Some people who abuse hydrocodone do not become addicted, while others can develop an addiction rapidly. Individuals battling vicodin addiction are also susceptible to long-term mental health problems such as depression. If you are experiencing co-occurring disorders, both diseases can be simultaneously treated at rehab.
What Are Opioids?
If you or a loved one needs Vicodin withdrawal help, medical assistance can ease the process. This is especially the case if the person has been using Vicodin for a long time, is abusing other drugs, or has a concurrent mental health condition. Of those drugs that I just mentioned, methamphetamine is the biggest culprit. Increases a huge, supraphysiologic increase in dopamine that rewires that circuitry quickly. The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA is a biomedical research organization and does not provide personalized medical advice, treatment, counseling, or legal consultation.
Is Vicodin an Opioid?
If you’re living with lifelong pain, opioids aren’t likely to be a safe and effective long-term treatment option. Many other treatments are available, including less addictive pain medicines and therapies that don’t involve medicines. If possible, aim for a treatment plan that allows you to enjoy your life without opioids. However, as recently as 2018, there were still over 70 million hydrocodone-containing products prescribed in the U.S.1 Learn more about hydrocodone addiction and recovery facts. In addition to Vicodin, other brand name versions of hydrocodone include Norco® and Lortab®.
Understanding Drug Misuse, Addiction, and Overdose
It also uses the evidence to explain opioid use disorder as a true medical issue, a true disease, instead of you referring to what others may just interpret as a moral failing or a choice. Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person during an opioid overdose. The signs and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ symptoms of Vicodin abuse will be common to abuse of other opiates or synthetic opiates, referred to as opioids. In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction.
- Quitting cold turkey is also not guaranteed to be successful and increases the chance of setbacks.
- Do not start taking any opioids you have at home that you received from other health professionals or visits to the emergency room.
- These groups can be a powerful support network for those who find that they aren’t able to quit using opioids despite their best efforts.
- If you’ve taken opioids for less than 7 to 10 days, you should be able to simply stop these medicines as soon as you’ve finished the pills your healthcare professional ordered, if not before.
The agency approved the medication against the advice of its scientific advisory board, which voted 11-2 to deny Zohydro’s approval. The addition of acetaminophen is thought to lower hydrocodone’s risk of abuse, causing many to question the FDA’s decision to approve Zohydro. It’s painful and scary when someone you love has a substance abuse problem. You might feel as though you’re watching the person throw his or her life away.
- Rehab centers use evidence-based strategies to alleviate opioid abuse.
- The best way to help your loved one recognize the need for treatment is to share your concerns in a compassionate, non-judgmental way.
- But we found that those drugs that a person introduces into their system, that causes an abnormally high spike in dopamine, is going to cause a use disorder more quickly.
- Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy teach clients the underlying causes of their substance abuse problems.
- These medications, such as buprenorphine, buprenorphine, naloxone, help satisfy that receptor so that the person doesn’t have this craving to go out and use again.
- The more you know about hydrocodone, the better your chances are of avoiding addiction.
Products containing acetaminophen are widespread and often available over-the-counter, including Tylenol and cough, cold and flu treatments. If you are unsure whether a product contains acetaminophen, contact your doctor or pharmacist. The maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen is 3 grams (3000 milligrams) in 24 hours.
Along with taking high doses of Vicodin, other things can cause an overdose. One of the primary reasons people overdose on prescription drugs is because they mix them with other substances. The hydrocodone in Vicodin is a central nervous system depressant.
How to tell if a loved one is misusing opioids
While experts are unsure how acetaminophen works, hydrocodone works by activating mu-opioid receptors. Individuals who choose to utilize the drug illegally usually crush it themselves. Rather than be taken orally, the powder is snorted into the body by the user. Doing this allows the Vicodin to permeate the system in a short time compared to being swallowed, but it also puts individuals at a higher risk of harm and powerful side effects. Because Vicodin already contains acetaminophen, combining it with other acetaminophen-containing products is extremely dangerous and toxic to your liver.
Effects of Vicodin on the Brain
