What is hydrocodone? You might ask this question if your physician has written you a prescription for a brand-name drug such as Vicodin or Lortab. Hydrocodone is the generic form of an opioid painkiller that’s present in various brands of medication; hence, the different names. It’s a schedule II controlled substance. This means it has real medicinal value but offers a high risk of physical or psychological dependency. If you’ve developed a substance use disorder involving the drug hydrocodone, seek drug addiction treatment in McLean, VA as soon as possible.
What Is Hydrocodone, and Why Is It So Addictive?
Hydrocodone is safe if taken as directed by a physician who has first performed an examination. But you run the risk of becoming dependent if you misuse it in any way. This includes:
- Taking more hydrocodone than directed
- Taking the drug more often than directed
- Refilling the drug against your doctor’s orders
- Obtaining prescriptions for hydrocodone from multiple physicians
- Buying or borrowing hydrocodone from a friend or seller
Opioid drugs, such as hydrocodone, are safest when taken for short periods of time, such as between 3 and 5 days. Long-term use is not recommended because the risk of addiction is so high. Opioids work in your body in several ways. Initially, they block the pain messages sent from your brain to your nerve endings. Secondly, they slow your heartbeat and respiration to help you feel calm and mellow. This is such a relief after experiencing moderate-to-severe pain, that many clients who take the drug never want the euphoric feeling to end. This is how substance use disorder involving hydrocodone begins.
If this describes the situation you’re currently facing, seek treatment immediately. Opioid addiction is responsible for the deaths of more than 130 people every day in the United States.
What Does Vicodin Do?
What does Vicodin do? Vicodin fights pain whenever fever is present. Vicodin contains hydrocodone plus the analgesic acetaminophen. Consequently, it functions the same way as other opioids in your body. This drug masks the pain and makes you feel calm and serene. Unfortunately, your body builds up a tolerance to Vicodin and drugs like it. As a result, you’re forced to take more and more of the drug to achieve the same level of relief. Because Vicodin slows your respiration, taking too much can cause your heart to stop beating, leading to an accidental overdose. What is hydrocodone, and can it cause overdose as well? The answer is yes. Reach out for help today.
Treatment Options for Opioid Use Disorder
Next to alcohol, opioid drugs are some of the most difficult chemical substances to stop abusing. Because they make chemical changes in your brain, it’s possible to become dependent on a single-use. Your physician should sit down with you to discuss risk factors before ever prescribing opioid drugs such as Vicodin, Percoset, or Dilaudid. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always occur. What’s important to remember is that detoxing from opioids requires professional medical care. Attempting to take yourself off an opioid drug that you’ve been misusing can be dangerous or even fatal.
But, there’s good news, too. If you’re struggling with the question ‘what is hydrocodone?’ and wondering how your addiction began, help is available. Checking yourself into a reputable drug and alcohol treatment facility in McLean, VA is key. There, you’ll safely detox from the drug under supervised care, which usually includes the use of replacement medications to help alleviate painful withdrawal symptoms. When you’re ready to talk recovery, give Sagebrush Treatment Centers a call.
Recovery at Sagebrush Treatment Centers
What is hydrocodone? It’s a drug that served its purpose when first prescribed to you, but its day has come and gone. Consequently, it no longer needs to control your life. You can take that control back by contacting Sagebrush Treatment Centers in McLean, VA today. At Sagebrush Treatment Centers you’ll find a program that’s right for you, including:
- Outpatient care
- Residential accommodations
- Sober-living facilities
- Aftercare
Our level of care exceeds that of other drug and alcohol treatment centers in McLean, VA, and our approach is holistic, to care for you as a whole person and not just a disorder. Sagebrush Treatment Centers offer a warm, home-like environment for recovery to begin. Call us today at 866.488.1156 to experience the Sagebrush difference.
