Hydrocodone Abuse and Addiction Treatment Options

What Is Hydrocodone Addiction, and How Does It Affect the Body?

Hydrocodone is an opioid painkiller that affects the body similarly to morphine. When someone uses this drug, it binds itself with opioid receptors in their brain and blocks out pain signals. People addicted to hydrocodone often use more than what was prescribed because it gives them a euphoric feeling, similar to what happens when you take heroin.

If hydrocodone is used long term, it can cause severe withdrawal symptoms that include nausea and vomiting, headache, muscle aches and joint pain. Eventually, the body will get used to having these drugs in its system, so people will start taking higher doses than what was prescribed by their doctor. Doing this puts them at risk for other side effects like slowed breathing or heart rate.

What Are Some Adverse Psychological Effects of Hydrocodone Addiction?

When someone becomes addicted to hydrocodone, they often neglect activities that were once important to them because they think about using more of the drug. They might lose friends over their new habit because they may be embarrassed to be seen in public while high. They might also become violent or mean towards their friends and family when they don’t get any drugs.

What Are the Signs of Hydrocodone Addiction?

There are a few signs that can indicate you have become addicted to this drug. Common symptoms may include:

Developing a tolerance to the drug.

Needing to use more of it to feel the same euphoric effects

Neglecting activities you care about.

This could be your job, relationships with family and friends or hobbies. If you don’t have a sound support system of people who love and care for you, it may be harder to help get clean if they see these signs.

Missing work or school because of hydrocodone addiction.

being constantly late to work or school or have a bad attitude towards your employer or teachers/professors because you don’t want to be where you’re supposed to be may be a sign of hydrocodone addiction.

Neglecting family and friends because of hydrocodone addiction.

Family and friends are the people who love you unconditionally no matter what, so if they notice a change in your attitude towards them, it might mean that something is wrong.

Finding paraphernalia from using hydrocodone.

This may include syringes or spoons with burn marks on them because of heating the drug to inject it or small plastic bags containing white residue left over after smoking some drugs like heroin.

Spending excessive amounts on hydrocodone.

This could be spending all of your money on drugs or stealing from family and friends that you may have a good relationship with.

Lying about how much you take, where you get it and who else takes it with you.

Lying is a sign that something is wrong, so if you tell someone who cares for you lies about what they see, it could mean the drug has taken over your life.

Becoming increasingly moody while taking the medication.

While you shouldn’t just stop taking the drug suddenly if you become more irritable than usual when on this medication, it might be a sign that your body is becoming dependent and needs medical help to get clean.

Not being interest in activities that used to be enjoyable for you.

If you don’t feel like doing things that used to bring joy to your life, it might be a sign of addiction.

Using hydrocodone in dangerous situations.

If you are taking this medication while driving, exercising or doing something else that could put you at risk for the injury, you should stop immediately and seek medical help because the drug has taken over every aspect of your life.

How to Detox From Hydrocodone

Detoxing from hydrocodone can cause severe withdrawal symptoms that include nausea and vomiting, headache, muscle aches, and joint pain, just like if you were to stop taking morphine or heroin. The best way to avoid these effects is by seeking professional help at an addiction treatment center where medical professionals will monitor your health throughout the process so you won’t have anything dangerous happen before getting clean.

Other things you can do to help during your detox are:

• Get rid of any drugs you have in your house
• Drink lots of water to flush out toxins
• Eat healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and nuts
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
• Find ways to manage the stress that don’t involve substances – meditation or yoga are good options
• Spend time with people who support you instead of those who encourage drug use
• Get enough sleep, which for most people is seven to eight hours each night
• Spend time outside in the fresh air, such as going for hikes or bike rides with friends

The Dangers of Quitting Cold Turkey Without Medical Supervision

If you want to get clean from hydrocodone and don’t have an addiction treatment center available, it’s essential for you to not to try quitting cold turkey. If symptoms of withdrawal are too severe, this can cause a heart attack or stroke, which can be fatal if they last too long without medical supervision. Once the drugs leave your system, people who were once addicted become more sensitive to pain because their body is no longer numb, so any minor aches and pains could feel worse than before detoxing. Going slow with exercise will help keep these symptoms at bay while getting healthy again.

Hydrocodone Withdrawal Symptoms

Hydrocodone withdrawal can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

Nausea and vomiting.

Hydrocodone withdrawal will have you vomiting and feeling sick to your stomach, so eating healthy during this time is essential.

Headache.

You might feel a headache from the stress of withdrawing and dehydration, which can be remedied with lots of water throughout the day.

Muscle aches and joint pain.

This will probably be one of the most uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, but exercising every day should help keep it at bay until detoxing is complete.

Insomnia or vivid dreams.

If you’re not getting enough sleep each night, then these effects will only last for a few days before giving way to more restful nights again.

Cravings.

If you suffer from a hydrocodone addiction, be prepared for cravings that can last a few days or weeks.

