Percocet addiction and abuse involves the intentional misuse of this prescription medicine. Abuse may mean people use their own prescription in a way it wasn't prescribed, or they may take a drug that wasn't prescribed to them. Sometimes, drug abuse and addiction are used interchangeably, but they are not the same concept.
After skyrocketing addiction rates and associated deaths, the nation's opioid epidemic has finally come into the spotlight. Many factors have contributed to this crisis. Among the most abused drugs is Percocet.
Percocet is the brand name for a prescription drug designed to relieve pain. It combines opioid and non-opioid ingredients for short-term pain relief. Doctors generally prescribe it to treat short-term pain such as after a surgery or from an injury and not for a chronic condition like arthritis or cancer. Like other opioids, the drug affects the nervous system altering the perception of pain.
Opioids like Percocet activate the brain's reward center. You can become addicted to the way the drug makes you feel. But over time, the drug will stop working as well as it used to, and you'll need to take more of the medicine to achieve the same effect.
We can help. You can overcome drug addiction and have a better life than you ever thought possible!
Nearly 0.4% of the population struggles with the abuse of Percocet and other opioids according to the DSM-5, or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, state that the rate of opioid overdose, which include overdoses caused by Percocet, has risen fourfold in women and nearly 300% among men.
Lastly, and as stated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, the number of people who have died as a result of abusing opioids like Percocet has increased almost 300% since 1990.
When taken as intended, this drug works wonders for those who need it and allows such individuals to enjoy the relief they need to live their lives. However, because of the enticing high that this medication can induce when it's misused, Percocet is also an alluring substance of abuse for those seeking to get high.
If you're someone who has either taken Percocet outside of your doctor's recommendation or are someone who came to misuse this medication in order to alter your state of mind, then you're acquainted with how challenging it is to stop the abuse of this opioid.
Especially if you've been abusing Percocet for a long time, the withdrawal and intoxicating effects that this painkiller can produce are typically enough to dissuade you from defeating your chemical dependence once and for all. However, once you're ready to achieve sobriety, free yourself from the risks associated with Percocet abuse, and start treatment, know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. With the support of a compassionate treatment team, you can once again enjoy a life that is no longer controlled by Percocet.
As you reflect back on what led you to the abuse of Percocet, you may still be wondering why this sort of issue is affecting your life. To understand the causes and possible risk factors for Percocet abuse, take some time to read through the following research-supported concepts:
If you have a first-degree family member, such as a parent or sibling, who has also struggled with substance abuse, then you may be more susceptible to experiencing similar issues. The reason for this is because researchers have discovered certain genes that can make substance abuse, including the misuse of Percocet, more probable for some people and not others.
If you know someone who has a prescription for Percocet and if you have easy access to his or her medication, you might be more likely to abuse this painkiller. Furthermore, if you have your own prescription for Percocet and don't heed your doctor's warnings pertaining to the proper use of it, you may also be at risk for misusing this drug.
Lacking effective coping mechanisms, having subpar support, having a history of trauma, and/or having a history of abusing other types of drugs are all examples of how your environment can impact your decision to abuse Percocet or not.
If you or a family member has been abusing Percocet, it's essential that you seek help immediately. It's important to begin by identifying risk factors such as:
There's a growing consensus among researchers that the best way to avoid opioid abuse is to find alternative treatment methods before doctors even prescribe it. However, physicians still find pain treatment to be extremely complex. In many cases, there's still no clear substitute nor does this help people who are already addicted to the substance.
Here are some factors that explain why Percocet is so addictive:
Opioids like Percocet can cause serious health complications. The drug can increase a person's risk for choking. It can also slow a person's breathing, which may cause them to stop breathing entirely. It's even possible to fall into a coma or die as a result of an overdose.
A person who is addicted to Percocet may be more likely to use other illegal drugs or prescription medications. Certain combinations of medicines can be lethal.
An addiction can affect work performance and personal relationships. People who use and abuse Percocet sometimes engage in risky behaviors. This may lead to motor vehicle accidents or accidents that cause bodily harm.
