It is an unfortunate fact that painkiller addiction is extremely prevalent in the United States. Most people who become addicted to pain killers like oxycodone do not start out taking it recreationally. They start taking it because they are prescribed it due to an illness or surgery.
Although not everyone becomes addicted to oxycodone, a large number of people do wind up needing an addiction treatment center. Oxycodone withdrawal and addiction usually requires treatment for both the original illness and withdrawal.
What Illnesses are Associated with Oxycodone Addiction?
Most of the time when oxycodone is prescribed it is for one of two reasons. These reasons are:
- post surgical pain resulting from:
- joint replacement surgery
- digestive surgery
- urinary or reproductive surgery
- cancer removal
- major bone breaks
- any other major surgical procedure
- chronic pain resulting from:
- fibromyalgia
- cancer
- chronic back pain
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- other moderate to severe chronic pain conditions
Although these illnesses do not specifically cause an oxycodone addiction, oxycodone is highly addictive. Similar chemically to heroin just a few doses can cause a serious problem.
Those with anxiety or depression are at higher risk of developing an addiction.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as of 2014 around 1.9 million people were addicted to prescription pain killers such as oxycodone. Most of these people started with addiction with an illness such as chronic pain or a condition requiring surgery.
If you find yourself addicted to oxycodone, you need the help of a treatment center. To find one all you have to do is call 888-810-2643.
How do you Become Addicted to Oxycodone?
Oxycodone and drugs like it bind to the opioid receptors in the brain. These opioid receptors release dopamine into your system. Dopamine is a key chemical in feeling happy, numb, and generally peaceful. Feeling this way is very seductive, particularly if you are suffering from depression as well as another more physical problem.
This feeling causes you to want more of the drug. If you are prone to addiction or have one or more of the risk factors of addiction, you start taking more and more of it until chemical and physical changes in your brain cause you to need the drug or go into withdrawal. According to the Mayo Clinic, some of these risk factors are:
- lack of family
- anxiety and depression
- mental illness
- genetic predisposition to addiction
- social isolation
If you have one or more of these risk factors, you should think twice about taking oxycodone. The last risk factor to addiction that the Mayo Clinic mentions is you are taking a highly addictive drug. Oxycodone is similar to morphine and heroin in that they are all extremely addictive.
How is Oxycodone Addiction Treated?
Fortunately, there are both medical and behavioral treatments available for oxycodone addiction. Most addiction treatment centers offer:
- medication assisted withdrawal
- medication management
- individual counseling
- group therapy
Since oxycodone addiction is both a physical and mental disease, it is one of the hardest to overcome even with treatment.
How can you Find Treatment for an Oxycodone Addiction?
To beat your oxycodone addiction, you will need a treatment center that understands both your illness and your addiction. You can find one of these treatment centers simply by calling 888-810-2643.
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