Oxycontin is a white, odorless, crystalline powder derived from the opium alkaloid. It is also called oxycodone hydrochloride which is known as a potent painkiller. This drug is used as a mild to severe pain reliever for patients with chronic pain. Cancer patients are usually prescribed with this drug and it has been praised for its long lasting pain relieving quality.
Besides its pain relieving benefits, the drug could provide the body with a relaxing and euphoric feeling. This substance has a time-release structure that will last for 12 hours. This drug is safe and nondestructive provided that it is taken properly. Once abused, addiction would always follow. Abuse is done by chewing, crushing, or dissolving the pill into liquid form, and then eating the solution. When the drug is released, the effect is similar to heroin. Oxycontin addiction shows through chronic use and increasing tolerance so that more of the drug is needed to feel the same effects day by day. Consequently, like any other addiction, life is slowly disrupted and destroyed.
Once oxycontin addiction kicks in, an individual needs to increase the dosage to avoid experiencing pain. Side effects of the addiction include insomnia, muscle and bone pain, sweats, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramping, and muscle twitching. Severe side effects could be detrimental.
Oxycontin is a prescription drug and is prescribed to lessen pain. Yet it’s not as innocent as it seem. It also brings detrimental effects once exploited. That is why it is called addiction because the once the person takes in the drug and gets the high feeling, he/she is, in a way, reinforced to take in more of the drug so as to get the same feeling again. One former oxycontin dependent testified that within a few minutes of taking in the tablet, he felt like superman, he could work all day, go home, and play with his kids. He felt he could do everything he wanted. Common sense would tell us that the immediate effects of the drug are very appealing. As time would pass, continuous use of the drug would lead to dependence. The problem begins when you could not get away with the drug.
Dependents on oxycontin admits that they have become dependent on the drugbut it’s the physical will to stop taking the drug that is too difficult to deal with. Why so difficult? One, they have become very dependent on the drug then discontinuing usage would mean painful side effects. Every thing always has it’s negative sides. Once the intake of the substance is ended by an addict, he/she is more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal syndrome is characterized by dysphoria, the opposite of euphoria, which entails sadness, depression, anxiety, and craving. So as they say nothing lasts forever.
A medical professional is always needed to cure oxycontin dependency. There are a number of means to treat oxycontin addiction. Treatments include medication and behavioral and counseling approaches. The substance methadone is helpful in eliminating drug craving and symptoms of withdrawal. Another way of treating opioid addiction is through rapid detox. Moreover, medication should go hain in hand with counseling and behavioral therapy because addiction is not only biological but psychological.
The substance oxycontin is very helpful in taking away pains especially to cancer patients. However, once abused, one may develop oxycontin addiction and thus should be put admitted to a rehab for treatment.
