Tag Archives: addiction

Drug Abuse

How Long Does It Take to Become Addicted to Percocet?

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  • How Percocet Addiction Happens
  • Is Percocet Addiction Genetic?
  • Life Without Addiction

    • Percocet addiction is a multifaceted disease. Like other opiate drugs, Percocet is highly addictive and Percocet dependence can take over after just a few weeks of treatment. All opiate addictions will only worsen the longer an individual goes without treatment.

    Every Percocet addiction is unique. The path and intensity of opioid addiction is unique to the individual and varies depending on biological, behavioral and social factors.
     

    How Does Your Body Become Addicted to Percocet?

    Because many physicians prescribe Percocet to alleviate pain, it can be an unsuspecting cause of addiction. Most patients are introduced to the drug with no intentions of abusing it, as they are simply seeking pain relief.

    Distressed man holding pillsPhysical dependency begins anywhere from 1-4 weeks after the person first begins to take regular doses of Percocet. While the intensity of the body’s dependency will vary from person to person, the basic concept remains the same, as prolonged use of Percocet conditions the body to rely on the drug to function.

    When dependent on Percocet, a person simultaneously has greater cravings for the drug while building up a tolerance to its effects. This can lead to abuse of the quantity or dosing method — smoking, snorting or injecting instead of oral indigestion — both of which are major characteristics of addiction.

    >>> READ THIS NEXT: Signs You’re Addicted to Percocet

    Is Percocet Addiction Genetic?

    Some people may be genetically predisposed to addiction. Addiction changes the way the brain is wired, but some people may be more susceptible to addiction than others, and this susceptibility can be inherited. Opioid painkillers are unique, because anyone can become dependent on these drugs. Percocet addiction can impact people who have no personal or family history of addiction. This drug does not discriminate and can affect anyone.

    Percocet addiction often begins as a “soft addiction,” which means that its ramifications are not always immediately felt.

    Unfortunately, this only delays recognition of the problem before it evolves into full-blown addiction. Addiction to Percocet is unhealthy, mentally constraining, and very expensive.
     

    Living Free of Percocet Addiction

    There is hope for Percocet addiction recovery. Any reputable recovery treatment program should have the treatment programs and addiction specialists necessary to save your life or the life of someone you love. Opioid addictions do not get better without supportive treatment. Life is too short to waste on addiction. Call 760-548-4032 today.


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    Oxycontin Addiction

    How Oxycodone Affects Your Eating Habits and Appetite

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    Oxycodone is a narcotic painkiller. Doctors prescribe this drug to treat moderate to severe pain. Because it works similarly to morphine, it’s often used after major injuries or surgery. But did you know oxycodone does more (and sometimes less) than help you manage pain?

    Science explains that oxycodone, “can actually make you more sensitive to pain over time… An opioid sets off a chain of immune signals in the spinal cord that amplifies pain rather than dulling it.”1 And at the same time you’re not getting the pain relief you need, you start experiencing symptoms that can affect your eating habits and appetite.

    Oxycodone’s Side Effects

    Oxycodone can be helpful for short-term pain management. But even when used for a short period of time, side effects occur. MedlinePlus explains that some side effects include the following:

    • Dry mouth
    • Stomach pain
    • Headache
    • Mood changes
    • Nausea
    • Vomiting
    • Loss of appetite
    • Difficulty breathing or swallowing
    • Drowsiness
    • Dizziness
    • Withdrawal symptoms1

    All of these change how you feel and can impact how you eat. And if use becomes abuse or addiction, a surprisingly common occurrence, side effects are more likely and more severe.

    Does Oxycodone Abuse Affect Your Weight?

    Because oxycodone affects how you think, feel and eat, it affects your weight. One common sign of oxycodone addiction is sudden or unexplained weight gain or weight loss. Other drugs have a similar effect on your appetite, weight and overall health.

    Today’s Dietitian explains, “Substance abuse generally leads to a lack of proper nutrition, either as a result of not eating enough throughout the day or eating foods that are low in necessary nutrients. Certain substances, such as stimulants, may suppress appetite and disrupt metabolic and neuroendocrine regulation, leading to improper calorie consumption and impaired nutrient processing. Other substances may lead to an increase in appetite, causing weight gain.”2

    Because using a drug like oxycodone becomes a priority, individuals don’t pay attention to eating well. A person with addiction will not get the necessary nutrition or balanced calories needed for his or her body to maintain a healthy weight.

