Painkiller Addiction

Painkiller addiction affects three-fourths of the population of the U.S. and one in ten high school students, according to statistics published by Drug Free World. It is also reported that recreational use of prescription painkillers is up twelve percent from last year and among the reason for the increase was the abuse of painkillers among senior individuals 60 and older, especially the drug Oxycontin. Clearly, this is a problem that is not going away anytime soon.

How They Work

Painkillers are part of a family of drugs known as opiates that affect the central nervous system and brain by blocking the opioid receptors which tell the body to feel pain. Rather than the sensation of pain, the individual feels a sense of euphoria. Painkiller addiction occurs when the individual takes the drug over a long period of time, which results in a tolerance to develop. The individual will self medicate by increasing the amount of the painkiller to reach the same level of euphoria as before.

Effects and Indications

Warning signs that indicate that an individual may be addicted to painkillers are:
• Increasing the amount of the painkiller through self medication, without doctor’s prescription
• Recreational use or continuing the use of the painkiller when they are no longer needed
• Making multiple visits to the doctor to get more of the drug or habitually losing the prescription to get another one
• Becoming defensive when someone questions the amount of the drug an individual uses
• Changes in moods, personality, concentration and energy as a result of drug use
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Neglecting personal hygiene, household chores and financial obligations
• Sensitive to sounds, light and emotions and may have hallucinations
• Blackouts

Taking painkillers may produce certain side effects such as
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness and drowsiness
• Flu like symptoms
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures
• Coma and death

There is always a potential of overdose with painkiller addiction. Some individuals who take opiates experience opioid hyperalgesia which results in the individual experiencing more pain.

Help is Available

If you have a painkiller or opiate abuse and addiction, there is help available. Depending on the amount of painkillers you have been taking, how often you have been taking painkillers and how long you have been using painkillers; medical detoxification may be the first step in recovery. Medical detox will clean your system of the toxins that have collected as a result of your painkiller addiction.

Most doctors agree that IV therapy medical detox is the best method for detox from painkiller abuse or addiction. Intravenous therapy is ideal because it allows the medication used during detox to be adjusted to meet the withdrawal symptoms, which keeps the patient comfortable. Research shows that patients who complete detox are more likely to be successful in overcoming their painkiller addiction than individuals who are not able to complete detox.