The abuse of all opioids is very dangerous, but the dangers of abusing Oxycontin can be very severe to an individual. Given the potency of the drug, the chances of becoming dependent upon it and addicted to it are serious. Because Oxycontin is used for pain relief in medical procedures and treatment, often people need to take the drug for long periods of time. In this instance, it is very easy to become addicted to the drug. Further, once addicted, there are different ways to get the drug into your system and each method can be more and more dangerous, have more and more complications related to it, and also make you more and more addicted to the medication.
Oxycontin is used for chronic pain relief due to its ability to cause someone to relax and to feel euphoric. Oxycontin comes in pill form and when prescribed by a physician, is ingested in order to get the medication into your system. However, there are other ways that addicted people get the drug into the system. Often, due to the ability to more quickly feel the effects of Oxycontin, people will snort it, smoke it or even inject it. Each one of these methods carries different problems.
When people “snort” Oxycontin, they crush a pill into a fine powder and snort it up their nose. In this method, the effects of the drug can come at a faster pace as well as more potency. The nose was not made for this type of activity with this type of substance. Long term snorting of drugs in the manner can cause serious and permanent conditions. The dangers of abusing Oxycontin in this method can have several negative physical side effects, including:
- Damaged nasal pathways
- Lung and breathing difficulties
- Infections of the lungs
When people “smoke” Oxycontin, they crush up a pill, place it on tinfoil and burn it, creating smoke and fumes from the drug. They would then inhale the fumes with a straw, directly into their lungs. This type of method allows the benefits of the drug to hit the brain almost instantly, making it a very quick high. Due to this quickness, it also increases the chances of becoming more and more addicted to the drug. It can also cause infections in the lungs and throat and create breathing problems.
That last method to abuse Oxycontin is to inject it. This is the fastest way for the drug’s effects to hit the brain. Injecting the drug means that it is turned into liquid form and put in a hypodermic needle and the liquid is injected directly into the bloodstream. This method will create the strongest and quickest high. However, as in the other methods, there are dangers of abusing Oxycontin in this method.
- Needle scars on your arms and other parts of your body
- Infections
- The spread of HIV/AIDS through sharing dirty needles
Being able to stop the abuse of Oxycontin, in no matter what method is used, can be very difficult to achieve on your own. It takes a team of dedicated and caring addiction professionals to help you through the process and beyond. The road ahead will be a difficult one, but it can be passable.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
