"The abuse of prescription drugs is our nation's fastest-growing drug problem,” said Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske. The majority of these prescriptions are painkillers like Vicodin, Oxycontin, and Percocet which are all highly addictive. Because of their high physical and psychological dependence, getting help for addiction in a painkiller treatment center is crucial.

These drugs are addictive and they’re killers. If you or someone you love is an addict, contact one of Recoverycorps.org’s painkiller treatment programs.

The Culprits
The painkillers most abused belong in the opiate family. They are synthesized from two primary opiates: hydrocodone (Vicodin) and oxycodone (OxyContin). Both contain varying combinations of additional analgesics like acetaminophen. They are in the same opioid drug class as heroin.

Other painkillers include propoxyphene (Darvon), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), and diphenoxylate (Lomotil).

Hydrocodone is derived from the most widely used medical narcotic in the world: codeine. Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic drug manufactured with thebaine, an opium chemical. Both are derived from the opium poppy, one of the oldest drugs in the world. Both have effects on the user that are similar to heroin. And both are highly addictive physically and psychologically.

How Do They Work?
The opioids in these painkillers attach themselves to opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract. They block the perception of pain, usually within one hour, making the user feel euphoric and often drowsy.

These opioids also release a large amount of dopamine, the chemical in the brain responsible for pleasure.

The Popularity of Painkillers
Why are they so popular?

Number One: They are easy to get. Each year over 200 million prescriptions are written for opioid painkillers. Combine that with the illegal ways (see below) the drugs are obtained and you have a recipe for wide-spread abuse.

Number Two: These drugs are more socially acceptable. Most users don’t buy their painkillers from a dealer on a street corner. And prescription painkillers are, after all, legal making them a little easier to justify to their abusers. “A doctor prescribed it. It can’t be bad.”    

With so many prescriptions in circulation, it’s easy to see how addiction can take hold. If you believe you are addicted, you should contact a painkiller treatment center as soon as possible.

Getting Them Illegally
The most common ways to get the drug for non-medical use are:

  • Theft
  • Doctor shopping
  • Fraudulent prescriptions
  • Illegal internet pharmacies
  • Bogus “call-in” prescriptions

Acetaminophen and Painkillers: A Deadly Duo
The acetaminophen—a mild pain reliever—in oxycodone painkillers like Percocet can cause additional health issues if abused. For some, certain quantities, even the recommended amounts of acetaminophen, can cause liver failure, ulcers and internal bleeding by releasing a toxic byproduct that kills liver cells.

Acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S.

Acetaminophen is also an active ingredient in so many over-the-counter products like Tylenol, NyQuil, Anacin, Alka-Seltzer and others. Taking these products and oxycodone painkillers can have dangerous results.

  • In 2008, 1 million people went to the ER because of over-the-counter medications or prescriptions.
  • From 1998 to 2003, acetaminophen was the leading cause of acute liver failure with almost half of cases tied to accidental overdose.
  • About 200 people die each year from acetaminophen over-dose.
  • Acetaminophen sends 56,000 people to the ER each year. 

In January 2011, prompted by these statistics, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that prescription pain pills may contain no more than 325 milligrams of acetaminophen. They also must carry a box warning about liver risks. 

Common Side-Effects

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Constipation
  • Dry mouth
  • Sweating
  • Itching
  • Headaches
  • Mood changes

Serious Side-Effects

  • Fast or slow heartbeat
  • Slowed breathing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Hives
  • Rash
  • Hallucinating
  • Fainting
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Seizures

A Serious Health Problem
From 2004 to 2008, these opioid painkillers for nonmedical use were most frequently involved in hospital ER visits:

  • 105, 214 oxycodone painkiller visits, a 152% increase.
  • 89,051 hydrocodone painkiller visits, a 123% increase. 

And more…

  • Unintentional deaths involving prescription opioids increased 114 percent from 2001 to 2005.
  • ER visits for nonmedical use of pain relievers more than doubled from 2004 to 2009.
  • Prescription drug abuse cost medical insurers $72.5 billion per year.

Painkiller Rehabilitation and Therapy
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably serious about getting painkiller rehab for yourself or someone you know. You have several options: pharmacological treatment and behavioral therapy.

The pharmacological painkiller treatment programs usually involve one of these drugs to help the addict: 

  • Methadone, a synthetic opioid, has been used in drug treatment, particularly for heroin addiction, for over 30 years. It eliminates withdrawal symptoms and relieves craving. It is usually administered in a clinic on outpatient basis for a minimum treatment period of 12 months.
  • Buprenorphine is another opioid that can be prescribed by a physician. In one recent study it was found to be safer treatment drug than methadone for pregnant patients. 
  • Naltrexone is an opioid receptor blocker that is used to help a patient relapse. Because it can itself produce withdrawal symptoms, the patient must have already been detoxified. It’s also used for alcohol abuse treatment.
  • Naloxone is an opioid receptor blocker that counteracts the effects of opioids.

Behavioral painkiller therapy can be one or a combination of treatment options including individual and group counseling, contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy modifies attitudes and behaviors associated with drug abuse. It teaches patients to recognize and avoid situations where drugs will be involved.

Contingency management is a reward system. Patients are given financial (usually gift certificates) incentives for negative urine samples. This system reinforces positive behavior.

Start your painkiller therapy right now by calling a treatment center listed on Recoverycorps.org. To find tips on selecting a treatment

Sources:
http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/abuse/doa-p.pdf
>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/health/policy/14fda.html
>http://www.livescience.com/health/abuse-presription-painkillers-100618.html
>http://www.painkillerabuse.us
>http://www.nida.nih.gov