Percocet abusers and addicts will often experience significant personality changes, and this may make them complete strangers to people who have known them all their loves and who genuinely care for them. By and by, as prioritization of Percocet use overtakes everything else, relationships fray, sometimes to the point where they are impossible to salvage.
People who are addicted may also find themselves involved in criminal activity, especially if they decide to steal, forge a prescription, or lie to get more pills.
Besides the actual side effects of this prescription painkiller, one of the worst features of Percocet is that some people do not recognize its danger. Many have the mindset that since a doctor prescribed, it's a safer way of getting high than street drugs like heroin. This is completely untrue.
Percocet has a number of possible side effects. Identifying the presence of these side effects in someone who is using the drug can help you spot abuse.
Percocet reduces intestinal motility. This often causes constipation and difficulty with bowel movements.
Percocet can be difficult to obtain because it requires a prescription. Many people aren't able to obtain enough Percocet through legal means, such as a prescription from a doctor. Therefore, people who are addicted may try anything in order to get the drug, including indulging in criminal behavior, such as robbing people.
Individuals who are addicted may turn to stealing medication from friends, family members, or strangers, or forging prescriptions. They may pretend to lose their prescription or frequently request new ones. They may file false police reports so pharmacies will give them more medication. Some addicts will also visit multiple doctors or pharmacies so they aren't as likely to get caught.
Percocet use and abuse can cause a person to develop obvious mannerisms like appearing high or unusually excitable. Alternately, some people also appear sedated or excessively tired
Depending on the severity of your Percocet abuse problem, the warning signs that you're battling an addiction can be both obvious and not-so-obvious. To know for sure if you've developed an addiction to this medication, check to see if the following symptoms are impacting your life:
Here are some Percocet addiction behavioral symptoms:
Here are some Percocet addiction physical symptoms:
Since people often become not just psychologically dependent but also physically dependent on Percocet, it makes curing the addiction very difficult. As people grow increasingly addicted so do their tolerance levels. This creates a vicious cycle of people needing higher dosages to achieve the same effect. It can also lead to overdose.
Since Percocet is so addictive, addiction can begin within just a few days. If this is the case for you or a family member, please seek help from medical professionals and support from loved ones immediately.
Withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous, which is often why people look to treatment centers for help. When you stop taking or significantly reduce the dosage of Percocet, there are many painful and intense symptoms of withdrawal including:
Oftentimes, family members are ill-equipped to handle a person going with through Percocet withdrawal. This is where addiction centers and medical professionals can be beneficial. They can offer the proper levels of care and support.
It's also essential to treat Percocet addiction psychologically. There may be factors related to mental and emotional health that lead to the addiction. Severe pain can also combine with stress or a history of dependency and lead to addiction.
Treatment for Percocet addiction often requires several approaches. It may seem ironic, but prescription medications may actually help a person addicted to prescription medications quit and recover from their addiction. Medications are often needed to help treat the symptoms caused by detoxification and withdrawal. This may make kicking the addiction easier.
Medications such as buprenorphine or methadone may be prescribed for Percocet withdrawal. Both have shown great success at treating and easing the symptoms caused by opioid withdrawal.
Detoxifying your body and experiencing withdrawal is hard. But staying clean and drug free for the rest of your life might be even harder. Remember that you don't have to do it alone. Friends, family, and a network of support organizations can be there to help.
Support can come from many places, such as the well-known organization Narcotics Anonymous. If you're Christian, you may enjoy a church-based program, such as Celebrate Recovery. The important thing is finding something that helps you stay clean and holds you accountable.
People who are trying to overcome addiction often go for counseling. Speaking with a professional can help you discover underlying problems that may have contributed to your addiction in the first place.
Additionally, family members may want to use counseling as a way to talk with their loved one about problems, so everyone can come together to heal and move forward. Family members of those who are addicted may need counseling to help them understand how they can support their loved one who is struggling with Percocet addiction so that they can go through the recovery process.