Signs Your Loved One Is Using Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone is an opioid painkiller, similar to codeine, oxycodone, and morphine. It is a powerful narcotic that is used to treat moderate to severe pain. Hydrocodone can be so addictive that it is classified as a Schedule II narcotic. A Schedule II narcotic is a drug that has a high potential for abuse and can cause both physical and psychological dependence.
Hydrocodone use and abuse can quickly escalate to addiction. It is a powerful drug that can have physical, mental, and emotional consequences when abused. This drug is usually prescribed to help people cope with pain symptoms, and when the pain tapers away, sometimes addiction to hydrocodone remains.
If you believe a loved one is abusing hydrocodone, knowing the signs of abuse can help you determine if your loved one needs professional treatment. The sooner you can begin treatment for hydrocodone abuse, the easier it is to recover.
The following are five signs that may indicate your loved one is abusing hydrocodone:
Side Effects Of Vicodin
Individuals react differently to Vicodin. The most common side effects are lightheadedness and dizziness. According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, the effects of hydrocodone last from four to six hours.
But more severe effects, such as depression and addiction, can linger for a lifetime.
Side effects of Vicodin include:
- Headache
- Fever or chills
- Depression
It is possible to overdose on Vicodin. An overdose occurs when people have adverse reactions to an excessive amount of a drug. Left untreated, an overdose can lead to death.
Symptoms of Vicodin overdose include chest pain, bloody urine, trouble breathing, extreme drowsiness and changes in consciousness. If you or your loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
Hydrocodone Addiction And Its Effects On The Body
Hydrocodone, like other Opioids, works by binding to pain receptors in the brain. Once Hydrocodone binds to these receptors, pain signals are weakened or blocked entirely. Mu Opioid receptors are also responsible for the positive reinforcement aspect of drug-taking. Feel-good sensations of euphoria produced by Opioids are likewise introduced here these sensations encourage people to take the drug again. Often, when people try to quit or reduce the amount of Hydrocodone theyre taking, they discover how dependent their bodies have become on the Painkiller. After repeated use, Opioids action in the frontal cortex weaken the individuals ability to control decision-making and regulate mood.
While Hydrocodone is typically taken orally, some who abuse the drug crush the pills and either snort or inject the powder.
Because most people with a Hydrocodone addiction begin by misusing a prescription given to them by their doctor, it can be difficult to see the signs of addiction. Prescription drug abuse involves taking pills more often than prescribed, continuing to take them beyond their prescribed timeframe, and taking them in a way other than how they were intended .
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Talk To A Doctor: Medication Assisted Therapy And Other Treatment Options For Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone addiction treatment options likely involve a combination of both medication-assisted treatment and behavioral therapy.
Due to opioid use disorder affecting millions of people, there are many governments approved medications to help deal with hydrocodone and other opioid addictions.
Medication-assisted therapy, or MAT includes using drugs like buprenorphine , methadone and naltrexone to help reduce craving hydrocodone and ease the pain of withdrawal.
These medications have shown success for decreasing opioid use and overdose, and also increase the chances a person will actively engage and stay in treatment.
MAT is likely best served at an inpatient treatment center because these facilities offer around the clock, 24-hour care. A person will have access to staff and medications needed to overcome withdrawal and the eventual cravings that are likely to persist after detox.
Inpatient treatment centers will also likely provide different behavioral therapies after or along with the MAT that is essential to long-term recovery. Behavioral therapies may consist of one on one counseling, group therapy or support groups and more intensive therapies like dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy .
The ultimate goal of all behavioral therapies is to provide people with the tools they need to live a productive and sober life after leaving treatment.
This page does not provide medical advice.
Immediate Effects Of Hydrocodone Misuse And Abuse Include:
- Blurry vision
- Warm, flushed skin
Long-term abuse of Hydrocodone not only changes the way the brain functions but can have lasting effects on mood and thought patterns. People who have abused Hydrocodone for a prolonged period of time are likely to suffer insomnia, liver or kidney disease, depression, and anxiety. Some mental disorders, like insomnia and depression, can be treated through therapy and medication like Antidepressants. However, damage done to the liver and kidneys is difficult to reverse as well as treat.
Taking too much Hydrocodone can result in an overdose. When the body is unable to process all of the Opioids in its system, breathing and heart rates can plummet. In just a few minutes, someone overdosing on Hydrocodone may stop breathing, depriving their brains of oxygen .
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Risk Of Spreading Disease
In order to snort hydrocodone, it must be crushed into a fine powder. Oftentimes, the surfaces and objects people use to crush pills are contaminated with microorganisms, irritants, and toxins that cause damage to the nasal tissue, throat, and respiratory system. Plus, paraphernalia such as rolled paper, razor blades, or contaminated surfaces may be shared from one person to the next. In the process, individuals could put themselves at a higher risk of disease due to the microorganisms involved. This increases the risk of disease transmission, such as that of Hepatitis C.
