About Oxycodone Addiction

Learn More About Oxycodone Addiction

Oxycodone is a synthetic opioid that can be found in several prescription painkillers including Percocet, Tylox, OxyContin, and Percodan. These medications are typically prescribed to those who have been suffering from moderate to severe pain that resulted from surgery, an injury, cancer or other diseases, or other issues. When an individual consumes a prescription medication containing oxycodone, he or she will likely experience a decrease in pain along with an elevated mood and a sense of relaxation. When the individual limits his or her oxycodone use to the dosage and duration directed by his or her physician, he or she can securely benefit from the drug’s positive effects.

Sadly, oxycodone’s potency and prevalence have made it a commonly abused substance, both by those who want to self-medicate, and those who want to obtain a recreational high. Regardless of why an individual starts to abuse oxycodone, the results can be catastrophic. Oxycodone interacts with parts of the brain that are responsible for controlling automatic functions such as respiration and heart rate. Therefore, individuals who surpass or ignore recommended dosing amounts risk damage to the cardiovascular system, which can be deadly.

In addition to the risk of death, oxycodone abuse puts an individual at risk for a variety of short and long-term dangers, including the development of addiction. Clinically referred to as opioid use disorder, oxycodone addiction can make it difficult or impossible for an individual to control the amount and frequency with which he or she abuses this substance. Oxycodone addiction can also cause an individual to prioritize the acquisition and use of oxycodone over personal, academic, and professional obligations, as well as other responsibilities. Receiving treatment for oxycodone addiction gives an individual the chance to adjust their priorities and focus on the responsibilities that truly matter.

When an individual attempts to defeat his or her oxycodone addiction by ending his or her abuse of this deadly drug, he or she might quickly begin to experience a number of painful withdrawal symptoms. If the individual does not have effective professional support, these symptoms can be overwhelming and can cause the individual to fall even deeper down the rabbit hole of oxycodone addiction.

Statistics

Oxycodone Addiction Statistics

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) reports that almost 2 million Americans have a substance use disorder including prescription painkillers, a group that includes oxycodone addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that 81% of all prescriptions for oxycodone worldwide are written within the borders of the United States. ASAM also reports that women are more likely than men to suffer from chronic pain and to be prescribed painkillers. Accordingly, 48,000 women died from prescription painkiller overdoses between 1998 and 2010. NIDA also states that between 2001 and 2014, the annual death rate caused by prescription painkiller overdose in the country has risen 340%.

Causes & Risks

Causes and Risk Factors for Oxycodone Addiction

An individual’s risk for abusing and becoming addicted to oxycodone might be impacted by a number of genetic and environmental factors, including the following:

Genetic: Having a family background of substance abuse can dramatically increase one’s risk for developing an opioid use disorder. The family risk is most prevalent in those who have a parent or a sibling who has struggled with addiction or a mental health condition. Heritable traits including impulsivity and novelty-seeking can increase one’s odds for a substance abuse problem involving oxycodone or another opioid.

Environmental: Early exposure to substance abuse through friends, family, or loved ones who abuse oxycodone or other opioids can serve as an environmental risk factor for one’s development of opioid use disorder. Trauma, poverty, and pain caused by disease, injury, or surgery can also increase one’s risk of oxycodone abuse.

Risk Factors:

Receiving a prescription for oxycodone
Trauma
Prior substance abuse
Mental illness
Gender (women are more likely than men to be prescribed oxycodone)
Family history of mental illness
Family history of substance abuse
Early exposure to substance abuse
Poverty

Signs & Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms of Oxycodone Addiction

Those who have been abusing or who have become addicted to oxycodone might show a number of symptoms, including the following:

Behavioral symptoms:

Abusing oxycodone when it is obviously risky or reckless to do so, such as when also abusing another substance or when driving a car
Abusing oxycodone even after experiencing negative outcomes from prior use
Declining performance in school or at work
Attempting but failing to end one’s use of oxycodone
Trying to fraudulently obtain a prescription for oxycodone or attempting to acquire this drug via another illicit means
Habitual absences from school or work
Lying, secrecy, and deception
Trying to borrow or steal money or goods to exchange for drugs
Trying to borrow or steal oxycodone that has been prescribed to someone else

Physical symptoms:

Problems with balance, coordination, and reflexes
Numbness to pain
Faint pulse
Shallow, slow, and/or labored breathing
Excessive yawning
Itchiness
Dilated pupils
Weight loss
Drowsiness

Cognitive symptoms:

Difficulty with concentration or focus
Impaired memory
Impaired judgment
Poor spatial relations

Psychosocial symptoms:

Uncharacteristic anger
Loss of interest in significant activities
Paranoia
Mood swings
Anxiety
Panic

Effects

Effects of Oxycodone Addiction

The continued, untreated abuse of oxycodone can lead to many negative effects and outcomes including the following:

Suicidal thoughts
Suicidal actions
Legal problems, including arrest and incarceration
Social withdrawal or ostracization
Unemployment
Financial ruin
Academic failure
Job loss
Loss of child custody
Damaged or ruined interpersonal relationships
Physical injury due to impaired judgment and coordination
Family discord
Marital strife, including separation and divorce
Damage to vision
Damage to heart and lungs
Sexual dysfunction

Co-Occurring Disorders

Oxycodone Abuse & Co-Occurring Disorders

Those who become addicted to oxycodone might also be at risk for the following co-occurring mental health issues:

Anxiety disorders
Bipolar disorder
Other substance use disorders
Depressive disorders
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Withdrawal

Effects of Oxycodone Withdrawal & Overdose

Effects of oxycodone withdrawal: An individual who has become addicted to oxycodone might experience the following withdrawal symptoms when he or she attempts to end his or her abuse of this drug:

Muscle spasms
Insomnia
Intense cravings for oxycodone
Loss of appetite
Diarrhea
Tics, tremors, and shakiness
Profuse sweating
Watery eyes and runny nose
Painful abdominal cramps
Nausea
Vomiting

Effects of oxycodone overdose: An individual who suffers the following symptoms after consuming oxycodone might have overdosed and requires medical attention: