Hydrocodone Addiction
Here at Recovery Ways, we are experienced in providing opioid addiction treatment to patients of all ages and backgrounds. Our staff is comprised of Masters level clinicians who are dedicated to providing you with the highest quality care and treatment. Unlike many other facilities, we are licensed to administer individualized Suboxone treatment plans that will aid with the opioid addiction treatment process.
Hydrocodone is a synthetic narcotic that is mixed with acetaminophen, which is a commonly used analgesic ( a pain relieving common ingredient in Tylenol or Ibuprofen) pain-relieving effects. In 2011 the FDA required all prescription painkillers to lower the amount of acetaminophen because it is known to cause liver damage. Most addicts will have irreparable damage to their liver because of the acetaminophen.Hydrocodone is typically prescribed for people who have severe injuries or undergoing serious surgery. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration it is the most frequently prescribed painkiller.
Vicodin: Is usually prescribed as one tablet every four to six hours but addicts usually take much more. 131 million people were prescribed Vicodin in 2011 in the United States, oftentimes unnecessarily.
Norco: Norco is sometimes prescribed to suppress coughing. Almost 2 million people tried opioids like Norco recreationally for the first time in 2012.
Lortab: Most people who abuse Lortab are between 18-25. It is a tablet and addicts often crush it to snort it or mix it with water and inject it.
Zohydro: Is purely hydrocodone and is only prescribed for severe pain. Since it is pure hydrocodone people can easily become addicted to it.
Hydrocodone is chemically similar to morphine and heroin making it highly addictive. It blocks neurological pathways, dulling pain, and enhancing dopamine production triggering the pleasure receptors causing euphoria. Abusing hydrocodone can reprogram the brain for physical and psychological dependence on the drug. In 2014 is was changed from a Schedule III to a Schedule II controlled substance because of increasing abuse and addiction. This puts it in the same class as fentanyl and oxycodone. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) said that in 2013, 4 million people over the age of 12 said they used hydrocodone for non-medical reasons. Suboxone is often used to treat the withdrawal symptoms during detox.