For decades, people considered painkillers to be salvation from pain. In recent years, people have started abusing prescription medications. With a prescription medication abuse epidemic underway in the US, opioid painkillers are leading the onslaught. Hydrocodone is another in a long line of prescription medications that fall into the painkiller category. People are abusing the substance, and it is causing problems across the country. The only way to stop Hydrocodone abuse appears to be through education and treatment.

About Hydrocodone Abuse

Handful of pills could mean hydrocodone abuse.Before we address Hydrocodone abuse, we need to supply some information about the drug itself. Most people know very little about Hydrocodone even though they might have used it. When manufacturers combine it with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, the drug is sold under popular brand names such as Vicodin, Norco, and Lortab. The drug appears in its purest form under the brand name Zohydro. The FDA lists all of these medications as Class II substances.

With the prescription drug abuse epidemic underway, we need to make sure drug users understand the risks. First, Hydrocodone use comes with some side effects like nausea, dizziness, and constipation. The more someone abuses this drug, the more dangerous the side effects become.

One of the more severe side effects is a Hydrocodone addiction. As an opiate-based substance, it is highly addictive. If addiction occurs, the user becomes subject to some dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Any attempts to suddenly stop using the drug will have consequences in the form of withdrawal symptoms. The most hazardous of these withdrawal symptoms would be:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Depression
  • Confusion and disorientation
  • Severe muscle cramping
  • Abdominal pains
  • Breathing and heart issues
  • Hallucinations

Treatment for Hydrocodone Abuse

The most reliable treatment for drug addiction comes from a reputable rehab facility like Beaches Recovery. Most patients addicted to an opiate-based substance need detox before therapy. The detox process allows them to deal with withdrawal symptoms under the watchful eye of a professional medical staff. With a clear mind and body, the patient stands a much better chance of taking full advantage of therapy.

Therapy is the “meat and potatoes” of treatment. This is where the patient learns the truth about their addiction. If everything falls right, they will discover the underlying reasons why they abuse drugs. This discovery enhances the chance they will develop the life and coping skills they need to avoid relapse.

When treatment is over, the patient is sent out into the world free from drugs or alcohol. However, life’s circumstances will test and tempt them along the way. When things get a little shaky, it helps if the patient has access to aftercare programs. At Beaches Recovery, we invite our patients to request additional counseling or participate in sober living programs. The goal is always the same. The patient needs to find the road to recovery and stay on it.

General Information About Beaches Recovery

From our premier facility in Jacksonville, Florida, Beaches Recovery offers a full slate of addiction treatment services. We are Joint Commission accredited and accept payments from most major health care programs, including Aetna, BCBS, Humana, VA CCN and Magellan. We are also proud to announce we offer detox services at Tides Edge. With a charter to treat each patient as a unique individual, our counselors employ one of the following treatment options:

Before you surrender your life to addiction, consider surrendering to treatment. If you have the strength to admit you have a hydrocodone abuse problem, Beaches Recovery is ready to help. All it takes to start down the road of recovery is one phone call to us at 866.605.0532. Life as an addict rarely if ever ends well. We hope you’ll choose to live a better life without the need to abuse drugs or alcohol.