    Oxycodone’s Effects on Fitness

    Addiction can also affect your energy and activity levels. Oxycodone can cause individuals to feel sleepy, lethargic or unmotivated. Improper nutrition and depressed mood can worsen these effects. A person may gain weight or simply be less healthy as a result of being less physically active.

    How Oxycodone Affects Metabolism

    human thryoid

    Opioids disrupt the production of hormones. This can lead to changes in your metabolism. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association explains that “Opioid-induced endocrinopathy is one of the most common yet least often diagnosed consequences of prolonged opioid therapy.”3

    Opioids change how your endocrine system works.

    And some of the most common endocrine gland diseases, or hormone problems, include hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Both of these impact eating habits, appetite, energy levels, and weight. The Journal also shares that opioids affect cortisol levels, another hormone related to stress and, yes, appetite, weight, and activity.

    Oxycodone and Addiction

    The longer you use oxycodone, the more likely it is that the drug will affect your eating habits and appetite. If you are using the drug as prescribed, you will still probably notice changes in how you eat and how you feel. If you are experiencing sudden weight gain, weight loss, loss of appetite or nausea, contact your doctor immediately.

    Make sure you talk with your doctor about any changes you notice. Substance use can quickly cause psychological and physical dependence, which can lead to abuse and addiction. If you are worried about your or a loved one’s oxycodone use, call our toll-free number at 760-548-4032, for addiction help. We are here to help you find and access professional treatment at any time of day.

    Start the Journey Today!

    760-548-4032

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    Sources

    1 “Oxycodone.” MedlinePlus. 15 Mar. 2018.

    2 Salz, Alyssa. “Substance Abuse and Nutrition.” Today’s Dietician. Dec. 2014.

    3 Colameco, Stephen and Coren, Joshua. “Opioid-Induced Endocrinopathy.” The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Jan. 2009.

    Addiction Recovery

    Treatment Works: One Couple Beats Crystal Meth Addiction

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  • Key Steps to Overcome Addiction
  • Starting Over

    • Facing a loved one’s addiction is always difficult, but when that person is part of an addicted couple, new problems emerge. It’s a lesson that Jason and Donna learned the hard way.

    For 10 years they shared everything. They had a home, cars, jobs and children. They also shared a meth addiction.

    Though it wasn’t immediately intrusive, they soon began to cook their own supply. After they began to cook the drug in their own home, they were arrested and then charged with possession with intent to manufacture, causing them to lost everything: their home, their cars, their jobs, and custody of their children.

    Families often have to cope with the addict’s losses during the addiction phase. Knowing that the couple no longer has a job or a home to come back to can make the process of recovery more stressful. Families have to support and care for their addicted loved one during the recovery process, perhaps offering them a transitional home or caring for children as needed. These are all tough issues to face as a loved one seeks recovery, but they are surmountable and ignoring them won’t make them go away.
     

    Key Steps to Overcome Addiction

     
    Woman confronted by husbandEventually, they regained custody of their two children. Unfortunately, they also relapsed and began using again. They were arrested a second time before they agreed that meth was ruining their lives. It took a second round of treatment to help them get the issue under control.

    Crystal meth especially is a tricky drug when it comes to recovery. Many find that they can stop using for weeks or months at a time, only to succumb to overwhelming cravings when they least expect it.

    Going it alone is rarely a long-term fix, and those who are dependent upon the drug are encouraged to understand the long cycle of cravings that characterizes the addiction and prepare themselves to seek treatment services as needed to avoid the devastation of a return to active addiction.

     

    Starting Over

    Today, Jason and Donna are drug-free. Donna holds a fulltime job, and Jason is disabled due to an injury. Together they are the president and vice-president of the alumni drug court group that helped them make their way into recovery, and they are active in church projects. Staying drug-free and staying together as a family with their children brightened both of their futures.

