Oxycodone Overdose and Death
What is Oxycodone
Oxycodone is a powerful prescription opiate that is used to relieve moderate to severe pain.
Because it is highly addictive and potent, doctors often reserve it for the treatment of chronic pains that are unresponsive to other pain relief methods.
You may receive an oxycodone prescription after a severe injury, accident, or diagnosis of cancer or arthritis.
Unfortunately, while there are approved medical uses for oxycodone, related rates of abuse, addiction, overdose, and even death are high.
In 2018 alone, 46,802 individuals died of an opioid-related overdose.
Immediate Placement in Rehab
How Common is Oxycodone Addiction
Oxycodone addiction is one of the most common substance abuse disorders.
Misuse of oxycodone and other prescription painkillers is the second-most common type of illicit drug use in the United States.
Oxycodone’s primary initial side effects include pain relief and euphoria, two qualities that are highly addictive.
But these initial side effects are generally fleeting and are followed by more dangerous ones.
Side effects of long-term or high-dose abuse of oxycodone include a wide range of mental and physical health impairments, comas, and fatal overdoses.
Learn More About Rehab
Prescription Oxycodone Uses
Oxycodone is the pain-relieving ingredient in several prescription drugs, including OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, and Tylox, among others. In approved and monitored medical use, it can relieve pain and improve quality of life. Unfortunately, even prescription-based use of oxycodone can lead to addiction. And the addiction does not always stop there. Many heroin users started with prescription opioids. It is unsafe to assume that a medication is not dangerous because a doctor gave it to you.
The Drug Enforcement Agency or DEA labels oxycodone as a schedule II drug for its high potential of abuse and addiction. You should always take your medication the way that it is prescribed. Avoid taking oxycodone for longer than you are supposed to or increasing your doses without your doctor’s knowledge. Care should also be taken to avoid mixing the opioid with other drugs or alcohol, as well. When these cautions are not enough to avoid developing an addiction, we can help.
Oxycodone Abuse
Prescriptions direct you to swallow oxycodone pills. In illicit use, this is not always the method of choice. Many people choose to snort oxycodone so that it passes the nasal lining and enters the bloodstream faster. This method allows its effects to take hold almost instantly, but it also increases your risk of becoming addicted. Chewing the pills or mixing them with water to make them injectable are two other abuse methods. Each of these ingestion methods is more dangerous than swallowing the pills as instructed.
Oxycodone’s Role in the Opioid Epidemic
The opioid epidemic started in the 90s and has continued since then in different waves or stages. Prescription and illicit opioids drove the first wave. Oxycodone and other prescription painkillers were prescribed loosely because we did not yet understand how dangerous and addictive they were. With opioid addiction rates remaining high today, many medical experts theorize that we never truly recovered from the impact of the opioid stage. In 2010, the opioid epidemic shifted and the focus of the country was brought to the high number of deaths related to heroin.
The Heroin Wave of the Opioid Epidemic
From the first wave to the second, heroin and prescription opioid overdoses continued to rise. As the numbers continued to grow, it became clear that these prescriptions were a gateway to heroin use. Studies confirmed that up to 85% of surveyed heroin users used prescription opioids first. This is something that we are still struggling to get under control. Heroin and prescription opioid abuse and overdoses continued to occur in large numbers as the third wave began. This wave saw a large number of fatalities due to synthetic opioids.
Fentanyl was one of the most common. While the opioid epidemic is broken down into waves for clarity, there is a significant amount of overlap. Each of these damaging substances continues to wreak havoc today. But that does not mean that there is no hope in combating the opioid epidemic. If you are battling an addiction to oxycodone or another opioid, we can help. We have spent many years building our research-based treatment methods, holistic remedies, and useful resources. Recovery starts with a choice.
Immediate Placement in Rehab
Addiction Treatment Options
Recovering from any addiction can be a daunting challenge. And recovering from oxycodone addiction comes with a unique set of challenges. Our safe, comfortable, and conveniently located facilities, as well as our dedicated teams of professionals, make it easier to address and overcome these challenges. We provide personalized, high-level care programs. This requires a well-rounded variety of addiction treatment options. Depending on your addiction, mental health, and other needs, we will help you choose the right treatment program to start with. We offer:
- Personalized medical and non-medical detoxes
- Inpatient or residential care programs
- Partial hospitalization programs
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Traditional outpatient programs
- Dual diagnosis programs for clients with addictions and underlying mental health disorders
- Aftercare planning and services
- 12-step meetings
- Alumni programs
Medication-assisted treatments, trauma-informed care, and other specialized treatment methods are also available.
Addiction Treatment Methods
An effective addiction care program is a well-rounded addiction care program. To meet the needs of both the body and mind, we offer a wide variety of addiction treatment methods. Some of these methods include activities that are used in most addiction treatment facilities, like individual, family, and group therapy sessions. Support groups and relapse prevention training are other common care methods. These methods are ideal for understanding and rewiring damaging thought patterns and behaviors. Other care methods we offer are more unique and help you accomplish additional recovery goals.
These types of care methods can help improve both your mental and physical health. Because most of our facilities are located within minutes of a beach, we offer recreational activities like beach trips, yoga, meditation, and fitness classes. We also use creative activities like art and music therapy to help you build healthy emotional outlets, relieve stress, and build new habits and hobbies. Combining proven therapeutic techniques with holistic remedies and recreational activities can help you find the perfect balance of peace and clarity during your recovery.
Paying for Addiction Treatments
If you have health insurance, it may cover part or all of the costs of your addiction treatment program. While plans, locations, and coverage amounts may vary, most health insurance providers offer some level of coverage for these types of programs. And we work with most major health insurance providers to ensure that our clients get the care they need and deserve.
If you have health insurance, please call our admissions counselor for a complimentary insurance verification. Once we know what is covered, we can help you put together a plan for the rest. If you do not have health insurance, please call and ask about our convenient alternative payment options.
Free Insurance Verification for Rehab
Resurgence Behavioral Health
Oxycodone addiction is not something that you have to face alone.
Our dedicated addiction teams have spent years developing effective and personalized treatment programs for our clients.
Thousands of individuals and families have trusted us to help them make this change.
The road to recovery is waiting for you here at Resurgence Behavioral Health.
Call us today for more information or to start with your complimentary insurance verification.
