15 Signs You Need Oxycodone Withdrawal Treatment

Anyone who’s taken opiates for any length of time knows how these drugs can become a source of great distress and frustration when not used as directed. Oxycodone, one of the more potent opiate drugs holds true to form on all fronts.

Classified as a Schedule II narcotic opiate, oxycodone comes in prescription form. Oxycodone also exists as an active ingredient in several brand name prescription pain killers, some of which include:

• OxyContin
• Percodan
• Percocet

As one of the more popular opiate drug types, oxycodone addiction rates rank as one of the highest. According to Harvard Health Publications, an estimated one million people struggle with opiate based addictions in any given year, many of which involve oxycodone.

Oxycodone’s potent effects are only intended for short-term use, so anyone who’s used this drug for three months or longer will likely require some form of oxycodone withdrawal treatment. As physical dependency issues make it all but impossible to stop using, oxycodone withdrawal treatment programs help addicts break the drug’s hold over their lives. We can help you break that hold. Call 888-810-2643 toll free for help finding treatment today.

If you suspect you or someone you know may be dependent on this drug, here are 15 signs to watch out for when considering oxycodone withdrawal treatment:

Physical Signs

1. Tolerance Effects

Oxycodone’s effects trigger the release of large amounts of endorphin chemicals from key brain cell sites. Abusing oxycodone causes cells sites to work much harder than normal, which gradually weakens brain cells structures.

Before long, usual dosage amounts can no longer produce the drug’s desired “high” effects so users must continually increase dosage levels. Oxycodone withdrawal treatment helps wean the brain off the drug while helping to support damaged cell functions.

2. Shifts in Body Temperature

Oxycodone abuse breeds a state of chemical imbalance in the brain. Chemical imbalances impair the brain’s ability to regulate bodily processes, one of which being body temperature regulation.

Someone in need of oxycodone withdrawal treatment will likely experience frequent fluctuations in body temperature, going from chills to “hot flashes,” throughout any given day.

3. Loss of Energy

Overall, oxycodone depresses or slows brain and central nervous system chemical processes. This mechanism accounts for the drug’s pain-relieving effects.

These slowing effects inevitably impair the body’s ability to manufacture energy from food materials. By the time a person enters oxycodone withdrawal treatment, he or she will be experiencing feelings of persistent fatigue on a daily basis.

We can help you find addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one. Call 888-810-2643 toll free today.

4. Digestive Problems

You don’t have to go through withdrawal alone. Treatment will help!

The body’s gastrointestinal tract houses the same types of opiate-receptor cell sites as the brain and central nervous system. With continued drug use, the digestive system starts to show signs of wear and tear from oxycodone’s effects.

People entering oxycodone withdrawal treatment have likely developed a range of digestive problems, some of which include:

• Stomach cramps
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation

5. Muscle Aches & Pains

Oxycodone’s effects on endorphin chemical outputs not only create chemical imbalances in the brain, but also disrupt nerve signal transmissions throughout the central nervous system. This interference essentially short-circuits pain sensations to the point where a person experiences random muscle aches and pains on a regular basis. Without needed oxycodone withdrawal treatment, pain symptoms will grow increasingly worse with time.

6. Lapses in Consciousness

Over time, oxycodone’s slowing effects leave a person in a sedated state on an ongoing basis. After so long, this level of sedation will cause a person to experience brief lapses in consciousness, also known as “nodding out.” At this point, users remain at high risk of overdose, not to mention the potential for accidents and injuries.

7. Breathing Problems

People who use oxycodone on a regular basis will see a steady slowing of their breathing rate as the brain loses its ability to regulate respiratory functions. Eventually, breathing problems will start to develop. Without needed oxycodone withdrawal treatment, a person risks going into respiratory failure with continued drug use.

Psychological Signs

8. Confusion

Oxycodone effects take a considerable toll on the brain’s cognitive functions. A person’s ability to think, reason and learn sees considerable decline making it increasingly difficult to carry out daily tasks. People in need of oxycodone withdrawal treatment live in a state of ongoing confusion that can impair their ability to think rationally and use good judgment.

9. Persistent Drug Cravings

Persistent drug cravings mark the beginning of addiction. Once brain chemical imbalances reach a certain point, a person’s belief systems have come to rely on oxycodone effects to such an extent that he or she actually views the drugs as essential to daily survival. This shift fuels the addict’s drug cravings, which will only worsen without needed oxycodone withdrawal treatment.

Treatment will help reduce cravings and help you resist any that you have. Call 888-810-2643 to find help today.

10. Depression

Brain chemical imbalances create a ripe breeding ground for psychological problems to take root. It’s not uncommon for people entering oxycodone withdrawal treatment to have developed full-blown depression disorders as a result of drug use.

11. Anxiety

Oxycodone’s pain relieving effects stem from its ability to alter pain perception as well as alter a person’s emotional response to pain, according to the University of Maryland. Over time, emotional responses start to “short circuit” in a sense, leaving users in a state of ongoing anxiety.

Behavioral Signs

12. Frequent Mood Swings

For the most part, oxycodone destabilizes most every major center in the brain, one of which is the limbic system, which regulates emotions. It’s not uncommon for people entering oxycodone withdrawal treatment to have reached a point where they’re experiencing extreme mood swings on a continuous basis.

13. Relationship Difficulties

Not surprisingly, the mental and emotional turmoil brought on by oxycodone abuse leaves users incapable of maintaining close and/or meaningful relationships. Marriage problems and lost friendships are common.

14. Problems at Work/School

Oxycodone’s effects on a person’s functional capacity leaves him or her with little to work with on the job. Frequent mistakes, showing up late and missed days at work happen more and more often as the effects of the drug wear away at a person’s resolve and motivation. Unfortunately, many people wait until things reach this point before getting oxycodone withdrawal treatment help.

15. Shifting Priorities

During the course of addiction, a person’s priorities see a gradual shift that reflects how important the drug has become in his or her life. Once addicted, oxycodone takes top priority in the addict’s life, leaving relationships, career and one’s overall health to fall by the wayside. At this point, the need for oxycodone withdrawal treatment becomes painfully apparent.

You don’t have to cope with withdrawal alone. Call 888-810-2643 toll free for help finding treatment.