Hydrocodone Addiction

Hydrocodone is an opioid, derived from the opium poppy, like many of the more common pain relieving drugs available today. Hydrocodone is one of the most used recreational drugs in the United States, and hydrocodone addiction is a big problem.

What is Hydrocodone addiction?

Hydrocodone acts directly on the brain receptors and production of dopamine and serotonin, consequently it alters the mental state of the user – a hydrocodone high is not dissimilar to that of cocaine or heroin. The user will have a rush, go into a state of euphoria, and may be disassociated from things that are happening around them. Of course, the high only lasts a short while, and the low that accompanies a crash is just as extreme. Initially hydrocodone was developed to alleviate pain and the problems associated with it. But, being an addictive and habit forming drug, users often become abusers, and then addicts.

Hydrocodone addiction can be said to be defined by the user developing a dependency on the drug. On a day to day basis they cannot perform normal daily tasks without hydrocodone to get them through. The drug is widely used by people below the age of 40 – teenagers and young adults are a large percentage of hydrocodone abusers. They often misuse the Hydrocodone because they are unaware of the strong effect that the drug has on its users.

The effects of Hydrocodone addiction

Hydrocodone abuse is a growing problem in the United States, no longer prescribed by many physicians because of its addictive qualities and other potent side effects. Many users purchase their supplies of Hydrocodone online and there are other illegal methods of obtaining this opioid if you really want to find it. Hydrocodone addiction brings with it all of the expected difficulties and problems of living with any addiction, but because of its potency some of the side-effects of long term abuse can be devastating. Even short term use can cause quite a range of side-effects:

• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Decreased libido
• Sedation
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Irritability
• Seizure
• Sluggishness
• Clammy skin
• Vomiting

Long term use of Hydrocodone has led many users to find that they are unable to function at all when they are not using, they suffer withdrawal symptoms within hours of missing a dose. The withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks, and can be extremely severe in the first few days. The initial hours of withdrawal can find the addict in acute and severe pain, unable to rest or relax, unable to think about anything except the craving for a fix. And that amply demonstrates the reason for the term fix – except that in the case of Hydrocodone addiction, or any other addiction for that matter, it was the fix that started the problem in the first place. The extreme severity of withdrawal symptoms from Hydrocodone addiction means that for many, going it alone is not possible.

Treating Hydrocodone addiction

Hydrocodone addiction is like any other habit forming problem and users should be treated with care, look at the person and not only the addiction. The addiction does not make them bad people, often they are intrinsically good people that have succumbed to the powerful chemical agents in Hydrocodone. Even accepting that it is the addiction which sometimes drives them to commit criminal acts, if those of us who want to help forget the person behind the addiction we risk losing them completely. Addicts are not criminals just because they are suffering an addiction, and should be cared for to heal them rather than being dumped into a penal system where precious little help is available.

Hydrocodone is one of the most powerful opiates that anyone can take, so users need to get help from a licensed physician when they have decided to face and deal with their addiction. There are a number of great recovery programs that can help abusers learn new pain management techniques while either assisting a addict to do a total detox or managing a weaning off programme if the health of the user is so compromised that full detox is not an immediate option. Many of the best treatment facilities adopt a holistic treatment approach that includes counseling, addressing emotional issues, beginning to uncover and unravel the complex problems that may underlie any addiction and dealing with the physical aspects of drug abuse. Hydrocodone addicts can learn new strategies for dealing with tension without turning to self harming drugs anymore.

Recovering from Hydrocodone addiction

Long term recovery means getting the addict’s life back in order. In turn this means looking at the things that lead the drug user down the dependency track and learning how to avoid doing those things, or changing lifestyle to make sure that those situations are simply not part of the addicts’ life anymore. Temptation and relapse lurks around every corner. Sometimes people and places will remind the recovering addict of their former drug habit – this can be a positive affirmation or freedom from the tyranny of addiction, but it is just as likely to be a siren call to the bad old habits. The key to beating any drug addiction is having the tools and the understanding to resist temptation and see it for what it really is.

Living a drug free life, as many recovering addicts have already proved, is eminently achievable. It requires mental and emotional strength, physical stamina and continued support from family and friends as well as professionals who are experienced in the problems and difficulties that recovering addicts will meet every day.

In a nutshell a user must adopt a new perspective and live each day with no lapse or relapse as a success to be celebrated. Using the coping methods and strategies that they have learned to deal with the everyday stresses of life, focusing on the health of their body and mind and being a useful, productive member of society are all milestones that further rebuild and reinvigorate an addict in recovery.

It is possible, it is achievable and you, or someone you are concerned about, can do it. Kick the habit, get clean and rebuild not just one life, but all the lives damaged by the addiction. But do it today.