It is becoming well known in the United States that opioid addictions are on an uprise. Opioids are prescription strength painkilling drugs that doctors give patients who are struggling with some extreme pain due to a physical injury or surgery. A few examples of what Opioids are prescribed for are relieving pain from toothaches, surgery, and cancer. The problem with Opioids is that they are highly addictive and are similar to the street drug, heroin.
Patients tend to become addicted to these Opioids as a result, and when they run out of their prescription or run out of money to replenish their prescription, they develop strong cravings to get more of the painkiller. Most people look to buy heroin off the street out of desperation to relieve the horrific withdrawal symptoms that follow abstinence from Opioids and because heroin is far cheaper. This leads to the vicious cycle of addiction which, when heroin becomes involved, leads to death by overdose.
Opioids are starting to surpass the number of deaths caused by guns and now doctors have become more aware of this problem. To avoid more up rises in Opioids, loved ones or friends can look for specific warning signs that the person they communicate with regularly is struggling with an Opioid addiction. The more people learn these signs, the fewer people will fall into the trap of opioid dependency.
Oxycodone is one of the many Opioids out there and can cause the following symptoms if the patients are abusing the drug.
- Unable to quit using Oxycodone
- Majority of their time is dedicated to using Oxycodone
- Intense cravings for Oxycodone
- Decreased attention to social activities
- Oxycodone use continues after negative results of using the drug
- Tolerance builds up (drug no longer has same effects)
- Withdrawal symptoms occur with nonuse (chills, fever, irritability)
These are just some of the signs of Oxycodone problems, but there are also behavioral symptoms like fatigue, dramatic personality changes, decreased hygiene, and the development of a secretive life, which comes with most drug addictions because the user does not want anyone else to know about their drug use. In general, the symptoms for all Opioid abuse are:
- Drowsiness
- Vomiting
- Slow breathing
- Bad coordination
- Agitation
- Slurred speech
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Decreased motivation
- Mood swings
If these symptoms are missed, there are signs to look for if the individual had overdosed on Opioids:
- Unconscious
- Irregular or no breathing
- Erratic or no pulse
- Small pupils
There is no need to panic. Not everyone becomes addicted to Opioids, but addiction does remain a possibility if the doses are not done carefully. Using Opioids more than a month is when addiction becomes more of an option. As soon as you or someone you know starts experiencing these signs and symptoms, go to the doctor because they can prescribe medicine that can relieve withdrawal symptoms to prevent overdose. Medication by itself is not enough to completely eradicate drug use. Therapies from professionals are needed to help the user overcome their dependency on Opioids.
A treatment center called Asana Recovery offers the resources needed to overcome Opioid addictions. There, they provide a calm environment with detox and residential treatment programs. Contact 949-438-4504 to learn more about their treatment programs.