Sedation
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness

Because oxycodone is an opioid, it can also have adverse effects on the respiratory system including the following:

• Apnea
• Respiratory arrest
• Circulatory collapse

The longer a person continues to use oxycodone, the greater the damage to the body is. As tolerance to the drug’s pleasurable effects increases, oxycodone users are forced to consume higher quantities of the drug in order to reach the desired high. As with almost any analgesic drug, large doses leads to kidney and liver damage and can cause complications of the heart.

Social Ramifications of Addiction and What Oxycodone Does to Mental Health

Continued oxycodone abuse isolates the user. Addiction shifts your priorities by replacing people with drugs. This leads to the loss of close friends and family. These individuals are often replaced by an apathetic circle of acquaintances with similar drug related interests. Oxycodone abuse destroys motivation and can lead to depression. This is a frequently a slippery slope, because many users remain in denial of their condition and refuse to put the blame where it rightfully belongs. Instead of seeking help to kick their habit, they will simply try to shorten the amount of time between highs.

Beating Oxycodone Addiction

Fortunately there is hope for those struggling with oxycodone abuse. Whether you have been abusing oxycodone for a month, a year or even a decade, it is never too late to turn your life around and improve your health. Oxycodone addiction treatment at a rehab center is by far the most effective option for successful recovery. Rehab offers customers extensive access to the following:

• Drug recovery professionals
• Medically supervised detox programs
• Group and individual counseling
• A specialized recovery program tailored to fit your individual treatment needs

Change What Oxycodone Has Done

Don’t waste any time getting the help you deserve. Our recovery helpline is confidential and available 24 hours a day. We are here to listen to your concerns and provide information and advice about the recovery options that will meet your needs. Don’t let oxycodone control your or a loved one’s life. Call today.

Drugs like oxycodone are often linked with mental health issues. There are addicts who develop a mental health issue as a result of their addiction; and there are those who turn to drug abuse to treat their mental health. In either case, adding a second disorder to one as damaging as either of these creates a uniquely dangerous situation.

Oxycodone Addiction and Mental Health

Individuals with mental health disorders are often drawn to drug use for the relief, or at least apparent relief, it can bring to them. Oxycodone can bring a sense of calm to the user, even if it is artificial and temporary. Sadly, the cost of this short-term relief is often an exaggeration of the existing disorder, be it a mental health issue or an addiction. Co-occurring disorders, the term used for such a scenario, requires treatment known as integrated treatment.

What Is Integrated Treatment?

Integrated treatment is treatment specifically designed for those dealing with co-occurring disorders such as mental health disorders and drug addiction. Such programs provide combined treatment that accounts for the unique struggles associated with mental health. Simply treating the addiction will leave the mental health issue unaddressed and most likely lead to relapse. On the other hand, when someone treat his mental health disorder without giving proper attention to the accompanying addiction, it is likely that the mental health disorder could resurface as a result of continued drug abuse. Good integrated treatment plans will include the following aspects:

• Education for patients about alcohol and other drugs and how they interact with mental illness.
• Counseling, either individual or group, specifically designed for dual disorders.
• Examining the role of drugs in the patient’s life and why dependency and addiction have occurred.
• Teaching life skills that will equip the patient to solve problems without using drugs.
• Relapse prevention training.

Get Help for Co-occurring Disorders

If you are struggling from a mental health disorder, oxycodone addiction or both, we want to help. In cases of co-occurring disorders, integrated treatment programs can provide the type of specialized attention that is necessary to ensure true recovery. Call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline to speak with a representative who can help you find the integrated treatment program that is best for you. Call now and start the process of recovery of today.

What Is a Disease? Is Oxycodone Addiction a disease?

Disease is defined by dictionary.com as the following:

A disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity or unfavorable environmental factors.

By this definition oxycodone addiction is considered a disease. Poisons and toxins from the abuse of oxycodone lead to rewiring and incorrect functioning of the brain and other parts of the body.

Oxycodone Addiction as a Genetic Disease

As with diseases such as cancer, type II diabetes, heart disease and more some individuals are predisposed to the disease of addiction. This doesn’t mean that they were born with the disease nor does it mean that they will definitely become addicted to oxycodone. Being genetically predisposed to an oxycodone addiction means that you are more likely than others to become addicted and should be extra cautious when using addictive substances. Genetics are not the only factor that influences an addiction, but they can play an important role.

The Effects of Oxycodone Addiction on the Brain

Long-term use and high quantities of oxycodone change brain functioning. Individuals who abuse or overuse oxycodone build a tolerance to the drug and need to take more in order to produce the desired effects. As the body continues to change because of the effects of oxycodone, it becomes addicted to the drug. Without oxycodone the body cannot function properly, and the user will experience withdrawal symptoms. Oxycodone can cause a buildup of fluid in the brain which can cause confusion, headaches, seizures and exhaustion.

Is Oxycodone Addiction a Curable Disease?

Oxycodone addiction is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable. An individual struggling with an oxycodone addiction can achieve long-term recovery and maintain sobriety throughout life. Oxycodone addiction recovery is a long process, but with the help of addiction recovery professionals, a support system, hard work and determination it is possible. Individuals who have the most successful recovery experiences generally go through residential rehab programs that include detox, counseling, therapy and aftercare.

