OxyContin Addiction

OxyContin has become one of the most highly abused prescription drugs on the market today. OxyContin is the brand name for an extremely powerful synthetic painkiller called oxycodone. It has strong euphoric effects and the potential to quickly become physically and psychologically addictive to those who misuse and abuse it. Often called oxy, OC, hillybilly heroin, and oxycotton, OxyContin is a narcotic that is prescribed medically for cancer patients and other chronic pain sufferers. Abusers of OxyContin will often crush OxyContin tablets to counteract the time-release coating on the tablets, so that ingesting OxyContin creates an immediate feeling of euphoria. OxyContin can be ingested orally, or dissolved in water and injected, or snorted up the nose.

Similar in structure to that of heroin, Percocet and morphine, OxyContin is prescribed by a licensed physician. Because OxyContin is prescribed, many people tend to live in denial about their OxyContin addiction. They will compare their situation to people who are buying their drugs on the street. What they fail to realize is that they are no longer taking the medication as prescribed. The amount they are taking has increased, the frequency has increased and a tolerance for the drug has developed. When the initial prescription is no longer adequate, due to the amount of the drug one is consuming, people find themselves forging prescriptions, going to multiple physicians, and attending multiple pain clinics, regardless of the severity of the pain. OxyContin addiction takes its toll on a person emotionally and physically and they find they cannot live without the drug.

Whether a person started taking OxyContin to alleviate physical or emotional pain, one thing becomes clear to them early on. They constantly think about the drug, where to get the drug and how they will use the drug. Once this obsessive thinking sets in, along with the actual craving, OxyContin addiction has taken hold. This obsession to getting more of the drug results in the OxyContin addict stealing from friends and family members and neglecting their job or family. The result of OxyContin addiction behavior is the loss of friends and family, leading to upset and anger for all involved. OxyContin addiction also continues to destroy millions of lives not only by means of addiction, but overdose and death.

One of the main reasons OxyContin addiction is so difficult to overcome is because of the physical aspect of dependence and the withdrawal symptoms. Once addicted, the OxyContin addict will experience severe physical withdrawal symptoms when he stops using the drug. The OxyContin addict will have severe drug cravings, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cold flashes, muscle pains, and overall flu-like symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms can begin within a few hours after the user's last dose. At this point, the OxyContin addict will desperately seek his next high or "fix" to avoid these uncomfortable and painful symptoms of withdrawal.

The good news is that OxyContin addiction is treatable. Oxycontin addiction can be treated with the proper OxyContin addiction treatment program. There are many different forms of treatment available for OxyContin addiction, but research has shown that long term treatment has an overwhelmingly better outcome than short term treatment.

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