icodin addiction is a very serious and sometimes life threatening dilemma. Not only is it difficult for the addict, it is extremely hard on those around them who care about them. For the addict, admitting they have an addiction problem can be difficult.
However painful this may be, it must be acknowledged as the first gradient to overcoming the problem. The next hurdle is being willing to seek & accept help from an addiction professional. It can be hard for an addict to confront the fact that they can not do it alone. Once this fact is accepted, it is time to seek the appropriate professional treatment. Drug rehab programs based on the social education modality are highly successful. This means that individuals who are recovering from Vicodin addiction are not made wrong for their past indiscretions, but are taught how to avoid future ones. They are provided with knowledge on how to change their lives and how to live comfortably without Vicodin. Receiving treatment for addiction should be done in a safe & stable environment that is conducive to addiction recovery. Research studies show that residential treatment programs of at least 3 months in duration have the best success rates. 3 months may seem like a long time, but one day in the life of an individual addicted to Vicodin can feel like an eternity. Addiction is a self imposed hellish slavery. The chains can be broken people do it everyday. You can be free!
rug rehabilitation is a multi-phase, multi-faceted, long term process. Detoxification is only the first
step on the road of addiction treatment. Physical detoxification alone is not sufficient to change
the patterns of a drug addict. Recovery from addiction involves an extended process which usually
requires the help of drug addiction professionals. To make a successful recovery, the addict needs new
tools in order to deal with situations and problems which arise. Factors such as encountering someone
from their days of using, returning to the same environment and places, or even small things such as
smells and objects trigger memories which can create psychological stress. This can hinder the addict's
goal of complete recovery, thus not allowing the addict to permanently regain control of his or her life.
lmost all addicts tell themselves in the beginning that they can conquer their addiction on their own
without the help of outside resources. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case.
When an addict makes an attempt at detoxification and to discontinue
drug use without the aid of professional help, statistically the results do not last long. Research into the
effects of long-term addiction has shown that substantial changes in the way the brain functions are present
long after the addict has stopped using drugs. Realizing that a drug addict who wishes to recover from their
addiction needs more than just strong will power is the key to a successful recovery. Battling not only cravings
for their drug of choice, re-stimulation of their past and changes in the way their brain functions, it is no
wonder that quitting drugs without professional help is an uphill battle.
As an organization we are dedicated to finding the correct solution for your specific addiction problem. Our referral list
contains over 3,000 resources which encompass the following treatment categories :
Q)
What is Vicodin?
A) Vicodin is one of the most commonly abused prescription
pain medications today. One of the most widely prescribed
medications, Vicodin and its related medications, loricet,
loritab percodan, and oxycontin are opioid-based pain
medications. Vicodin is a derivative of opium, which also
used to manufacture heroin. Vicodin successfully diminishes
pain, but it is highly addictive and withdrawal symptoms
of Vicodin addiction are very similar to the pain it was
relieving.
Q)
How is Vicodin used?
A)
Vicodin when abused can be taken: orally in pill form, chewed,
or crushed (then snorted like cocaine).
Q)
What are the effects of Vicodin?
A)
Over months of Vicodin use the Vicodin effects will become greater
and more damaging. At first the user will endure such effects
as constipation, speeding up or the slowing down of the heart
rate, nausea, and dizziness. As the use grows the Vicodin effects
will come in the form of blurred vision, hallucinations, and
sever confusion.
- Lightheadedness
- dizziness
- sedation
- constipation
- nausea
- vomiting
- respiratory
depression
Q)
What are the symptoms of withdrawal?
A)
- restlessness
- muscle
pain
- bone
pain
- insomnia
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- cold
flashes
- goose
bumps
- involuntary
leg movements
- watery
eyes
- runny
nose
- loss
of appetite
- irritability
- panic
- nausea
- chills
- sweating
Q)
What prescription drugs does Vicodin interact with?
A)
- Sedatives:
Halcion, Restoril
- Tranquilizers:
Thorazine, Haldol
- Antidepressants:
Elavil, Nardil, Tofranol
- Carbamazepine:
Tegretol
- Other
analgesics: Demerol
- Antihistamine:
Tavist
- Anti-anxiety:
Valium, Librium
- Anti-spasmodic:
Cogentin
Q)
What is Vicodin addiction?
A)
Many
people taking Vicodin longer than medically necessary keep using
it thinking that if they were to stop taking Vicodin, their
pain would return. In reality, the fear of Vicodin withdrawal
can be a strong motivating factor in the continuing use of Vicodin,
and more importantly, the feeling that more Vicodin is needed
to combat the same pain. Over a period of time more and more
Vicodin is needed to have the same pain relieving effects and
to ward off Vicodin withdrawal symptoms. Many people end up
taking more and more Vicodin or changing medications and switching
to a strong medication such as oxycontin or loritab and taking
more and more of these, due to the highly addictive qualities
of these medications.
Prescription
Fraud
Prescription
fraud is a crime that is committed by people who have become
addicted to Vicodin and then have their supply cut off without
being referred to treatment. The Vicodin addict rationalizes
this behavior, which includes fabricating or exaggerating
pain symptoms in order to illicit sympathy, seeking Vicodin
from many doctors at the same time, and using fraudulent prescriptions,
often created by altering the quantity of number of refills.
Most
people who obtain Vicodin by committing prescription medication
fraud are good citizens who wouldn't commit any other crime.
They are motivated to do this by the physical symptoms of
their Vicodin addiction, which may remain unrecognized by
physicians. They are feeling desperate and can see no way
out other than the downward spiral of Vicodin addiction. Many
Vicodin addicts exaggerate or fabricate symptoms to a doctor
hoping to convince them to prescribe more or stronger drugs
than are necessary. Upon recognizing this, the doctor may
refuse to prescribe any more medication. The Vicodin addict
at this point may do one of several things. He may see one
or many other physicians simultaneously to obtain Vicodin.
This is called physician hopping. Finding prescriptions for
Vicodin written by more than one physician is evidence of
this.
Often
times, Vicodin addiction goes unrecognized by all, including
the Vicodin addict until an abrupt change occurs. This change
can come in the form of arrest and incarceration of the Vicodin
addict for prescription fraud. When this happens, Vicodin
user cannot obtain Vicodin and goes into Vicodin withdrawal.
Q)
How
often is Vicodin abused?
A)
It
is estimated that in 1999, 4 million people were currently using
prescription drugs non-medically. Of these, 2.6 million misused
pain relievers the most common of which is Vicodin.
