Physical Dependence Accompanies Oxycontin Addiction

Oxycontin is a pain killer that has become a very popular choice for people looking for a way to get high.

This drug is an opiate – a quality that it shares with heroin, morphine, codeine, and methadone. As with all opiates, there is a strong physical dependence that goes along with Oxycontin addiction. The user can become addicted quite soon after they begin using the drug.

Generally, Oxycontin is only available legally through prescriptions. The person who falls victim to an Oxycontin addiction has to buy their pills through someone who has access to legal supplies of the drug.

Oxycontin pills use a time release method to administer the drug gradually. This can lead some to crush the pills and snort them to get a more immediate high. This can be quite dangerous because it can lead to a drug overdose.

The drug provides the user with a euphoric feeling that they quickly become addicted to. In time, a tolerance is built up so that larger and larger amounts of the drug are necessary to get the same high as previously.

To recover from an Oxycontin addiction, it is often necessary to go through a drug detox to minimize the miserable physical effects of quitting. Once they have overcome the immediate effects of stopping the drug, they can begin a treatment program to move them towards permanent recovery (although with recovery from drug addiction we can never assume that anything is “permanent”).

The person with the Oxycontin addiction will need to receive individual counselling to look at issues that might have led to them abusing the drug. They will look at issues related to emotions, negative thought patterns, and risky behaviour.

To avoid relapsing with an Oxycontin addiction, the addict will learn that it is necessary to change their whole life. This includes ending associations with people who use drugs (particularly people the addict used with) and with people who sell drugs.

It may be necessary for the addict to change their physical environment to remove temptation as well.