Discover the RIGHT TREATMENT & START YOUR NEW BEGINNING

We're all unique. We'll help you pick the best addiction treatment program for you.

Vicodin Addiction

Few substances create as strong of an addiction for an individual that is as difficult to get rid of as prescription drugs do, like with a Vicodin addiction. Of the different kinds of prescription drugs out there, those who get addicted to opioid prescription painkillers specifically tend to learn very quickly that such addiction struggles are very unpleasant and next to impossible to escape from. An opioid prescription pain drug is not always all that it appears to be, and individuals should be cautioned before they accept a prescription for these substances.

An addiction to painkillers is very difficult to obtain freedom from, and Vicodin is one of the most potent and one of the most commonly prescribed pill drugs for them all. But what is Vicodin? Vicodin is a brand name for the drug combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. It is prescribed as a pain reliever for mild to severe pain. The drug is incredibly widespread and prevalent and is used both in hospitals and medical facilities and as an outpatient, prescription drug too.

Vicodin has risen to the top as being one of the most commonly abused drugs in this country. Not only is it one of the most commonly abused drugs within its own category of pill drugs, it is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the entire nation period. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote about Vicodin and all pain drugs for that matter, warning Americans of the rapidly increasing risks of these substances.

The CDC stated:

“Common types are oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine, and methadone. Prescription opioids can be used to treat moderate-to-severe pain and are often prescribed following surgery or injury, or for health conditions such as cancer. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the acceptance and use of prescription opioids for the treatment of chronic, non-cancer pain, such as back pain or osteoarthritis, despite serious risks and the lack of evidence about their long-term effectiveness.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the federal organization in charge of monitoring our health and vitality as an American people. We would do well to heed their warnings when it comes to the very real and present danger that pill drugs like these present to us.

Vicodin Side Effects and Withdrawal Symptoms

In addition to creating a strong likelihood of addiction in an individual, there are a lot of other factors to Vicodin that should be considered. For example, this drug has a whole plethora of negative side effects that people can get from taking it, and this can happen whether they have a Vicodin addiction or not.

Some side effects from taking Vicodin:

Nausea and vomiting is a common side effect of taking Vicodin.
Constipation and gastrointestinal difficulties are another common side effect of taking Vicodin.
Slowed breathing and respiratory difficulty can occur.
Dizziness, lightheadedness, and lack of coordination often is a side effect.
Impaired judgment is one of the most common side effects.
Profound drowsiness and loss of consciousness is not only a side effect, it is also one of the first indicators of an overdose.

These are just some of the long list of side effects that can come about as a result of taking Vicodin. Then there are also the withdrawal symptoms. These are an entirely different batch of effects. These are what occurs when an individual tries to stop taking the drug.

These Vicodin addiction and abuse withdrawals may include:

Pain turning on throughout the body. Pain in withdrawal is usually much worse than the original pain problem that the individual was taking Vicodin for to begin with.
Discomfort and restlessness, including restless leg syndrome, is another common symptom.
A person experiencing withdrawal will also very often have trouble sleeping.
Someone undergoing withdrawal off of Vicodin will have a chronic ache in the back and joints.
Vicodin withdrawal creates nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
A person will likely experience mood changes, irritability, or agitation while withdrawing off of Vicodin.
A person going through withdrawal will usually experience problems with memory, anxiety, poor stress management, etc.

The sheer physical and psychological stress connected with this drug is simply too severe for it to ever be a really good idea for individuals to take this drug unless they absolutely have to for some reason. If in any way consuming this drug can be at all avoided, then it should be because a Vicodin addiction or dependence can happen very rapidly.

The Real Effects of Vicodin Addiction and Abuse

Vicodin and its other similar opioid pain reliever drugs are becoming a lethal weapon in this country.

According to a The Washington Post article that summarizes an extensive study done by the Trust for America’s Health:

“The report from the Trust for America’s Health shows the incredible spike of prescription painkillers like OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin over the last decade has coincided with a dramatic increase in the number of drug-related fatalities. In 2000, only five states — Arizona, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah — plus the District of Columbia, suffered more than 10 deaths per 100,000 residents due to drug overdoses. By 2010, 38 states and D.C. reached that mark. And in West Virginia, New Mexico, Nevada, and Kentucky, the mortality rate due to drug overdoses was higher than 20 per 100,000 residents, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control.”

Reports from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services are no better. This organization reports on the fact that pill drugs are traded back and forth like collectible baseball cards between friends, and between doctors and their patients too.

For example, according to SAMHSA:

“A number of opioids are prescribed by doctors to relieve pain. These include hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, and codeine. While many people benefit from using these medications to manage pain, prescription drugs are frequently diverted for improper use. In the 2013 and 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 50.5% of people who misused prescription painkillers got them from a friend or relative for free, and 22.1% got them from a doctor. 3 million Americans engaged in non-medical use of prescription painkillers in the last month, and approximately 1.9 million Americans met criteria for prescription painkillers use disorder based on their use of prescription painkillers in the past year.”

These are data facts and statistics that are coming from organizations that are sworn to protect us and to monitor our health, both physical and mental. If groups like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Trust for America’s Health, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are getting incredibly concerned about the path that this country is on when it comes to drugs like Vicodin, then we should all be concerned about it.

Vicodin Addiction Treatment

It goes without saying that the best way, by far, to address an addiction to drugs like with Vicodin addiction is with treatment solutions like inpatient drug rehabs. Inpatient drug rehabs offer a safe and an effective path that is clearly marked for recovering addicts to follow. Inpatient treatment centers offer tools for recovering addicts like detoxification, one-on-one counseling, relapse prevention, coping strategies, electives, life skills, Yoga, exercise, holistic remedies, religious approaches, 12 step recovery systems, AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, CBT, MRT, etc.