Dealing with painkiller addiction is a struggle felt by many people across the globe. From rich to poor, it affects people of all classes. Painkiller addiction affects people in various ways. It interferes with family life, harms your health, and interrupts your work. You may wonder if you are addicted to painkillers if you’re taking them for any reason. It’s essential to understand how painkiller addiction works and how to recognize the signs. If you or someone you care about is struggling with painkiller addiction, contact Rockland Recovery today for more information about painkiller addiction treatment.
What Is Painkiller Addiction?
What does it mean to abuse painkillers? There are several indications that someone is abusing painkillers, such as:
- Taking more medicine than prescribed
- Using the drug to get high
- Ingesting the drug in a different method than prescribed
- Obtain the drug illegally
How Painkiller Addiction Occurs
Narcotic painkillers are opioids that work by activating the brain’s opioid receptors. When this occurs, it triggers the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins cause you to experience feelings of euphoria. Even though you have endorphins released naturally at times, opioids create such a surge of them that it causes the user to experience a “high.”
This flood of endorphins coming into the brain serves as a reward to the brain, teaching it that this substance will make it feel good. This is why you may continue to go back and take more of the painkiller.
As time goes on, you first become tolerant, then dependent on painkillers, and the line between dependence and addiction is razor-thin. At this point, you need the aid of a drug addiction treatment program to detox from painkillers safely.
Signs of Painkiller Addiction
There are evident signs of painkiller addiction as you progress from one phase of usage to the next. Some signs are as follows:
Increased Painkiller Usage Despite Consequences
The consequences of doing painkillers may be worrisome or frightening, but it’s not enough to deter you from continuing to use what your body and brain are becoming dependent on.
These consequences could be financial or legal problems that result directly from painkiller abuse.
“Doctor Shopping”
One technique that people who have a painkiller addiction use to obtain their drugs is to go “doctor shopping”. This term refers to a person going to multiple doctors to receive the same medication, and it is also illegal.
Taking a Higher Amount of the Drug
Not only do people continue taking the painkillers, but they will increase their dosage as well. This is because they no longer feel the same “high” at the lower levels of the painkiller, which is a sure sign of tolerance.
Physical Symptoms of Painkiller Addiction
If you abruptly quit taking painkillers after using them for a while or abusing them at all, then you could experience physical symptoms.
Some of the physical symptoms of painkiller addiction include:
- Moodiness or irritability
- Anxiety
- Excessive yawning
- Runny nose or stuffy nose
- Stomachache, including abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
- Flu-like aches and pains
- Sweatiness
- Faster breathing
- Confusion
- Difficulty sleeping
- Craving for the drug
Find Help for Painkiller Addiction Today at Rockland Recovery
Discover a place for healing from painkiller addiction when you reach out to Rockland Recovery. Our facility is staffed with caring, qualified professionals who utilize evidence-based therapies and methods to assist in the healing process. You can count on the clinicians at Rockland Recovery to provide you with the best care while you go through the steps of recovery.
An intake coordinator will assist you with the admissions process and determining which treatment program is best for your situation. At Rockland Recovery, we offer the following treatment programs:
- Men’s rehab program
- Women’s rehab program
- Day partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- Day intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Evening intensive outpatient program (IOP)
Don’t delay seeking treatment for a painkiller addiction. You don’t have to go through this alone. Therapists and professionals will safely get you through an addiction involving painkillers.
Help is only a phone call away. Contact Rockland Recovery at 855.732.4842, and we’ll be there to guide you through the steps of healing and recovery.