Oxycodone Addiction Help

If you or a loved one is struggling with an oxycodone addiction, please seek help immediately. Oxycodone addiction is a disease, but it is treatable and manageable. By getting help now, you can find long-term recovery. Call our toll-free helpline today to find quality treatment that will work for you as an individual. We are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions or simply listen to your concerns. Break free from oxycodone; call now.

The Time Involved in Oxycodone Tolerance, Dependence and Addiction

Any time a patient or recreational drug user ingests oxycodone for periods of time longer than two weeks the put themselves at a significant risk for tolerance, dependency and addiction. The first warning sign that an individual is becoming addicted to oxycodone is tolerance. Tolerance is evidenced by the fact that the longer someone uses oxycodone, the less effective the drug becomes. This occurs over varying amounts of time, and the process is sped up when oxycodone is used in greater than prescribed doses, used more often than recommended or used without a prescription. The body and brains begin to counteract the effects of oxycodone, and the user will begin to notice that a consistent dose of the drug has a diminished effect. If the response to this scenario is to take more oxycodone until the desired effect is produced, dependency and addiction will develop.

Dependency is often a precursor for addiction and occurs when a user begins to physically and psychologically believe that she or he needs consistent doses of the drug in order to maintain daily function. Dependency makes a person believe that they “need” oxycodone to feel normal. If dependency is allowed to continue, it will lead to addiction and the associated health and overdose risks.

Need Help Finding Resources for Oxycodone Rehabilitation?

If you or someone you care about is struggling with an addiction to oxycodone, we can help. We are available 24 hours a day to provide you with answers to your questions and point you toward quality rehab facilities that can meet your specific needs. The call is always free and confidential. Please call us today and break free from oxycodone.

About Oxycodone Addiction Denial

Denial involves avoiding or rejecting an uncomfortable concept. Oxycodone users and their friends and family often do not want to admit to the existence of a substance abuse problem. Many people don’t realize how powerful and distracting denial can be. When a person in your life is struggling with substance abuse and experiencing problems at work, school or financially, you may will provide an excuse for the behavior and give the person “space” to work things out. Oxycodone addiction has many underlying causes and so does denial. People continue to practice denial up to the point where the issue escalates to such a severe level that excuses no longer apply. Some of the underlying feelings associated with addiction and denial include the following:

• Guilt – taking blame that somehow you are responsible for the person’s addiction
• Embarrassment – being concerned about how others may feel about you in light of your relationship with an oxycodone user
• Justification – saying or thinking such things as, “The person is just going through a rough time” or, “Someone with that type of job and great home environment simply cannot be abusing drugs,” as a way of ignoring obvious signs of addiction

Signs of Oxycodone Addiction

Signs of oxycodone addiction can overcome denial and make all parties involved aware of the problem. These signs may include the following:

• Reduced sense of pain
• Sedation
• Depression
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Slowed breathing
• Needle marks (if injecting drugs)

How Does Oxycodone Addiction Denial End?

If you or the oxycodone user has allowed denial to interfere with getting help, you may want to consider an intervention as a means of ending denial and raising awareness of the problems oxycodone use has caused. By breaking through the wall of denial, you can help oxycodone users understand how reckless and harmful addiction behavior is to both themselves and the people in their life. You may want to seek assistance from a trained professional to help determine the proper strategy and timing for your intervention.

Get Help for Oxycodone Addiction

The first step in oxycodone addiction recovery is to end denial and get a person into treatment. If you or someone you know is addicted to oxycodone, call our toll-free helpline today. We are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you might have about oxycodone addiction treatment. We are here to help.

Oxycodone Addiction Rehabilitation Is Not a Quick Fix

Rehab is proven to save lives and help thousands overcome addictions to drugs like oxycodone. However, the completion of a rehab program is merely the beginning of a lifelong process of staying clean. A major goal of oxycodone rehab is to equip a recovering individual with the necessary tools and knowledge to resist the temptation to use again, once he or she moves from the rehab program back into the real world. Oxycodone rehab is most effective when a recovering individual can leave the program and return to normal life with a strong support system in place. A strong support system can involve any or all of the following:

• A family that is dedicated to helping their loved one stay sober
• A support group such as Narcotics Anonymous
• A team of recovery professionals
• A group of close friends who live healthy lives free from substance abuse

What to Expect after Oxycodone Rehabilitation

Upon completion of an oxycodone rehab program, a person should not expect an immediate or permanent change. The reality of recovery is that the temptation to use oxycodone and other substances will always be present. It takes dedication to long-term sobriety to achieve and maintain a normal healthy life. Completing a rehab program will give a recovering oxycodone user the resources necessary to achieve sobriety. Rehab works for those who return to the world ready and willing to use their new knowledge and skills to stay clean. Relapse may occur, but it does not mean that a person cannot ultimately achieve long-term sobriety. Recovering from oxycodone addiction means that a person is always willing to keep trying even in the face of adversity or setback.

