OxyContin® Addiction from Pain Control, Do Not Be Afraid, Be Smart
Article by Robin Mackey
OxyContin® addiction, while being very real, has the capacity to be addressed sooner and followed up more consistently then other substance abuse, since most users are using OxyContin® for legitimate reasons (pain control). According to the Center for Disease Control National Center for Health Statistics Press Office November 2006, one in ten U.S. adults say they suffered pain that lasted a year or more. The majority of pain sufferers do not become addicted to OxyContin®. Between 1999 and 2002, the percentage of adults who took a narcotic drug to alleviate pain in the past month was 4.2 percent. The OxyContin® addiction, versus OxyContin® the answer to chronic pain, counter viewpoints are hamstringing both doctors, (for fear of disciplinary action or criminal prosecution) and those with chronic pain (whose lives are largely curtailed from the pain, but are very fearful of turning into an addict that becomes a government statistic). Therefore, if there were 36,559 mentions of oxycodone (the active ingredient in OxyContin®) in emergency rooms in 2004 and over 1000 deaths, it appears that people with chronic pain may end up being one of these statistics. The truth is that it is rare to find people that are prescribed OxyContin® for legitimate pain, becoming addicted. They can become physically dependent on OxyContin® but as the pain becomes controlled, the dose can be brought down. The fact that therapies will be simultaneously used in conjunction with the OxyContin® help to focus and reinforce why they are taking it. During the months or years to come the fight to minimize the debilitating effect of the pain may include nerve blocks, heat and cold treatments, physical and occupational therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, electrical stimulation, biofeedback, antidepressants, psychotherapy, alternative medicine, behavior modification, and other therapies. Each therapy will include appointments, assessments, treatment, reevaluations etc. As you can see there is much scrutiny involved which probably contributes to so few chronic pain OxyContin® addicts. For those few that do become addicted, there are qualified drug rehab centers that can help. While population studies show fewer people addicted to OxyContin® then other drugs, it has been known to be used as a replacement for heroin. Since OxyContin® is a time released semi synthetic opioid analgesic if it is chewed or crushed the full dose is released at once, which is very attractive to substance abusers. Since OxyContin® is time released in twelve hours, other drugs or alcohol are taken during that time which makes the high stronger. 10 percent of adults in the United States claim to have pain that has lasted more than a year (chronic pain). While real statistics of how many people are addicted to OxyContin® are hard to find, the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health states that three million people claim to have used OxyContin® illegally at least once in their life. For those who are hardcore abusers, fortunately we live in a society that has proper drug rehab centers. For those that have chronic pain there are a myriad of therapies and medicines to bring your life back to what it was.
About the Author
Transitions Recovery is a nationally accredited, state-licensed drug and alcohol rehabilitation service provider with drug treatment and alcohol addiction treatment facilities based in North Miami Beach, Florida.