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Editor’s Note: Many advocates have moved away from the term “abuse” in an effort to destigmatize addiction and conditions related to it. However, those experiencing addiction who are interested in locating treatment may encounter the term occasionally.
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Signs Your Loved One Is Abusing Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone use and abuse can quickly escalate to addiction. It is a powerful drug that can have physical, mental, and emotional consequences when abused. This drug is usually prescribed to help people cope with pain symptoms, and when the pain tapers away, sometimes addiction to hydrocodone remains.
Developing an addiction to hydrocodone can start slowly but will soon affect a persons health and lifestyle. An addiction to hydrocodone often comes with several noticeable signs and symptoms. If you notice any of these signs, Vertava Health Ohio can help you identify the problem and receive treatment for your loved one.
How Is Hydrocodone Taken
Hydrocodone usually comes as extended-release capsules or tablets.
Extended-release means they are long-acting, and effects can last for up to twelve hours. However, addicted users sometimes crumble these tablets to inject or snort for a fast, intense high. This amplifies the euphoria and increases the dangerous side effects, putting users at a higher risk of overdose.
Hydrocodone is also available in many combined medications. These common combinations include, but are not limited to:
- Aspirin
- Chlorpheniramine
- Guaifenesin
- Homatropine
- Phenylephrine
- Ibuprofen
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What Is Hydrocodones Mechanism Of Action
This analgesic binds with opioid receptors in the brain to diminish the sensation of pain. Activation of opioid receptors is also associated with increased dopamine activity in regions of the brain responsible for reward. The body produces its own substances that bind to the opioid receptors naturally to block pain, calm the body, act as an antidepressant, and slow breathing.
The body doesnt produce enough of these substances naturally for someone to get high or to relieve a substantial amount of pain, but when additional substances are introduced and bind to these receptors, these effects are possible.
Why Do People Become Addicted To Hydrocodone
Although its medical purpose is to allow people with debilitating pain to function normally in everyday life, hydrocodone also has high potential for inducing euphoria. Many people who start with legitimate painkilling prescriptions are tempted to take extra by the lure of feeling really good. As with most drugs, there are also people who take hydrocodone recreationally, for the sole purpose of getting high.
Most people who become addicted, though, simply fall into the trap of relying on a pill to make all their pain go away permanently. If they feel better after the first few doses, they may assume all their pain problems are solved as long as they keep taking the medication. Then, if they start to develop hydrocodone tolerance , their reaction is to add another pill or two to see if that helps. It usually does, so since the problem seems solved once again, they keep on taking extra pills without checking with their doctors. Before long, when they can no longer obtain additional hydrocodone legally, they turn in desperation to illegal sources. And theyre on the slippery slope to a life that revolves around the drug.
Its also possible to become addicted by pure accident: someone follows all the rules, but proves to be more susceptible to addiction than the prescribing doctor anticipated.
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Signs Of Hydrocodone Withdrawal And Addiction
Addiction to this drug can develop rapidly.
Psychological dependence can develop within the very first doses of hydrocodone, while physical symptoms of addiction can occur within a week.
Some signs include:
- Rising tolerance to the same doses
- Compulsive or preoccupied thoughts about using the drug
Dependence on hydrocodone will often occur with increased side effects and withdrawal symptoms when not intoxicated. For example, sedation, low blood pressure, and euphoria will often accompany anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness when the drug leaves the system. These swings back and forth are likely to bring on a noticeably erratic emotional state.
Early in addiction, a user may take hydrocodone primarily for its euphoric effects. However, eventually addicted users may rely on the drug to avoid negative feelings and other withdrawal symptoms.
Behavioral Signs
You also might recognize some changes in behavior as hydrocodone addiction progresses. The most common of these is taking the drug in ways that contradict the prescription. This could mean taking more in each dose or taking it more frequently than recommended. It could also mean taking it in a different way than recommended .
Other behaviors you may notice in yourself or a family member include:
Preoccupation: Addicted users will generally experience obsessive thoughts about taking hydrocodone, even when not in pain.
Aftercare For Hydrocodone Addiction Recovery
Once the rehab program has been successfully completed, the client will embark on the continuing care aspect of recovery. These are intrinsic to the long-term success of the clients recovery outlook. Continuing care helps the client face future triggers, stressors, or life challenges by providing the peer support and counseling needed. Aftercare services might include:
SOBER LIVING HOUSINGSober living is an excellent post-rehab action, as this transitional housing allows the individual time to adapt to their new sober lifestyle within a substance-free environment. In addition, strict zero tolerance policies and random testing help deter relapse.
ONGOING INDIVIDUAL AND/OR GROUP THERAPYOutpatient therapy and group support is essential in recovery. These function as a step-down from a residential program, helping to provide continuity in care during early recovery. Each individual is certain to encounter certain challenges in recovery, and outpatient therapy offers a support system for managing these events.
