OxyContin
What is Oxycontin?
OxyContin is a prescription medication that is used to treat moderate to severe pain and can be a wonderful help for people suffering from serious or chronic pain. So how do you get addicted to OxyContin?
This is a question that many people ask themselves when either they or someone they love has an OxyContin addiction. Because OxyContin is a prescription drug, it can be easy to think that it is safe to take. In fact, this drug can be dangerous when used for a long time or used incorrectly.
Read on to answer the question of “how do you get addicted to OxyContin?” Resurgence Behavioral Health can help people overcome their addiction to this drug.
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Understanding OxyContin
When asking how “do you get addicted to OxyContin?” it is important to first understand what OxyContin is. OxyContin is an opioid, which is the same drug family that oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and heroin belong to. Opioids work by blocking pain receptors in your brain. They also make people feel relaxed and happy, which is what makes these drugs so addictive.
Regular use, even when prescribed by a doctor, can lead to a dependency. When misused, this dependency can very quickly turn into an addiction.
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OxyContin Abuse
Oxycontin abuse has increased quite a lot in the last few years due to many users becoming addicted to it. How do you get addicted to OxyContin? The answer can be different for each person. They might have been prescribed too high a dosage from their doctor or have been prescribed OxyContin for too long of a period. It could be that they took oxycontin without a prescription to get high.
People who abuse oxycontin take more than the recommended dose. They can do this by swallowing pills, crushing them to inhale them through their nose, or even dissolve it to inject them into their veins. No matter how you became addicted, OxyContin stats for addiction and overdose are grim.
Many people who first start off taking OxyContin and become addicted eventually turn to harder drugs like heroin and fentanyl to get high, as they are cheaper and easier to get. OxyContin stats for overdose deaths have skyrocketed in the last few years, as have overdose deaths from heroin and fentanyl.
How Does It Affect Your Mind?
How you get addicted to OxyContin is largely due to how it affects your brain. When someone uses OxyContin, it makes them feel happy and relaxed because it releases dopamine, a chemical in your brain that makes you feel good. Once this dopamine wears off, OxyContin users often feel sad and crave the drug to feel good again.
Over time, a user’s brain becomes dependent on oxycontin to produce dopamine. OxyContin can also make you feel drowsy, make you fall asleep, and make you feel sluggish. This makes many normal tasks, such as driving, dangerous when using OxyContin.
How Does it Affect Your Body?
OxyContin stats show us that it does not just affect your mind; it has major effects on your body as well. Short-term use of OxyContin can cause issues like constipation, dry mouth, dizziness, low blood pressure, confusion, and weakness. OxyContin stats show that the longer you abuse the drug, the more serious the side effects that you can experience. This can include:
- Severe constipation
- Frequent vomiting
- Muscle spasms or twitching
- Severe heart and lung problems
- Skin or blood infections from injecting
If you take high doses of OxyContin, you run the risk of opioid intoxication. This happens when there is too much of the drug in your system, and your body can not handle it. This can cause breaking problems, coma, and even death. The risk of overdose is even higher for people who drink alcohol while using OxyContin.
OxyContin Withdrawal
When someone who is addicted to OxyContin stops taking it, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal from opiates can occur any time long-term use is reduced or stopped. Withdrawal symptoms usually start within 12 hours of your last dose of OxyContin and are similar to having the flu. They can include:
- Muscle aches
- Watery eyes
- Insomnia
- Runny nose
- Sweating
Users may also experience anxiety or agitation, as well as yawning. As withdrawal symptoms continue, they become more unpleasant. This period is called late withdrawal, and can include:
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- Dilated pupils
- Goosebumps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
These symptoms are uncomfortable and can be difficult to deal with. Even though they are not often life-threatening, having the support of a facility that is well-informed in OxyContin rehab, such as Resurgence Behavioral Health, is important. Our team will be able to help minimize the effects of withdrawal to make the process more comfortable.
Mental Illness and Oxycontin
One of the answers to how do you get addicted to OxyContin may be influenced by your mental health. Research has shown that people with existing mental health issues are far more likely to be prescribed – and become addicted to – oxycontin. People with depression or anxiety, or who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, panic disorder, or major depressive disorder are more likely to abuse or develop an addiction to oxycodone.
Even if you did not suffer from a mental health issue before you started using oxycontin, there are still risks for people wondering “how do you get addicted to OxyContin?” Prolonged use of OxyContin can cause a range of problems that can affect your mental health. It can cause issues in your marriage, possibly leading to divorce or a loss of friends and family members.
Tardiness or absence can cause you to lose your job or be expelled from school. Spending money on drugs rather than bills can lead to financial problems. All these issues combined have eventually led to homelessness for many addicts.
Treatment Options for OxyContin Abuse
Before you can address the how’s and why’s behind your OxyContin addiction, your rehab will first work toward getting you detoxed from the drug. The easiest and most comfortable way to go through detox is a process called Medication-Assisted Treatment, or MAT. Oxycodone rehab statistics show that MAT works best for detoxing.
During MAT treatment, clients will get doses of special medications that help with withdrawal symptoms. These medications work by making the brain think it is still getting oxycodone. These medications are then slowly decreased to help clients manage oxycodone detox with less discomfort. Once detox is completed, another medication called naltrexone can be taken to help clients to not crave oxycodone.
Treatment After Detox
At Resurgence Behavioral Health, we offer each of our clients a personalized OxyContin rehab program to suit their needs. From inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, or a residential program, we help you to decide what program option is best for you. Once you are through the detox, we can begin further treatment with therapy sessions.
Our OxyContin rehab statistics show that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is a great option for clients. CBT allows us to work with you to figure out the reasons for using OxyContin, and how your beliefs influence your behaviors. By getting the reasons behind why you have an addiction, we can help you to get on the path to total recovery.
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Get the Help You Need from a Dedicated Team
The first step in your journey to beating your OxyContin addiction is simple: contact us. At Resurgence, we pride ourselves on building an affordable, personalized recovery plan for each client – without sacrificing quality. Our free insurance verification allows us to help you figure out exactly what your insurance will pay for.
We accept most PPO insurance as well as private forms of payment for treatment. We will also communicate with your insurance provider to ensure that you receive every benefit that you are entitled to. You can complete a simple form right from our website or call us directly.
At Resurgence, we believe that environment is just as important as treatment. That is why our locations are in peaceful neighborhoods, with plenty of open space for quiet and security. Our warm, sunny weather and proximity to beaches and parks mean that, when you are ready and able, you can enjoy being outside.
And our specially prepared nutritious meals help to support your total physical recovery. How do you get addicted to OxyContin? The how does not matter; what does matter is that you do not have to stay addicted, and you do not have to face oxycodone withdrawal and detox alone.
Let us help arm you with all the tools and resources that you need to be successful in overcoming your addiction. Call us today to get started on your road to a drug-free life.