    We can help your loved one get the help he or she needs to fight drug dependency and rejoin the family. Call 760-548-4032 now to find out more about the options available to you in drug rehab today.
     


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    Alcohol Abuse, Alcohol Addiction, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, General Issues, Sobriety

    Managing Your Emotions is the Key to Sobriety

    Addiction is an emotional disease. You may have turned to drugs or alcohol as a way to run away from your emotions. You may have found your emotions too painful or difficult to handle. Substances promised an easy escape.

    However that escape ended up causing more emotional problems than it solved. Drugs didn’t make your life any better. They didn’t erase any emotions, and even if they buried them at first, they stopped doing so a long time ago. Sobriety is as emotional as addiction, but sober emotions are productive. They help you express yourself, process your experiences, and move forward in life. Substance use only takes you backwards. Sobriety isn’t about erasing emotions, as that is something no one can do. Sobriety involves learning to manage your emotions and to grow and become stronger as a result.

    How Emotions Lead to Drug Addiction

    Emotions lead to substance use. You may struggle with depression, anxiety or another mental health concern. You may face dramatic life changes or serious physical health issues. You may simply not know how to deal with everyday feelings. This is okay. You don’t have to know how to manage your mental health issue. You don’t have to know how to cope with the challenges that arise in any and every life. You just have to know that drug use isn’t the right answer. You have to reach out so you can learn. As Scientific American[1] explains,

    “Recovery programs teach these fundamental principles of emotional regulation because addicts do not know them intuitively.”

    If you struggle with addiction, you most likely struggle with managing emotions. This is normal. Treatment teaches emotional regulation skills for just this reason. You can learn how to healthily process thoughts and feelings.

    How to Manage Emotions in Recovery

    Managing emotions begins with learning how to do so. As mentioned above, treatment exists for just this reason. Therapists help you recognize unhealthy responses to feelings or situations. They help you develop positive processing and coping methods. This doesn’t mean you get to avoid emotions in recovery. You’ve tried doing that already with drugs or alcohol, and it doesn’t work. Managing emotions means learning how to experience them, accept them, move forward, and feel better. Treatment typically first teaches you distraction techniques. Distraction is not a permanent solution for emotions, but it helps you pause before having to process them. This puts time and space between you and potentially triggering thoughts or situations.

    The Association for Psychological Science[2] shares, “Disengagement at an early stage can successfully modulate low- and high-intensity emotional information before it gathers force.”

    Delaying–not avoiding–emotions helps you take the power out of them. It helps you keep emotions at a manageable level and to avoid impulsive reactions such as reaching for a former drug of choice. Treatment helps you develop an array of distraction techniques that will work for you. This gives you time and space to avoid relapse and manage your emotions rather than react to them.

    Man listening to headphonesSome techniques for immediately managing emotions include physical activity or listening to music or watching a show. You can call up a friend or therapist and talk about how you feel or instead talk about anything but that. Consider doing the opposite of what you feel: forgiving someone if you are angry, telling a joke if you feel sad. Distraction and delaying are good ways to manage emotions and maintain sobriety. Avoidance is not. Distraction works so that you can reexamine emotions when they are less powerful, when you are more in control of your thoughts and behaviors.

    At this later time, you can acknowledge how you feel or felt. You can feel embarrassed, cheated, lonely or even happy.  Once you acknowledge your emotions, you can do many things to keep them from taking over your life. Notice the thoughts that go along with these emotions. If they are negative, challenge them with something more positive. Tell yourself that your feelings will come and go and that feelings are a normal part of life. The more aware you are of your emotions, the better you can experience them, let them go, and move forward. You can remove their influence and keep your sobriety.

    [1] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-emotional-sobriety/. “The Nuts and Bolts of Emotional Sobriety.” Scientific American. 1 Mar 2012. Web. 21 Mar 2017.

    [2] http://people.socsci.tau.ac.il/mu/galsheppes/files/2016/10/Sheppes-G.-Scheibe-S.-Suri-G.-Gross-J.J.-2011.-Emotion-Regulation-Choice.pdf. “Emotion-Regulation Choice.” Association for Psychological Science. 29 Sep 2011. Web. 21 Mar 2017.