Vicodin Addiction and Abuse

Vicodin Info

• Vicodin Addiction and Abuse
• Vicodin Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Vicodin Treatment and Rehab
• Vicodin Withdrawal and Detox

Vicodin – the brand name for the combined drug hydrocodone/paracetamol – is a narcotic analgesic, acting on the central nervous system to prevent coughs and relieve pain. Vicodin works like other opioid painkillers, targeting opioid receptors in the brain to change the way your body responds to pain, while acetaminophen (paracetamol) reduces symptoms of fever.

The medication is only used in people aged six years and above, because of side effects like shallow breathing. For Vicodin to be fully effective, it must be taken when the first signs of pain occur. Waiting until a later time – when symptoms worsen – reduces the efficacy of the drug.

The medicine should only be taken according to a doctor’s prescription. This is important for older people, who are more sensitive to severe side effects of pain medication.  As a habit-forming drug, taking more than prescribed (for a period longer than your doctor recommends) leads to abuse, dependence and consequently drug addiction.

Vicodin Addiction and Abuse: What is it?

Abuse occurs when you take Vicodin for any purpose outside legitimate use. People with opioid use disorder take Vicodin because it induces the feeling of relaxation, calmness and the ‘rush’ of euphoria in addition to pain relief. As time passes, the original dosage doesn’t produce the same feelings. You therefore increase the dose on your own (without a doctor’s permission) to achieve the same results.

Apart from blocking neurotransmitters that cause you to feel pain, Vicodin increases the production of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of euphoria and pleasure. The effects of the drug are strong enough that you can develop tolerance and dependency within a few weeks of taking Vicodin. Signs of abuse include extreme paranoia and anxiety, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and severe mood swings.

Once you’ve developed substance dependence on Vicodin, you may start ‘doctor shopping’ – a practice common amongst individuals who are addicted to prescription painkillers. You’ll also buy drugs on the street or ask others with legitimate prescriptions to sell drugs to you because your only goal is to feed your drug habit.

What Causes Vicodin Addiction and Abuse

and addiction are not far off. Getting the drug becomes your only goal in life. When the pain subsides and it’s time to stop using Vicodin, you won’t be able to quit, because it’s altered brain chemicals to the extent you now depend on Vicodin to feel like yourself or function normally.

Apart from accidental drug addicts, there are recreational drug users who have no pain or injury, but simply use Vicodin for the euphoric ‘high’ and pleasurable effects. Recreational users often don’t take the medicine orally: for a more potent ‘high’, they crush, snort or dissolve and inject the drug so that it goes straight to their bloodstream.

How Vicodin Addiction and Abuse Affect the Brain and Body

When you take Vicodin, hydrocodone compounds connect to proteins in the spinal cord and central nervous system. This interrupts pain signals and changes how your brain perceives pain and your reaction to it.

When abused, Vicodin can cause damage to the brain. The interrupted brain receptors become clogged, as the brain doesn’t have enough time to expel the drug before you take the next (higher) dose. This alters brain chemistry and causes it to self-sedate. When the brain sedates itself with Vicodin, you’re more sluggish, respond slowly to stimuli, and have problems with cognition, learning and memory. Also, you’ll generally move at a slower pace, because natural brain function has changed.

The continuous flow of Vicodin causes erratic fluctuations in the brain that lead to depression and extreme euphoria – two symptoms that make it harder to quit the substance. The depressant qualities of Vicodin on the body causes slowed heart rate, impaired coordination, shallow breathing and dizziness.

Who Becomes Addicted to Vicodin?

Addiction experts believe that the rising number of people addicted to Vicodin is caused by the ease with which medical professionals overprescribe the drug for pain relief, when other medication (with a lower potency or risk of addiction) could suffice. Millions of people around the world have developed dependence on Vicodin, because they trust their doctors to prescribe the correct medication and never think to ask about the risk of addiction.

Recreational users who are looking for heroin substitutes are also at risk of becoming addicted to Vicodin. As the government and police crack down on heroin usage, substance users are turning to prescription opioids to fill the gap with medication that provides similar euphoric effects.

