Hydrocodone is a popular prescription drug, but what is hydrocodone used for?

Hydrocodone is one of the most common prescription painkillers.

The more widely recognized name for it is Vicodin.

Vicodin combines hydrocodone and acetaminophen for high-level relief from severe, chronic, or unresponsive pains.

These high-level effects contribute to its rates of abuse and a high potential for addiction.

Whether taken from a doctor’s prescription or illicitly, the potential for abuse and addiction is there.

If you are addicted to hydrocodone, our comprehensive care programs can help.

Prescription drug classifications can cause some confusion.

Medications with side effects that mimic those in different categories are easy to misclassify, but hydrocodone is relatively straightforward.

Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid.

It is made with both chemical and natural ingredients to mimic the effects of natural opiates.

The high-level pain relief provided by hydrocodone makes it easy to abuse.

Hydrocodone may be prescribed after surgery, dental procedures, or an injury or accident.

These prescriptions are generally for short-term, high-level relief. They are not intended for long-term use.

But, for some people, their chronic or unresponsive pains may persist after their prescription runs out, which leads them to seek an extension or purchase it illicitly.

Users may also build a physical dependence on the substance during their prescription length or find themselves addicted to its side effects.

With drugs as potent and addictive as hydrocodone, this often happens quickly.

It is false to think that you must abuse a substance for a long time to become addicted to it.

The primary side effect of hydrocodone is pain relief.

The prescription opioid achieves this effect by changing how your brain and central nervous system respond to pain.

Some of the most common prescription painkillers include:

• Vicodin
• OxyContin
• Percocet
• Morphine
• Codeine

If you were given a prescription for a pain-relieving medication, it could be difficult to pinpoint when you graduated from medical use to abuse or addiction.

But there are subtle signs of addiction that you can look out for.

One of the most significant signs to watch out for is impaired decision-making abilities.

If you are having trouble concentrating, making important decisions, or not feeling like yourself without the use of hydrocodone, these are clear signs of addiction.

Hydrocodone addiction also affects your moods and may lead you to prioritize drug use over important relationships or daily obligations.

Another sign is you have increased your doses to increase its effects or avoid withdrawal symptoms that appear when you go too long without taking hydrocodone.

Our customized rehab programs can help you safely and comfortably address these challenges and changes.

What is Hydrocodone?

It’s a prescription opioid that is strong and addictive.

Abusing them can lead to a wide variety of adverse effects on your body and brain.

In short-term use, they effectively ease stubborn pains and increase feelings of relaxation.

These effects may also help you sleep better.

However, beyond the short-term side effects of medical hydrocodone use lies the troubling and potentially long-term side effects of hydrocodone abuse.

These side effects often include:

• Drowsiness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Blurry vision
• Confusion
• Itchiness
• Slurred speech
• Slowed breathing

Of each of these side effects, slowed breathing is often the most troubling.

This can lead to a condition called hypoxia.

When you have too little oxygen reaching your brain, hypoxia can lead to severe psychological and neurological effects.

These effects can be both short and long-term.

Hypoxia can lead to coma, brain damage, and even death.

Addiction is not a problem that will simply go away if you ignore it.

Overcoming your addiction will take work, but you will not have to face this journey alone when you choose North Jersey Recovery Center.

In addition to many troubling side effects, the link between prescription opioids and heroin is a major concern.

Heroin produces similar effects, but it is easier to get, more potent, and less expensive than prescription drugs.

Facing the withdrawal symptoms from a drug as strong as hydrocodone or heroin can be scary and challenging.

But the alternative is much worse.

Addictions tend to get worse, side effects escalate, and quitting gets less and less likely.

When you seek treatment through a program like ours, we often begin with medical detox to make your withdrawals easier.

This type of detox not only eases withdrawal symptoms and cravings but it also gives you a safe and comfortable space to begin recovery away from temptations and distractions.

Our medical detox treatment can eliminate many of the barriers associated with enforcing early sobriety alone.

Let us help you put your withdrawals and relapses behind you.

If you have tried to quit on your own and found that withdrawal symptoms or drug cravings led you to relapse, you are not alone.

This is a common problem with addiction.

Some of the most common hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms include:

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Muscle aches
• Insomnia
• Sweats
• Runny nose

Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms might progress to include other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and dilated pupils.

Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms can be both mental and physical.

They can be overwhelming and disheartening.

Inpatient rehab offers the highest levels of care, support, and guidance.

With 24-hour access to our safe and comfortable facility and our dedicated team, this setting is ideal for those with severe addictions, troubling withdrawal symptoms, and underlying mental health disorders, among others.

Starting with medical detox, we will ease your discomfort, increase your confidence and strength, and set you up for success.

You will have access to proven therapeutic techniques and various support methods throughout each day.

From therapy sessions and support groups to healthy meals and relapse prevention training, you will have a customized and holistic approach to your recovery.

While inpatient rehab is one of the most common and effective addiction care methods, a full-time program is not right for everyone.

This is why we offer several other types of programs.

There is a program for everyone from outpatient care and intensive outpatient care to partial care programs and sober living.

We work with you to ensure we choose and customize a program that best suits your unique addiction, needs, and preferences.

What is Hydrocodone, and will my insurance cover treatment for it?

Thankfully, paying for addiction treatments is easier than it used to be.

Most major health insurance providers offer addiction health coverage to some extent.

If you are unsure what your provider covers, please call our admissions department for free and easy insurance verification.

If you do not have health insurance, they can also outline your alternative payment options.