Doctors started prescribing more opioid painkillers like Oxycontin, which comes from the opium poppy plant. If you have these risk factors, doctors really need to watch how they prescribe Oxycontin. Others are more serious, like slowed breathing, confusion, or allergic reactions. The recommendation is that you take the medication as soon as you remember, and try to return to your normal schedule of doses as soon as possible. As noted above, oxycodone comes in both a liquid form, and as tablets or pills. Luckily, with so many treatment options available, recovery is absolutely possible.
1 Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse
Addiction, or opioid use disorder, is when you keep using Oxycontin even as it messes with your life. Maybe you go out of your way to get more, lose interest in things you once enjoyed, or obsess over the drug. Doctors might recommend it after surgeries, cancer treatment, or injuries. Oxycontin releases slowly over several hours, so its effects last longer than some other pain pills. Addiction is highly unlikely, but not completely ruled out, for those taking just a few doses to help heal after physical trauma, surgery or illness. After long-term use, a resistance level is achieved, often requiring a higher dosage to alleviate pain.
Side Effects of OxyContin Addiction
The high from OxyContin is often compared to heroin, and people with an OxyContin addiction can quickly develop a tolerance to the drug. When this heroin addiction happens, users feel they need larger amounts of the drug for the same effect, and that’s often when it becomes a lethal situation. Some signs of OxyContin addiction include changes to behavior or lifestyle, taking the drug in ways other than how it’s intended to be used and seeming tired or detached.
Signs of OxyContin Misuse
Symptoms begin within hours of the last dose, intensify during the peak phase, and gradually subside over the following days. Managing oxycontin withdrawal requires medical supervision How Addictive Is OxyContin to ensure safety and minimize discomfort. Without professional intervention, the severity of symptoms compels individuals to relapse in an attempt to alleviate distress, prolonging the cycle of addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2020), MAT reduces opioid misuse by 50% and improves treatment retention rates. Recovery duration varies, spanning several months to years, but MAT’s reliance on long-term medication use raises concerns about dependency.
When this happens, it means that a static dose of a drug becomes less and less effective with time as your body gets used to the amount of the drug in your system. A combination of medical support and counseling ensures that patients with OxyContin addiction receive comprehensive care. Since addiction and mental health issues often go hand-in-hand, treatment for co-occurring conditions ensures the most robust recovery experience. If you or a loved one is struggling with OxyContin addiction, we can help. Treatment for this addiction typically includes a physical exam and intake questions to better understand your OxyContin use and situation. Withdrawing from opioids like OxyContin can be very uncomfortable or dangerous, so clients generally undergo a medical detox where they can withdraw from the substance under medical supervision, followed by continued rehab care.
Oxycodone and OxyContin
- For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
- Advise patients of the potential for severe constipation, including management instructions and when to seek medical attention see ADVERSE REACTIONS and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY.
- The number of deaths from using heroin has gone up since more heroin now contains fentanyl.
The dangers of OxyContin addiction are overdose, respiratory depression, and severe physical, psychological, and social consequences. Prolonged misuse of OxyContin impacts nearly every aspect of an individual’s life, leading to life-threatening complications and long-term harm. The symptoms and effects of OxyContin addiction include intense cravings, physical dependence, and significant psychological and physiological harm. The drug’s addictive nature stems from its ability to trigger the brain’s reward system by releasing dopamine, reinforcing compulsive use and leading to dependency. Withdrawal symptoms further perpetuate the cycle of addiction, making it difficult for users to quit.
