There is a lot of media coverage on how addictive painkillers like oxycodone can be. Many people wonder is oxycodone addictive for everyone who takes it? The answer is oxycodone has the potential to be addictive in every case. There’s no 100 percent foolproof way to know this in advance. However, there are definitely people who have more of a risk to become addicted to oxycodone. Some of these risks include previous substance addiction, history of addiction in your family and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Oxycodone is an opiate or opioid synthetically created in a laboratory and derived from thebaine, an opium alkaloid. Oxycodone treats pain after surgery or in certain diseases. There’s a difference between physical dependence on oxycodone and actual addiction. Physical dependence involves tolerance and withdrawal symptoms upon quitting or lowering dosage. Addiction is a compulsive need to take the drug even if it has negative consequences.
Is Oxycodone Addictive Even if Taken Properly?
When you first begin taking oxycodone for pain and are taking the correct dosage, you might wonder how the drug becomes addictive. The answer is if you begin to enjoy the effects of oxycodone apart from pain relief and then start increasing your dose or tampering with the time release by crushing the pills. An addiction to oxycodone is characterized, not by physical dependence, but by a psychological dependence and craving. Ask the following three questions if you suspect oxycodone addiction in yourself or a loved one:
- Is oxycodone being used or abused despite negative consequences to the person or their health?
- Is there a distinct craving for oxycodone and is it being used compulsively?
- Is the person seeking oxycodone in order to cope with everyday stresses or life problems, rather than the prescribed use?
Detox is the First Step to Address Oxycodone Addiction
If you have an oxycodone addiction, you will also have a physical dependence on the drug, which means you will also experience a number of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if you stop using. Often people addicted to oxycodone or other painkillers have experienced some form of withdrawal in the past and will do anything to avoid it. This is where detox at a dedicated detox center such as Serenity House Detox & Recovery in Florida comes in.
Serenity House offers the following services:
- men’s detox program
- affordable detox
- two convenient locations in Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter
Take the first step today to address your oxycodone or other painkiller addiction by calling Serenity House Detox & Recovery at 866-396-4129 to learn how detox puts you on the path to recovery.
