Understanding Oxycodone Addiction

Recognizing Oxycodone Addiction

Oxycodone is a powerful ingredient that’s in many painkillers, prescribed to people who suffer from moderate to severe pain. When someone starts using oxycodone more than they should, they have an oxycodone addiction and will feel the negative side effects that come with it. Some of the oxycodone-based drugs that are commonly abused are: 

• OxyContin: the drug’s controlled-release formula provides chronic pain relief for up to 12 hours. People use the technique of crushing and snorting OxyContin so it will release the effect of it faster. 
• Percocet: The painkiller is a combination of Oxycodone and Acetaminophen ingredients. People either snort or inject it into them so the effects of pain relief happen faster than ingesting orally. 
• Roxicodone: a rapid-release formula of Oxycodone that treats moderate to severe pain. It’s usually given to patients before surgery to sedate or calm them and for pain management afterward. 

Signs of Oxycodone Addiction

There are many signs of oxycodone addiction. A person addicted to oxycodone has behavioral, physical, psychosocial, and cognitive symptoms. These types of symptoms are the following:

• They borrow or steal oxycodone that’s been prescribed to someone else
• Going to multiple doctors to fraudulently acquire a prescription for oxycodone
• Attempting to borrow or stealing money from someone to purchase or order oxycodone
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Pupil constriction
• Impaired coordination
• Disrupted sleep
• Appetite changes
• Psychomotor agitation
• Inability to concentrate or focus
• Memory problems
• Impaired judgment
• Extreme mood swings
• Anxiety
• Outbursts of anger and violence
• Paranoia
• Social withdrawn 

The Side Effects of Oxycodone Addiction

When someone is addicted to oxycodone, there are many side effects to excessive consumption of the drug. It’s dangerous to ignore the side effects that happen from oxycodone addiction. Some of the side effects of oxycodone addiction are the following: 

• Constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach problems
• Itchiness 
• Headaches
• Tiredness
• Dizziness and vertigo
• Respiratory depression
• Poor coordination
• Swelling of limbs
• Coma
• The increased pressure of the spinal fluid
• Anxiety and paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Abnormal thoughts
• Impaired judgment

Journey to Recovery 

Once someone decides to get help for oxycodone addiction, it’s a long journey to recovery but it can be more manageable when getting professional help. The first step to recovery is finding a rehab to provide treatment for your oxycodone addiction. It’s important to detox in a clinical setting to safely treat and manage withdrawal symptoms. WhiteSands Treatment stands out with its systematic and meticulous approach to detox. Understanding the potential challenges of withdrawal, medical professionals at WhiteSands continuously monitor symptoms during the detox process. Instead of the abrupt cessation of the drug, they emphasize a gradual reduction in drug dosage, ensuring it doesn’t happen “cold turkey”. This process starts with an in-depth assessment of the extent of your substance dependence, paired with a thorough physical examination. This assessment allows the medical team to craft an individualized treatment plan tailored to your needs. One of the many questions they often address, due to its importance in the detox process, is “How Long Does Gabapentin Opioid Withdrawal Last?” This is essential to help patients set expectations and be prepared for the recovery journey. The unmatched advantage of undergoing detox at WhiteSands is the close monitoring and precise management of medication, guaranteeing that patients are always on the correct dosage.

 Oxycodone Addiction Treatment

After patients go through an assessment and detox, it’s important they continue to receive ongoing treatment. Some of the skills they learn when receiving treatment are methods on how to cope and continue to maintain abstinence, relapse prevention strategies and skills, dealing with unresolved grief, depression, and anger issues, and developing aftercare treatment plans. WhiteSands Treatment also offers holistic treatment options for patients who want a combination of medical and holistic treatments. The holistic treatments offered are art therapy, biofeedback, exercise therapy, nutritional therapy, pain management, and yoga. Holistic treatments during rehab are in conjunction with medical treatments and are never the only type of treatment that patients should be participating in. Therapy is also an essential method of treatment as many people who have substance use disorder usually use it as a crutch for something emotional going on in their life. If you or your loved one is experiencing signs and symptoms of oxycodone addiction, call WhiteSands Treatment at 877-640-7820. 

FAQs

What is oxycodone, and why is it addictive?

Oxycodone is a prescription drug under the opioid category. It’s prescribed for intense pain and often referred to as painkillers. It can become addictive because it triggers the release of endorphins, which is the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Since it makes you feel so good, people abuse the opioid to continue feeling that way and feel they can’t live without it. 

What are the symptoms of oxycodone addiction?

Oxycodone addiction has many symptoms. Some of the symptoms that can happen to people addicted to oxycodone are:

• They borrow or steal oxycodone that’s been prescribed to someone else
• Going to multiple doctors to fraudulently acquire a prescription for oxycodone
• Attempting to borrow or stealing money from someone to purchase or order oxycodone
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Pupil constriction
• Impaired coordination
• Disrupted sleep
• Appetite changes
• Psychomotor agitation
• Inability to concentrate or focus
• Memory problems
• Impaired judgment
• Extreme mood swings
• Anxiety
• Outbursts of anger and violence
• Paranoia
• Social withdrawn

What are the side effects of oxycodone addiction?

Oxycodone addiction has a ton of side effects that can affect someone’s physical and mental health. The side effects of oxycodone addiction are: 

• Suicidal thoughts
• Financial ruin
• Job loss
• Unemployment
• Academic failure
• Sexual dysfunction
• Damage to vision
• Damage to the heart and lungs
• Physical injury because of impaired judgment and coordination

How is addiction diagnosed?

Oxycodone addiction gets diagnosed by looking at the 11 symptoms that impact physical, psychological, and behavioral factors. The 11 symptoms are the following: 

• When someone starts consuming too much oxycodone or takes it too often, this is considered oxycodone addiction
• The person wants to cut back on the drug but isn’t able to do that
• Most of the days are spent getting oxycodone, using it, or recovering from the symptoms
• The person gets urges and cravings
• The person can’t fulfill obligations that have to do with work, home life, school, or fun activities
• The person continues to use oxycodone even when there are negative outcomes from their relationships
• Even when their life is in danger from the drug use, they still continue using it
• They develop a tolerance to oxycodone, so they start consuming higher dosages
• The person reduces their dosage of oxycodone or stops it fully and starts getting withdrawal symptoms

What treatment options are available for oxycodone addiction?

The treatment options that you should seek for oxycodone addiction are medical and holistic. This includes anything ranging from medical detox, medication management, therapy, art therapy, biofeedback, and yoga. 

What does the path to recovery from oxycodone addiction look like?

The path to recovery from oxycodone addiction occurs when the patient starts slowly medically detoxing from the drug. After detox, medication maintenance is essential to avoiding relapse. Part of medication treatment is being prescribed naltrexone, which is an opioid antagonist that blocks the euphoric effects of opioids. 

What resources are available for individuals struggling with oxycodone addiction and their loved ones?

People struggling with oxycodone addiction should seek resources to get the help they need. The resources available range from rehab and support groups to therapy and sober living houses. It’s important to get help as soon as you start feeling symptoms that indicate oxycodone addiction to prevent overdosing in the future. 

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.