Hydrocodone: Risks of Addiction and Abuse

The NSS-2 Bridge is a small electrical nerve stimulator placed behind the person’s ear, that can be used for up to five days during the acute withdrawal phase. If you suspect someone has overdosed, the most important step to take is to call 911 so he or she can receive immediate medical attention. Naloxone is a medicine that can treat an opioid overdose when given right away.

Vicodin Addiction Symptoms

Contact Orlando Recovery Center to learn more about addiction treatment options available to you or your loved one. Do not stop using Vicodin suddenly after long-term use, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask a doctor before using opioid medicine if you are breastfeeding.

How to tell if a loved one is abusing opioids

Because dopamine causes you to feel good, your brain and body want more of it. Such massive dopamine levels can lead to damaging changes that affect your thoughts, feelings and behavior. This can create an unhealthy drive to seek more pleasure from the substance and less from https://ecosoberhouse.com/ more healthy experiences. The slippery slope of Vicodin abuse to addiction is often followed by an overdose. As an overdose is common after the beginning of Vicodin abuse, you may, unfortunately, have to keep these symptoms in mind if somebody you know is abusing Vicodin.

Hydrocodone Addiction And Abuse

However, because of its high potential for abuse and misuse, it’s only prescribed when other pain medications don’t work or following a surgical procedure. If you use narcotic medicine while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• This is the most common cause of death from Vicodin and alcohol abuse.
• Taking it too much or too often can lead to overdose, dependence or addiction.
• Furthermore, knowing about the potential for overdose and the dangers of mixing Vicodin and alcohol—as well as other substances—may be important for your safety and well-being.
• Users may experience some of the above within a few hours or days after stopping Vicodin.
• Treatment plans can consist of one-on-one, group and recreational therapy.

Maybe you’ve seen changes in your loved one’s moods or behavior. Or maybe you have a feeling that your loved one is misusing opioids, even if you’re not sure. If you’re right, speaking up could save the life of someone dear to you. It’s possible to become physically dependent and addicted to Vicodin, especially after long-term use. If you stop using it, you may also feel withdrawal symptoms, which is why doctors recommend tapering off the drug. People who take opioids are at risk of opioid use disorder, often called opioid addiction.

How should I take Vicodin?

The severity of a hydrocodone addiction depends on the person’s genetics and history of drug use. Some people who abuse hydrocodone do not become addicted, while others can develop an addiction rapidly. When used as directed, hydrocodone can effectively alleviate pain. However, the prescription opioid can cause addiction and a host of dangerous side effects when used in excess.

What Causes Vicodin Addiction?

It’s also important not to compare one person’s situation to another. Receiving help is something to be proud of rather than something to rush. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.

Can I take Vicodin when pregnant?

• Talk with your healthcare team if the taper becomes difficult.
• A treatment plan may include opioid agonist medications, such as methadone, to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
• Hydrocodone as a main component of Vicodin acts by activating special receptors found in the brain called mu-opioid receptors.
• If you find yourself taking hydrocodone for longer than prescribed or taking it in larger doses despite any negative consequences, you may have an addiction.
• Ask about taking a different type of pain medicine or using another method of pain control if you feel that you’re at higher risk of addiction.
• Medical detox uses medications to treat symptoms of withdrawal .

The substance can produce feelings of lightheadedness and euphoria, which have resulted in the widespread misuse of hydrocodone nationwide. If you find yourself taking hydrocodone for longer than prescribed or taking it in larger doses despite any negative consequences, you may have an addiction. Your doctor may have you reduce your use slowly rather than stopping it suddenly. As well as treating addiction vicodin addiction to Vicodin, The Recovery Village also offers individualized treatment plans to help people manage opioid addiction addictions. While addiction can occur from building tolerance to the drug, individuals misusing it tend to take Vicodin to alleviate minor symptoms, such as a headache. The user begins to rely on the medication for that sense of relief and tranquilization that follows the slightest discomfort.

• During detox, addiction experts assist you in dealing with painful withdrawal symptoms until hydrocodone is cleared from your system.
• For this reason, in March 2014, the FDA announced that all manufacturers have ceased marketing products with more than 325 mg of acetaminophen.
• To combat possible overprescription, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed guidelines about when it is appropriate for doctors to prescribe opioids.
• Taking Vicodin with other substances can lead to uncomfortable and harmful side effects.

You may be tempted to take more opioid medicine than your taper recommends. Do not start taking any opioids you have at home that you received from other health professionals or visits to the emergency room. Extra opioids, alcohol and drugs can increase your risk of an overdose. Opioid misuse can cause slowed breathing, which can cause hypoxia, a condition that results when too little oxygen reaches the brain. Hypoxia can have short- and long-term psychological and neurological effects, including coma, permanent brain damage, or death. Researchers are also investigating the long-term effects of opioid addiction on the brain, including whether damage can be reversed.

Such treatment plans can include inpatient, outpatient, intensive inpatient or partial hospitalization programs. Treatment plans can consist of one-on-one, group and recreational therapy. However, people not using Vicodin to lessen pain tend to use the drug recreationally to obtain a euphoric high. With these recreational users, since there is no medical need to take the drug, the tolerance level is aimed toward achieving a certain level of euphoria. Leah has worked in several treatment settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and in-home therapy, both as a therapist and a clinical supervisor.