Oxycontin Addiction Concerns

Oxycontin Addiction Concerns

Oxycontin, called “oxy” for short, provides effective pain relief for people with chronic pain problems. However, this drug also provides a relaxing, pleasant high for people abusing the drug. If you suffer oxycontin addiction, you do not stand alone. In fact, over 50,000 people enter treatment for oxy addiction each year.

If you seek addiction treatment options for yourself or someone you love, you know the power of oxycontin. Specifically, oxycontin addiction takes over many lives, with this drug being a big part of the opioid epidemic. Addiction takes hold quickly, with tolerance and physical dependence occurring within just a few weeks for many people.

Sadly, addiction to this drug makes you 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin. Therefore, oxycontin addiction is only part of the bigger picture, if you don’t get the help you need.

oxycontin addiction

Signs and Symptoms of Oxycontin Addiction

Oxycontin affects your opioid receptors in your brain and body. Moreover, this slows your body’s functioning like heroin. Signs of oxycontin addiction vary from person to person. However, some signs remain common among individuals abusing these powerful drugs.
Those signs of oxycontin abuse and addiction include:

  • Itching and dry mouth
  • Constipation
  • Hallucinations and abnormal thoughts
  • Poor grooming or personal hygiene
  • Keeping secrets about your daily activities or whereabouts
  • Doctor shopping and other pill seeking behaviors
  • Drugged driving and nodding off

All of these signs point to a drug problem. In addition, other signs of addiction to oxycontin include developing tolerance to the drug and needing more to feel the same effects. After tolerance, dependence quickly develops. With dependence, you experience physical effects of withdrawal if you try to stop using the drug.

From Tolerance to Withdrawal

The road from oxycontin tolerance to addiction is quick. For example, tolerance first occurs whether you gain your pills by prescription or illegally on the streets. Your body becomes used to your typical dose of oxy. Therefore, you take more of the pills to feel the effects you enjoyed from your early drug abuse.

After tolerance, addiction sets in. You can see your addiction clearly because you keep using the drug, despite the negative effects it has on your life and relationships. Your addiction leads you to behave dishonestly, lying and stealing to gain more of your drug. You have changed in many ways and neglect other areas of your life to gain and use more oxy.

Maybe you commit some crimes to feed your addiction. For example, these crimes include doctor shopping for prescriptions, providing false medical history, forging prescriptions, and possibly even stealing oxy. However, you don’t like who you are today, sacrificing everything important for your drug.

With your oxy abuse comes physical dependence. In fact, physical dependence means your brain rewired itself to work properly with the drug in your system, instead of without it. You need oxy to feel “normal” each day. If you don’t use oxy, you suffer the ill effects of withdrawal.
Opioid withdrawal symptoms include increased pain sensitivity, called rebound pain. Moreover, you also suffer sleeplessness, restlessness, and agitation. You experience appetite changes, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea as well. You sweat a lot, feel cold, shiver, and want your drug so the negative effects of withdrawal will stop.

Oxy Treatment Near Hazleton, PA

Near Hazleton, PA, Silver Pines Treatment Center provides detox and residential rehab for your opioid addiction. You can end your oxy abuse and regain a healthier, happier life. You just need the right help.
For example, addiction treatment programs at Silver Pines Treatment Center include:

You can leave your addiction behind and begin a new life in healthy sobriety. Your new life begins at Silver Pines Treatment Center. Call us now at 267.719.8689 to find your path to recovery over oxycontin addiction.

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