Unfortunately, addiction to painkillers sometimes starts innocently enough. Doctors often prescribe opiates and other painkillers following dental procedures, surgery, and accidents. When taken as directed, opiates reduce pain and help you stay comfortable as you heal. However, opioids are like a band-aid that covers the pain without treating the underlying cause, and abuse can lead to addiction. At Ethan Crossing in Ohio, we offer a painkiller addiction treatment program and our caring and compassionate team members can help you make it through the detox and recovery process safely.
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Commonly Prescribed Painkillers
There are a number of painkillers used to control pain and discomfort. These can include over-the counter-solutions such as ibuprofen and aspirin.
The most commonly prescribed brands include the following:
- Vicodin (hydrocodone): A widely prescribed painkiller. Schedule II drug with a high probability of addiction.
- Dilaudid (hydromorphone): Often prescribed following surgery. More than five times as potent as morphine.
- Percocet: Combining oxycodone with acetaminophen blocks pain messages between the nerves in the brain.
- OxyContin: It has a controlled release formula that can result in an intense high.
The list of top painkillers prescribed for millions of Americans every year includes morphine, Demerol, oxymorphone, fentanyl, and methadone.
How Painkiller Dependence Starts
So, how does a valid prescription turned into a painkiller use disorder? You may still have some residual pain after your prescription runs out. It may seem like more pain than you can bear. To reduce the discomfort and feel good again, you may try to find other ways to get hold of prescription painkillers.
Unfortunately, the longer you use pain pills, the more dependent your body becomes on them. Hopefully, the pain eventually goes away on its own. If you end up with lingering pain, you might slide deeper into a painkiller use disorder. Finally, you will have to take painkillers even if you no longer experience pain. Otherwise, you have to endure mild to severe withdrawal symptoms.
The Progression of Painkiller Addiction
Painkiller use disorder varies significantly from the abuse of alcohol and recreational drugs that can also lead to a substance use disorder. In contrast, many people who become addicted to painkillers start by trusting their physician to alleviate their pain. If you don’t have any illicit drug use experience, you may not know that you have an addictive tendency. Additionally, not all patients who receive a prescription for painkillers become addicted.
The process of painkiller addiction happens slowly. Many people shop around to different doctors hoping to extend their prescription. Some even resort to stealing prescription pads to write their refill orders. Others may steal from medicine cabinets or seek other sources to get their drugs.
As you shift into long-term addiction, you may turn to cheaper substitutes such as heroin to kill the pain and prolong your high. Heroin is a powerful, extremely addictive opioid with severe and sometimes life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
No matter where you’re at on the spectrum of painkiller and opioid use disorders, we can tailor a program to meet your needs. Our drug detox program can help you learn meditation techniques and breathing exercises to fight through your pain. Additionally, your counselor or physician may assign medication to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.
Our Drug Addiction Treatment Center in Ohio
At Ethan Crossing, we offer a drug addiction treatment center in Ohio. Starting with painkiller addiction detox, you clear your body of any remaining toxins. Then, our admissions staff will help you determine the correct recovery program to meet your needs.
Our addiction treatment programs utilize the following treatment approaches:
- Motivational interviewing
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Yoga therapy
Painkiller Addiction Treatment at Ethan Crossing
At Ethan Crossing, our painkiller addiction treatment can help you recover from substance use disorders. If you’re ready to find a better way to manage your pain, we’ll be there with nonjudgmental support and guidance. Anyone can get help at any point. Ethan Crossing Recovery serves the Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Ohio area. Contact us today.
