Symptoms and Signs of Oxycodone Addiction
Oxycodone Addiction and How to Get Help
What is Oxycodone addiction? More importantly, how do you know if you are addicted to Oxycodone? Many of us have had medical procedures or acute pain for which we have been prescribed a painkiller. Yet we are unaware of just how addictive opioids are, including Oxycodone. Before we realize it, we are out of pills, running to the doctor for more. We must stop and ask ourselves if we need the pills for “perceived” or actual pain.
If you are taking Oxycodone for reasons other than actual physical pain, you may be addicted. You are not alone! There are a lot of people out there just like you who are experiencing the same thing. Let us help you better understand what causes Oxycodone addiction and how you can gain control before it controls you.
Immediate Placement in Oxycodone Rehab
Do You see the Pattern in Yourself?
You become “tolerant” and need more. You find that the current strength and dosage of your Oxycodone is not helping. You contact the doctor for higher dosing, or you take more pills than you should despite Oxycodone warnings. You become anxious and jittery when you do not have Oxycodone in your system. You begin to find ways to get Oxycodone when you have run out.
Learn More About Oxycodone Rehab
Effects of Oxycodone Addiction
Oxycodone is meant to be a short-term solution for relieving pain. When taken long-term, there can be unwanted effects, including addiction.
Side Effects of Oxycodone Addiction
Some of the common side effects include:
- Lack of energy
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Heart palpitations
- Hallucinations
- Itching
Long-Term Side Effects of Oxycodone Addiction
- Breathing becomes slow, causing hypoxia when the brain does not get enough oxygen
- Hypoxia can lead to coma, brain damage, or death
- Withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Inability to sleep
- Sense of feeling cold
- Pain throughout muscles and bones
- Uncontrollable movement of legs
- Overdose, which can lead to death
Oxycodone Abuse Leads to Addiction
Most of us do not admit that we “abuse” drugs. However, if you have taken medication for any reason other than what it was prescribed for, that falls under “abuse”. Oxycodone, for example, is designed to change the way our brain perceives pain. Once our brain detects Oxycodone in our system, it releases dopamine. Dopamine causes us to feel euphoric and happy.
This sense of euphoria is short-lived. Once we take Oxycodone to experience that euphoric high rather than treat our specific pain, we abuse this drug. Continual repetition of feeling the high can quickly lead to addiction.
Oxycodone Addiction: Disease or Mental Illness?
Oxycodone addiction is considered a physiological disease of the brain. The disease can cause psychological symptoms to occur, as well. There is a lot of overlap between addiction and mental illness. Those of us who have mental disorders are more likely to become dependent on substances such as Oxycodone. Likewise, those of us who have predispositions for addiction are likely to develop mental illnesses.
The continual use of Oxycodone causes our brains to release dopamine constantly. Our brains are not designed to be in a perpetual state of dopamine. As a result, it tries to compensate by reducing the reward of the euphoric high. We take increased doses of Oxycodone to reach that high. Regardless of the harm, we can do to ourselves by taking more; we pursue more Oxycodone. Our judgment becomes increasingly impaired, with no regard for our well-being.
The region of the brain known as the frontal cortex controls reward, memory, and motivation. Oxycodone addiction distorts judgment and impulse control causing someone struggling with addiction to seek out rewards. This altering of the brain is found in people addicted not only to drugs, but also gambling and food.
Addictive behavior is not something we choose. Our brains are hardwired to respond to Oxycodone in a specific way. If we have a history of mental illness or family members who struggled with addiction, we are predisposed.
Once our brains have been altered in functioning with Oxycodone abuse, our empowerment to quit becomes impaired. If we manage to stop taking Oxycodone, we are still highly vulnerable to start again. Triggers can be as simple as a night out with friends when you need something to boost your mood. Or perhaps you lost someone you love, and instead of dealing with the painful emotions, you use Oxycodone to cope.
We must first clearly understand that addiction is an illness. It is not something unique—a lot of people are going through the same thing you are. Oxycodone addiction affects everyone from well-respected celebrities to the elderly.
So, what do we do? How do we get off this rollercoaster of Oxycodone addiction?
Getting Help
You CAN beat this. There are numerous approaches to getting help for Oxycodone addiction. Addiction is tough to recover from and potentially impossible to do alone. The stigma of getting treatment for addiction is a thing of the past. Opioids like Oxycodone are increasingly prescribed to people from all walks of life. Because of this, many people seek treatment for addiction.
Immediate Placement in Oxycodone Rehab
The Steps to Get Treatment
The hardest part of getting treatment is taking that first step of asking for help. You have a team waiting for you that will be at your side from the moment you make that first phone call. Resurgence Behavioral Health has compassionate, caring members who will guide and help you as soon as you reach out for help. Because each treatment plan is individually customized, the method of treatment varies. However, to give you an overview of treatment options for Oxycodone addiction, we have listed those below.
Inpatient Addiction Treatment
If you require treatment such as detox, you will be admitted to an inpatient care center where you will have around-the-clock medical care.
Detox for Oxycodone Addiction
Detox is done on an inpatient basis. You have the option of social or medical detox. Whichever option you choose, you will have the best in care and support during the entire process.
Intensive Outpatient Therapy
Once you have stabilized and are on the way to recovery, partial hospitalization may be prescribed. This allows you to slowly transition back to your normal life while still residing at the facility and then moving on into outpatient treatment.
Outpatient Addiction Treatment
You will visit the treatment center during scheduled times. During your visits, you will meet with a diverse team of therapists, medical specialists, and counselors. Participation in group therapy may also be included in your treatment plan. The amount of time with each visit is generally longer than that of Intensive Outpatient Therapy (IOP). If you need to plan your treatment around your job, caring for your children, or school, you can participate in intensive outpatient therapy.
Payment and Insurance
Resurgence Behavioral Health’s compassionate staff strives to make every step of your journey to recovery as easy as possible. We offer convenient ways to make a payment as well as assisting you in insurance verification.
Payment Options
- Most PPO insurances are accepted (see below)
- Private Pay
- Payment Plans
Make payments online through our secure online payment service.
Insurances
We will contact your insurance provider on your behalf to verify coverage. Our confidential online insurance verification form is available if you prefer to check your coverage.
Accepted Insurances (If yours is not listed here, please contact us.)
- Assurant Health
- Vista Insurance Partners
- Humana
- Ameritas Group
- Health Net
- Cigna
- Horizon Blue Cross
- Premera Blue Cross
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
Free Insurance Verification for Oxycodone Rehab
Resuming Normal Life
Once you have successfully graduated from treatment, you will resume a normal life. Treatment may have ended, but before your last treatment visit, you will be provided with aftercare strategies.
Having a team of people by your side during treatment is like having your own personal cheering squad. You will be equipped and motivated to live a clean, drug-free life.
Contact Resurgence Behavioral Health today.
