Understanding Vicodin Addiction
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Vicodin is the most-abused pain medication in the United States. This opioid offers pain relief, but it can be highly addictive, leading people to use it in ways other than prescribed.
Vicodin is a prescription medication that helps relieve pain. It contains acetaminophen and hydrocodone, which is a synthetic opioid that activates the same neurotransmitters as illicit drugs like heroin.
Because of how addictive it is, Vicodin is a Schedule II drug. Abuse of Vicodin is using it in any other way than as prescribed. That can include taking Vicodin in larger doses, more frequently than prescribed, or for longer periods of time than necessary.
Some of the signs and symptoms of Vicodin addiction include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Extreme relaxation
- Depressed heart rate
- Constipation
- Decreased breathing rate
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Muscle aches
- Doctor shopping
- Lying about drug use
- Stealing drugs or prescriptions
- Craving more Vicodin
- Concentration problems
- Suicidal ideation
- Isolation
- Losing interest in normal activities
- Memory problems
If you have a history of substance abuse or if you have family members who have struggled with addiction to Vicodin or other substances, you have a higher risk of developing an addiction yourself.
Vicodin abuse is dangerous because of how quickly you can build a tolerance to the drug. This tolerance leads to needing more of the drug to feel the effects you want, which puts you at risk of overdosing. Like other opioids, overdosing on Vicodin can be fatal.
Some of the signs and symptoms of Vicodin overdose include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Extreme drowsiness
- Extreme confusion
- Shallow breathing
- Slow heart rate
- Unconsciousness
- Cold and clammy skin
- Blue tint on lips or fingers
- Muscle spasms
- Body aches
- Weakness
- Small pupils
- Drop in blood pressure
- Coma
To prevent the risk of overdosing on Vicodin, you should reach out to a treatment center that specializes in helping people with addiction. At Sunshine Detox and Rehab Center, we offer treatment for Vicodin abuse, beginning with detox services.
Medical Vicodin Detox
To start treatment, you need to remove all traces of the drug from your body. If you attempt to do this on your own, you can experience Vicodin withdrawal symptoms. These physical and psychological symptoms can be very uncomfortable and can lead to relapsing.
Some of the most common Vicodin withdrawal symptoms include:
- Muscle aches
- Diarrhea
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Watery eyes
- Fever
- Insomnia
- Yawning
- Pupil dilation
- Dysphoric mood
- Flu-like symptoms
- Intense cravings
- Runny nose
- Mood swings
Vicodin detox symptoms can vary in intensity from mild symptoms to more intense ones. The severity of withdrawal symptoms will depend on how long you have been using the drug, your usual dosage, and your overall health. The Vicodin withdrawal timeline can also vary. At our treatment center, we can guide you through the entire Vicodin detox process.
To prevent the extremely uncomfortable psychological and physical detox symptoms, consider turning to the Vicodin detox services that we offer at Sunshine Detox and Rehab Center.
At our center, we perform a full mental health and physical health assessment to understand the right treatment options for your needs. We will consider whether you have mental health conditions that require dual-diagnosis treatment, and we will put together the right medications to help you avoid the worst of the Vicodin withdrawal symptoms. You can have a more positive beginning to your addiction treatment when you have a pain-free withdrawal.
Throughout your stay at our center, we also provide medication-assisted treatment. One of the concerns that many patients have is how to handle cravings. You can experience severe cravings that can interfere with your therapies or even lead to a relapse and a potential overdose. These cravings can make the entire process much more difficult.
At Sunshine Detox and Rehab Center, our medical professionals offer medications that can help curb these cravings. When you no longer feel them as intensely, you can focus on healing from your addiction.
You can depend on getting the right medications to help you avoid Vicodin withdrawal symptoms.
Inpatient Treatment
We recommend inpatient treatment for people struggling with Vicodin addiction. Inpatient treatment offers the secure environment you need to stabilize and begin your recovery.
At Sunshine Detox and Rehab Center, we provide relief from the worst of the withdrawal symptoms and from intense cravings. We also offer the type of therapies that can make the most impact.
After the Vicodin withdrawal process, you can begin treatment for Vicodin use disorder. We rely on behavioral therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, to help you understand the root cause of your addiction.
It is always important to treat other mental health conditions at the same time as an addiction because they can feed into one another. Many people even turn to substance abuse to cope with the symptoms of a mental health condition. Our addiction specialists can put together a treatment program that offers dual-diagnosis treatment if you have a co-occurring disorder.
At our center, you will have supervision and you will be in a secure environment. For many people with a Vicodin addiction, staying in their regular environment can trigger them and give them access to the substances they abuse. By removing yourself from those situations, you can begin your recovery correctly.
An addiction can be isolating. At our center, you have access to group therapy as well as family therapy sessions to help you hear from other people who have gone through addiction and from family members who may be struggling with understanding your addiction.
Begin Your Recovery with Vicodin Detox
If you have an addiction to Vicodin, it is important to get help. You do not want to struggle through the severe symptoms of Vicodin withdrawal. By turning to Sunshine Detox and Rehab Center, you can get medical detox services as well as medication-assisted treatment to help you avoid cravings. Once you go through the detoxification process, you can begin therapies and inpatient treatment.
You do not have to go through recovery on your own. Contact Sunshine Detox and Rehab Center to begin your Vicodin detox today.