Anxiety or depression.

Using drugs like hydrocodone changes how your brain works by changing the neurochemicals that regulate your mood, so it’s essential to seek help from a therapist for this symptom.

Cold symptoms.

Having the flu is more likely while withdrawing because of how hydrocodone affects your immune system, but these symptoms should pass after detoxing is complete.

Loss of appetite.

You’ll probably lose weight during this time which isn’t ideal, but you can regain that weight once things get back to normal again.

Difficulty concentrating.

When in withdrawal, people will have difficulty focusing on anything and might feel ‘foggy’ all over, but there are ways around this, like exercising every day or taking short naps throughout the day if needed when not sleeping at night.

Increased heart rate.

This is a direct result of how hydrocodone affects your body’s neurochemicals, so it will only last for a few days after detoxing.

Blurred vision.

This can happen because the pupils in your eyes get smaller when you’re withdrawing, which causes less light to enter.

Drowsiness.

You may feel like sleeping all the time while going through withdrawal, and that’s normal since without drugs like hydrocodone telling you ‘stay awake.’ There isn’t anything keeping you from resting as much as possible during these challenging times.

If any of these symptoms are too severe, don’t hesitate to seek help at an addiction treatment center where professionals monitor you and help keep you safe.

Treatment Options Available for Hydrocodone Addicts

If you or someone you know is addicted to hydrocodone, don’t wait until it’s too late. There are many treatment options available for people who want help with their addiction. The top treatment options include:

Inpatient rehab centers.

An inpatient center will provide 24-hour medical supervision and treatment for at least 30 days. This is the best option to get clean from hydrocodone because it gives addicts a safe place where they can’t use drugs or alcohol, learn how to cope with their addiction without using substances, and have access to mental health services if there are underlying problems that lead them towards drug abuse.

Individual therapy sessions.

This involves meeting regularly with a therapist who will help you understand your addiction and find ways of coping when life becomes too stressful, so you don’t turn back to substance abuse. These meetings also work as checkups for people recovering from addictions so therapists can ensure no relapses when temptation arises again.

Group therapy sessions.

During these meetings, addicts will learn to trust people who are going through similar experiences and share stories so they can see that others have coped successfully without turning back. This helps them feel more confident about their own ability to quit drugs for good and provides a support system of friends who all want the same thing: sobriety.

12-step programs.

This involves completing abstinence from drug use by following an established plan created by recovering addicts themselves or healthcare professionals. Each step is accompanied by its own set of rules that teach ways of living life sober and how to cope when temptation arises again in the future. There’s no one size fits all method for getting clean from hydrocodone addiction because everyone is different, so it’s essential to find the treatment options that suit you best.

Buprenorphine/Naltrexone or buprenorphine maintenance therapy.

This is a long-term treatment option that requires addicts to take medications daily. Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and buprenorphine help keep cravings under control without causing the same euphoric high as Hydrocodone does. Hence, it’s less likely they will want to abuse these drugs again in the future.

Long-term residential rehab centers.

This type of program provides 24-hour supervision, medical care and therapies like those mentioned above for at least 30 days but lasts much longer than an inpatient center (usually 180 days or more). Because patients don’t attend work or school during their stay, they can focus all their efforts on getting clean from drugs without worrying about anything else outside rehab walls which increases chances of long-term sobriety.

Inpatient detox.

This is a necessary first step towards rehab because it helps addicts safely withdraw from Hydrocodone so they don’t experience any severe withdrawal symptoms that can land them in the hospital or, worse, cause death. While on an inpatient drug detox program, patients will also be able to work with therapists and doctors specializing in substance abuse disorders to create treatment plans for getting clean after successfully leaving rehab.

Intensive outpatient treatment.

This is a short-term program that allows addicts to live at home and work on their recovery to continue supporting themselves financially. This type of treatment will help individuals build up the strength needed to become sober for good without spending several months away from friends, family and daily life.

Harm reduction.

This approach involves taking steps towards reducing harm¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3620719/ instead of quitting drugs entirely, which makes it a practical choice for people who cannot stop using opioids right now or those who don’t want total abstinence to feel better about their addiction problem. Harm reduction focuses mainly on preventing overdose by teaching addicts how to reduce risks and use alternative methods like drug testing kits (i.e., pill testing) if they choose not to quit immediately but want support for reducing harm from their drug use.

How Windward Way Recovery Can Help

Hydrocodone addiction is a severe health problem that can ruin lives and tear families apart if left untreated. Luckily, several treatment options are available for those who want to get clean from hydrocodone abuse and return to living healthy, drug-free lifestyles. If you’re looking for help or information on Hydrocodone addiction and recovery please feel free to contact us at (855) 491-7694 or at our site at the link here.

Related Pages

• Safe Ways of Detoxing from Vicodin
• How Long Does Vicodin Stay in Your System?
• Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Vicodin