5 Signs Your Loved One Needs Painkiller Addiction Treatment

If you’ve noticed erratic behavior in a loved one because of abusing painkillers, you may not know how to help them. Getting them to admit they have an issue can be difficult, especially if they insist they need the medication to treat a medical condition. Your loved one may be unwilling or indifferent to the damage caused by their drug dependency. A painkiller addiction treatment program in Massachusetts at Rockland Recovery may be necessary to help a family member overcome their drug abuse.

What Are Painkillers?

Painkillers are potent medications that alter how the nervous system receives and interprets nerve signals that transmit pain. They stimulate the part of the brain that controls how we experience pleasure, producing a euphoric high along with pain relief.

Opioids like Oxycodone and hydrocodone are commonly prescribed to help people experiencing a lot of pain after having surgery. Others who might receive a painkiller prescription include people undergoing cancer treatment or managing a painful health condition.

Painkillers made from opioids carry a significant risk for abuse because of how they bind to opioid receptors in the brain. Prescription painkiller opioids break down into morphine once they enter the body and produce the same effect as heroin. Your loved one may be more vulnerable to becoming dependent on painkillers because of the following risk factors:

They receive painkiller prescriptions from multiple doctors.
They take a high dose of painkillers every day.
They have an addictive personality.
They’re dealing with a mental illness.
They have a history of substance abuse.

Your family member’s issues may progress to the point where they should consider getting help through a painkiller addiction treatment program.

If your loved one is still resisting efforts by family members to get them help for painkiller addiction, it’s likely time for them to undergo some self-reflection. However, you can’t force someone to get help for themselves. All you can do is continue educating yourself about the signs of a painkiller addiction.

5 Signs Your Loved One Needs Painkiller Addiction Treatment

1. The Constant Desire to Use Painkillers

People dealing with a painkiller addiction may start letting activities they once enjoyed fall to the side. Your loved one may start withdrawing from you and others trying to help them because they only want to focus on using drugs. Pulling away makes people feel they are avoiding judgment and living life the way they want, no matter the cost.

2. Damage to Relationships

If you’re close to someone struggling with a painkiller addiction, you’ll likely be one of the first to notice something is off with their behavior. The breakdown of your bond can include constant arguments about their drug use and the effect it’s having on your loved one’s life. They may start avoiding gatherings where they may be confronted about their behavior.

3. Issues at Work

People with severe painkiller dependency may see their performance deteriorating at work. Constant reprimands about their ability to perform their job can lead to termination, accelerating a person’s slide into hardcore prescription drug abuse.

4. Constant Mood Swings

Drugs alter a person’s brain chemistry. That can affect an individual’s ability to reign in their emotions. Your loved one may start lashing out at everyone or exhibit erratic behavior that puts their lives or someone else’s at risk.

5. Legal and Financial Issues

If your loved one gets behind the wheel while under the influence of painkillers, they could end up hurting or killing themselves or other people. The cost of buying prescription painkillers or mounting a legal defense can eat away at a person’s financial resources.