Many sports stars like Tiger Woods (who have back pain) or celebrities like Ant McPherson (who was prescribed pain meds after knee surgery) who have struggled with Vicodin can’t identify the moment when they crossed the line from legitimate usage to drug abuse. Anyone who takes painkillers outside of a doctor’s prescription can become addicted to Vicodin.

Long-Term Effects of Using Vicodin

It’s easy to focus on the ‘high’ experienced when taking Vicodin without thinking of the long-term effects – some of which might be irreversible. With continued usage, Vicodin can damage your brain and liver because of repeated heavy dosage.

The obvious risks of building tolerance and addiction cannot go unstated: addiction will likely cost you your job, finances, happiness, family, friends and physical health. You’ll also notice that your memory is slow, and you’re always anxious, irritable and have poor stress management.

Physical Signs and Symptoms of Vicodin Abuse and Addiction

As you get used to Vicodin, previous dosage doesn’t have the same effects, so you may suffer pain. Physical signs manifest in irregular heartbeat, constipation, insomnia, dizziness, heart problems, liver damage, confusion, loss of brain cells, cognitive difficulties, skin rashes and nausea.

Physical signs can be treated with detoxification in a residential facility, followed by therapy, where you’ll learn coping techniques.

Opioids produce psychoactive effects that alter the brain’s chemical system. With each dose of Vicodin, opioids stimulate brain cells to produce dopamine at abnormally high levels. This affects brain cell sites and overall chemical balance.

The emotional effect of addiction includes low self-esteem when the drug leaves your system, because you realise you have no control over your habit and you’ll be uninclined to adopt a positive attitude to life in general.

The Social Impacts of Vicodin

One of the signs of addiction is that your social cycle dwindles until it only includes drug users and dealers. You become a recluse and lose your friends. In a bid to avoid the temptation of using drugs, many people will stay away from you or might not enjoy your company while you’re under the influence.

You’ll make more mistakes at work, school and life in general, because the chemical alteration in your brain affects brain function, coordination and concentration. Relationships within your family suffer, while you might empty your bank accounts to finance drugs. This all culminates in job loss, due to numerous sick days, unexplained absences and mistakes in work.

Therapy, Treatment and Rehab for Vicodin Abuse and Addiction

When a loved one is addicted to Vicodin, it’s important you do your research when looking for the right treatment. Importantly, the ‘cold turkey’ method of withdrawal is known to be unsafe, unpredictable and can sometimes lead to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms which you’re not equipped to handle.

At a Vicodin treatment facility, you’ll have access to the best medical professionals who are experienced with Vicodin addiction. They’ll use a combination of methadone maintenance treatment, behavioural therapy techniques and alternative therapy models.

One such approach is talk therapy. Many people who are dealing with opiate use disorder need to learn practical coping mechanisms that help them deal with triggers, temptations, stress, loss and disappointment. Talk therapies like group counselling allow you to share addiction stories with other recovering addicts. Meanwhile, one-on-one therapy teaches you how to alter negative thought patterns and behaviour for more positive thinking. Both methods have proved effective when used in combination with medication.

Staying off Vicodin

Once you’ve completed addiction treatment, your goal is to stay off Vicodin for good. In future when you need painkillers for any legitimate reason, notify your doctor or medical professional that you’ve struggled with an addiction to painkillers in the past.

Replacement medication like methadone and buprenorphine work to reduce cravings for Vicodin. However, you have to be careful not to repeat the same mistake twice. Take the drugs exactly how your doctor prescribes them to prevent replacing one addiction for another. Attend meetings, never miss a single therapy session, live healthily, make sober friends, exercise regularly and consider massage therapy and acupuncture to relieve stress.

Individual Counselling

Individual counselling is at the core of the therapy approach for drug rehabilitation. Counselling focuses on drug addiction problems faced by the individual, such as recognising behavioural patterns, as well as emotions and thoughts that fuelled drug usage and learning how to change those negative patterns for positive actions, thoughts and behaviour.

Individual counselling starts during the detox process, because medication alone isn’t enough to help you quit drugs if you don’t understand or address the underlying problems that led to drug use initially. The programme continues during rehab and aftercare.

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