A common topic in the news these days is opioid addiction and how it’s taken the nation by storm. This makes sense, considering 2.7 million Americans aged 12 and older had an opioid use disorder in the year 2020. Pain Pills started this major opioid epidemic with Drs freely distributing stong opioid medication under false information.
For many, the connection is made between opioids and also substances like heroin. While true, and still a very common drug of choice among addicted Americans, the more prominent and easier obtained issue comes from painkillers.
Opioids like Vicodin, OxyContin, Oxycodone, and others are sitting in medicine cabinets under the guise of being a helpful treatment for pain. Many times, these drugs are legally prescribed to help with chronic pain associated with injury or other ailments. The ease of access, plus the pain relief and also the bliss that immediately follows are all dangerous facets that can lead a person right into addiction.
It might be difficult to see, but there are some characteristics of a person struggling with addiction that may directly impact you. Follow along with this list of attributes of a pain pill addict. If one or more of these resonate with you, it may be time to contact the Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire for personalized opioid treatment.
Personality Changes
Probably the most obvious and first sign you might notice is a sharp change in your personality. Painkillers do more than ease pain; they alter the brain in a way that makes mood stabilizing more difficult. This can create some differences in your mood, behavior, and overall personality.
A person who was once carefree and happy may now appear to be anxious and depressed. A person who loved work and friends may now seem closed off and missing days from work. If that doesn’t become clear right away, it could become more apparent as an addicted person becomes withdrawn from their closest friends and family.
With the excessive use of pain pills, a person may begin to act entirely out of character. This could end up in the loss of relationships and the gaining of unhealthy ones. Many people with addictions are ashamed. As a result, they begin to be reclusive from their social groups and close friends. These peers end up getting replaced by those who enable bad habits and offer a false sense of love and friendship.
Increased Tolerance
Patients who form an opioid addiction to painkillers will notice that the same number of pills just don’t have the same effect as they used to. This is because over time and excessive use, they will become opioid tolerant, requiring more than a recommended dosage to do the trick.
Our bodies adjust to drugs after we use them enough. This is thanks to our brains trying to restore balance after it’s been repeatedly overstimulated. It allows cells to become accustomed to the drug and what it does to our bodies, making us more “used to” the effects.
This becomes a real problem for those with an addiction, who then feel the need to take more pills to compensate for the lack of mind-altering chemicals. Over time, intake will increase more and more to dangerous levels of consumption.
This is a symptom of addiction that the Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire is prepared to help treat. Physical dependency and increased tolerance go hand in hand and should be addressed before the self-dosage becomes a lethal one.
Withdrawal Symptoms of Pain Pills
First, if you stopped taking pain pills (either on your own or by participating in opioid addiction treatment), congratulations! Second, if you notice withdrawal symptoms from stopping your pain pill prescription, it’s because you overindulged in pain pills. Sometimes it’s also due to taking pain pills for longer than needed. Feeling these withdrawal symptoms might be enough to make you want to relapse to try and get rid of the pain, but it isn’t worth it.
Common withdrawal symptoms include:
- Nausea & vomiting
- Insomnia
- Shaking
- Irritability
- Cravings
- Nervousness
- Sweating
- Hallucinations
- Body aches
- Depression
Pain Pills Can Lead to Dangerous Behavior
Anyone who suffers from a painkiller addiction will likely begin participating in behavior that is dangerous to themselves and others. It starts with not showing up to work, paying bills, or tending to your personal care. You might have stopped eating regularly, feeding your children or pets, or begun to be neglectful of your household.
Once a prescription runs out, and the dependency stays, a person might turn to the streets for illegal purchases. As dangerous as this already is, a person might then be tempted to steal painkillers from friends and family members.
This can lead to some serious consequences. You could get bad drugs mixed with other substances, get caught and go to jail, or deal with shady street dealers who could kill you and not think twice.
Conclusion
If this checked off some boxes for you or a loved one, it’s time to seek options for help. What you hear in the news isn’t a joke. The opioid epidemic is rampaging through the country and taking lives with it. We can offer several forms of rehabilitation at Sobriety Centers of New Hampshire that will be customized to fit your needs.
Our contact form is confidential, and also we’re standing by to help you today!