PARTICIPATION IN RECOVERY COMMUNITYJust as while in rehab, the recovery meetings serve an important function in recovery. These are free meetings, available throughout the country, and provide a valuable source of peer support. Recovery groups also offer the opportunity to meet new sober friends and to serve others in recovery.
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Is Opioid Addiction A Disease
Opioid addiction is not simply like diseases such as pneumonia theres not a magic bullet that cures the person, like an antibiotic can cure pneumonia. We can think of opioid abuse as a medical illness that is governed by things inside of us and outside of us.
Medical conditions typically have a core defining feature. With drug abuse, we can think of the defining feature as the dysregulation of choice that is governed by things inside of us and outside of us . For example, think about eating there is a physical craving, but environmental queues can engage our choice to eat, even when we arent hungry.
When we talk about addiction or opioid use disorder, often people refer to a syndrome of symptoms. There is a syndrome of problematic use of the opioid. The syndrome has features, such as the person using the opioid is giving up other things in their life, and the use of the drug starts to impact them . They crave the drug, and the use of it starts to impact their whole life. Their life becomes organized around the use.
Hydrocodone Abuse And Addiction
Hydrocodone is mentally and physically addictive, particularly when abused. Mayo Clinic states that the risk of developing a psychological addiction from a legitimate prescription when using it as advised is unlikely. Physical dependence on the drug will develop over time even when taking it as recommended as a result, its important to consult the prescribing doctor when stopping use of hydrocodone.
The physical symptoms of withdrawal can occur in people who use the drug to relieve pain or suppress coughing, and then cease use. Generally, those who have taken hydrocodone for a prolonged amount of time or at high doses must be weaned off the drug slowly to prevent the serious side effects of physical withdrawal, such as:
- Nausea
- Goosebumps
- Chills
When people abuse the drug, psychological addiction can quickly form. When a person is psychologically addicted to an opioid pain reliever, they may suffer from anxiety and insomnia. Severe mood changes are possible too. The person will crave the drug and may even resort to illegal acts to obtain it.
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Signs That Someone Is Snorting Hydrocodone
Even though snorting hydrocodone may seem like an efficient way of using the medication to get high, it is dangerous and a sign that someone is addicted. As a result, its important to be able to identify the signs of hydrocodone insufflation. Someone who is snorting narcotics may:
- Have a runny nose often
- Suffer from respiratory problems
- Have white powder around their nostrils or paraphernalia in the home
- Sustain damage to nasal passages
- Struggle with nasal pain and inflammation
- Have a surface in which has powdered residue on it
- Have a hoarse voice
- Develop an increasing tolerance to hydrocodone
- Appear high on opiates frequently
In order to better identify whether or not someone has a problem with hydrocodone, it is also helpful to know what kind of paraphernalia you may find in the possession of someone who is snorting the drug. These include:
- Mirrors or other flat surfaces for crushing
- Rolled up bills or straws used for snorting
- Pressing tools used to crush the powder, such as credit cards or pill crushers
If you or someone you know has been snorting narcotic pain medications like hydrocodone, its time to consider seeking professional substance abuse treatment.
What Does Hydrocodone Addiction Look Like
How do you know if you are experiencing hydrocodone addiction?
- Your body adapts to the effects of hydrocodone and you find yourself taking higher doses of it. The more you take over time, the more your body gets accustomed to the drug. Over time, you may need higher doses of the drug to get the same feeling of euphoria
- If you use the drug without a prescription
- You spend a lot of time and energy getting this drug and getting over the aftereffects. You might miss work or school due to its effects
- You go to different doctors or pharmacies to try and access more hydrocodone
- Your social and work lives begin to suffer. You are focused on getting and using the drug.
- Your mental and physical health is deteriorating, but you continue to use the drug
Alternative therapies such as massage therapy have shown promise as alternatives to addictive pain drugs.
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How To Tell If You Are Addicted To Hydrocodone
The Recovery VillageUncategorized
Chronic pain is a problem across the United States and around the world. When you experience pain due to a health condition such as disease and injury, you may want nothing more than to be pain-free.
Sometimes, hydrocodone and other medications that people take to become pain-free can lead to additional physical, mental and emotional problems. In the past two decades, opioid pain medications have been prescribed liberally, and now many people experience the effects of opioid dependence or even addiction. How do you know if you have an addiction to hydrocodone?
Physical Signs Of Abuse
Besides the visible changes in behavior, physical signs of abuse will begin to emerge when a loved one takes more hydrocodone than a doctor recommends. Physical symptoms may include the following:
- nausea and vomiting
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- dry throat/coughing
You may also mistake some of these physical symptoms for withdrawal symptoms. If you notice your loved one has insomnia, muscle aches, restlessness, cramping, or diarrhea, they may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal from hydrocodone can be somewhat painful, and if you notice any of these withdrawal symptoms, see if you can guide them into a treatment center immediately. Treatment centers like Vertava Health Ohio, are set up to make the withdrawal process as painless as possible. These centers have the proper tools and support to assist a person through the withdrawal and detox process.
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