Oxycodone Addiction and Recovery Help

If you are currently using oxycodone or are struggling with maintain your recovery, help is available. Call our toll-free helpline today, and let our recovery counselors help you find the information and resources you need. Whether it is information about detox, rehab programs, support groups or what to do if you have relapsed, we can help. We are available 24 hours a day, so please call now and get the help you need. There is always hope for recovery.

Oxycodone Cravings and Addiction

If you were prescribed some form of oxycodone by a medical professional and are experiencing intense cravings for the substance, there are a few things you should take into consideration. One thing that remains consistently true is that any drug addiction usually erodes users’ physical and psychological health. The substance you are dealing with, coupled with the nature and severity of your addiction, will determine how it affects your mind and body, but it will only get worse.

If you find that you are running through your prescriptions too quickly or you are using multiple doctors for a consistent supply of medication, you are potentially a candidate for an addiction to oxycodone. You should consult your doctor immediately about the possibility of exploring treatment options.

Resources for Oxycodone Rehabilitation

The type of rehab that will best suit for you needs will depend greatly on the nature and severity of your addiction mixed with environmental factors. Generally speaking, rehab for an addiction to oxycodone can usually be carried out in either a residential or outpatient facility. Whether you are in the beginning stages of addiction or you have already successfully completed a rehab process, cravings for oxycodone can be some of the most powerful physical and psychological strongholds.

Overcome Oxycodone Cravings

We are available 24 hours a day at a toll-free helpline to help you find the additional treatment resources you need. We can help you find initial treatment or provide you with a consistent network of support and accountability in the weeks and months following rehab. The call is free, and we may be able to work with your insurer. Please do not hesitate to call us today. A drug-free life is waiting for you, and we can help.

The Popularity of Oxycodone

According to the International Narcotics Control Board, in 2007 the United States had the highest consumption of oxycodone worldwide and consumed 82 percent of the world’s total. The U.S. also had the highest per capita use. There are a many reasons why oxycodone has become so prevalent. These reasons include the ease with which the drug can be obtained and the perception that oxycodone is safer than “street” drugs, since it is prescribed by a doctor and approved by the FDA. Oxycodone can be just as dangerous and addictive as other opium-derived drugs such as morphine or codeine.

The Marketing of OxyContin

OxyContin’s popularity has grown rapidly among prescription and recreational users. While there are many factors that contributed to the rapid rise in use, marketing has played a role. Purdue Pharma, the company that produces OxyContin, has paid more than $650 million in fines for felony and misdemeanor misbranding. The fines were given due to the company encouraging dosing more frequently than recommended and distributing promotional materials for the drug such as beach hats, pedometers and swing music CDs. Marketing techniques helped to increase usage and misuse by appealing to a young and impressionable demographic and making the drug seem safe. There have been numerous reports in the media on the growing number of oxycodone abusers and addicts. While these reports aim to educate the public of the dangers of the drug, they often only serve to heighten curiosity or interest in the drug.

Oxycodone Abuse Help

If you or someone you know is abusing oxycodone, we are here to help. Call our toll-free helpline to learn more about abuse, addiction and your options. Oxycodone addiction treatment may be covered by your insurance plan. We are available 24 hours a day to help you find the recovery solutions you need. Call today.

If you struggle with oxycodone addiction, you may feel defeated or as if you could never go back to a normal life. Your feelings are understandable, but they are not accurate. You can recover. Millions have been where you are and have gotten treatment and experienced recovery. Drug addiction does not have to be a life sentence. You can be free of oxycodone and we can help.

Quitting Oxycodone Cold Turkey

In response to the demoralizing struggle that addiction represents for most who encounter it, many will try to quit cold turkey, as if trying to prove to themselves that they are, in fact, in control. If you are feeling this way, you may experience the same desire. But there is no shame in getting help. Trying to quit on your own is not only highly dangerous, it is also rarely successful. As you know well, oxycodone addiction takes a strong hold on those it affects – a hold that does not loosen easily. Getting help ensures that you will be safe as you detox and that the symptoms of withdrawal can be safely treated. Entering a rehab treatment program means that many of the temptations that would make quitting on your own nearly impossible will be removed. Rehab offers a safe, controlled environment in which you can stay while you get clean and recover on the way to a second chance at life.

Oxycodone Rehabilitation Options

Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to rehab in some quarters. In the past, many may have viewed rehab as a sign of weakness – a sign that someone couldn’t fix themselves. The truth is, in many cases we cannot fix ourselves. We would never view someone visiting a doctor as a sign of weakness and rehab is no different. Seeking rehab and treatment for drug addiction is a selfless act that shows people are thinking of the effect that their addiction has, not just on him or herself, but on their family and loved ones. We want to help you and in doing so help the spouse, children, family and friends who want you to get well.

You Can Get Clean from Oxycodone

If you want to get clean from oxycodone, we can help. Call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline to speak with a trained addiction counselor who can help you determine what type of treatment you need. There is no shame in getting help. Recognizing that you have a problem and getting treatment shows that you are strong enough to do what’s best for you and your family. Call now and let us help you on the road to recovery.