It may be difficult to determine if someone is addicted to pain pills. Prescription pain medication may often be prescribed after surgery or a major injury. If you have noticed someone you know misusing their prescription or a change in a loved one’s personality, it is important to understand the signs of addiction. Whatever the case may be, addiction to pain pills can be deadly and if they are misusing opioids, they need supportive addiction treatment.
At Findlay® Recovery Center, we offer affordable, same-day treatment to clients. Our treatment facility supports clients who are struggling with opioid dependency and addiction. We can monitor and support clients through the withdrawal process. Contact Findlay Recovery today to see how our treatment center can help support your loved one.
What are pain pills?
Pain pills are a common term for prescription opioids. Drugs such as hydrocodone (Vidodin), codeine, and oxycodone (Percocet, OxyContin) are opioid pain relievers. These drugs are considered to be highly addictive based on how to affect a person’s mind and body.
Opioid pain pill use comes with several negative side effects.
- drowsiness
- confusion
- nausea
- constipation
- slowed breathing
Opioids can also impact appetite and cause drastic weight gain or loss with chronic use. It can be easy to accidentally overdose on prescription opioids. The longer and more often a person uses these medications, the more tolerant to their effects they will become. This means that after a sustained period of use, a person will need to take more pills, more often to achieve their desired effects. This reaction between building tolerance and taking more and more of a drug is usually the start of an overdose.
An opioid overdose is like the side effects of use, but with more severe consequences. Individuals may become unresponsive, have slowed breathing and heart rate, and can fall into a coma. Without medical intervention, it is possible an overdose of opioids may cause death. In 2019, over 70% of all overdose deaths were caused by opioids.
When an overdose occurs, individuals who are overdosing on opioids may be revived with a shot of Narcan or Naloxone. This medication acts to reverse the effects of the opioid pain medication and puts the individual into withdrawal, which can be extremely painful but is better than overdose death.
If you suspect that you or a loved one are struggling, contact Findlay Recovery Center today. Our opioid addiction treatment program is designed to cater to the needs of the individual and provide customized and supportive care to individuals in need.
How to Tell if Someone is Addicted to Pain Pills
Opioids are painkillers that affect the opioid pain receptors and work to reduce pain while increasing dopamine output. This increase in dopamine in the system is what can create addiction. Individuals who need the pain medication for long periods of time may develop a tolerance and need a larger dosage to produce the same results as before. Tolerance may further an individual down the path of addiction.
Another possible way to tell if someone is addicted to pain pills is if they go through withdrawal symptoms after stopping use. Individuals who undergo withdrawal symptoms following use are most likely addicted to the drug. Opioid withdrawal symptoms include “muscle and bone pain, sleep problems, diarrhea and vomiting, cold flashes with goosebumps, uncontrollable leg movements, and severe cravings.” While opioid withdrawal does not typically have any fatal symptoms, it is important to undergo withdrawal in a medical detox center.
Some other common signs of addiction to look out for if you suspect that you or your loved one may be addicted to pain pills include sudden changes in mood, personality, appearance, and hygiene. Chronic use of pain pills can lead to drastic weight change and decreased involvement in activities. A person suffering from addiction might isolate themselves from friends or family, often seemingly sedated, depressed, or anxious.
Findlay Recovery Center – Opioid Detox and Treatment
Our modern therapies are used to support clients struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Through Findlay Recovery Center, our clients can achieve comprehensive opioid addiction treatment in a supportive environment. Our new facility was designed with clients in mind. It has spaces for individualized counseling, large group counseling areas, and recreation rooms designed to promote engagement with others and the program.
Get affordable care, available today with Findlay Recovery.
