Addiction

Hydrocodone is a prescription drug and it is an active ingredient in products such as Loritab, Vicodin and Lorcet. This drug can be taken in a liquid or solid pill form. It is often prescribed as a pain medication and it is very powerful. People who take this drug can often become physically and emotionally addicted to it, especially if they do not follow the rules prescribed by the doctor.

Hydrocodone is able to give the person a euphoric feeling as the drug is able to effectively block out the pain receptors that go to the brain. People who are addicted to the drug often take it to get that initial feeling. This rarely happens and as a result, the addict will continue to try and get that high by increasing the frequency and amount of hydrocodone that they use. What occurs next is an increase in tolerance for the drugs, which in turn leads to the habit of hydrocodone addiction.

Addiction to hydrocodone often begins when people take the prescription drug to treat problems they may have with pain. The pain is moderately relieved and the user will also experience feelings of enjoyment and euphoria. The pain is never totally erased and some patients in a way to get some relief from the pain may increase their dosage. Others may increase the dosage as a way to recreate that euphoric feeling. In the end what happens is that there is an increase in tolerance for hydrocodone and then addiction will occur.

What are the Effects of Hydrocodone Addiction?

When a person is addicted to hydrocodone they will have cravings for the drug and this can be seen as a mental obsession. The euphoric feelings that the drug offers is another effect that can happen.

As the use of hydrocodone increases, there will also be a change in the physical symptoms that the person will experience. These symptoms are often nausea, constipation, drowsiness, dizziness, loss of concentration, dry mouth and sweats. Other side effects may also occur.

Hydrocodone/APAP Addiction Signs

There are specific signs that doctors and healthcare providers will observe when hydrocodone is prescribed to their patients. Listed below are some of those addiction signs:

  • Using the prescription for hydrocodone very quickly
  • Constant reports of misplacing the prescription, losing it, say it was stolen or any other out of the normal statements to get a new prescription.
  • Changing doctors on a regular basis as a means to get a prescription for the drug.
  • If a pain medication is being prescribed and the person states they have a preference or they have allergies to the drug, this could be another warning sign.

People who think their loved ones may be possibly abusing hydrocodone/APAP, they should look out for warning signs such as the ones listed below:

  • Changes in behavior or mood
  • Lack of money
  • Cheating, lying and stealing
  • Keeping to themselves
  • Change in friends

Hydrocodone Withdrawal

Hydrocodone is physically addictive substance as it falls within the class of opiate drugs. If there is an abrupt stoppage in the use of the drug, symptoms such as seizures or convulsions could occur. If the withdrawal from hydrocodone is done gradually, then the possibility of the seizures or convulsions reduces drastically. To prevent medical complications, hydrocodone withdrawal is best to be done under the guidance of medical practitioners.

The discomfort associated with hydrocodone withdrawal depends on the amount of drugs that the individual has taken and the amount of time they have been taking it. Some people take large doses of pills on a daily basis, as a result of this, withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting and bone and muscle pain could all happen.

Hydrocodone Addiction Treatment

There is treatment for people who are addicted to hydrocodone. This treatment goes through different phases and it is necessary if the person wants to break the addiction to the drug. Detox is the first phase of the treatment and it is here that the symptoms of withdrawal can be controlled. It takes around seven days to detox and get the drugs out of the system. Once this occurs, the individual will need a month of recovery and this needs to take place in a supportive environment. Here the trust and other issues that were a part of the addiction can slowly begin to be fixed. It is a process, but it works out in the long run.