Addiction To Pain Meds Is A Serious Problem

 

People who get addicted to pain meds often have no deliberate intention to do so. What usually happens is that they are given a prescription like oxycodone HCL or hydrocodone for pain management of a legitimate health problem. The pain may have been so severe that the person decided to take a bigger dose and more frequently. The body builds up a tolerance for this drug, and the person ends up needing to take a bigger and bigger dose just to get the pain relief that he wants. Before you know it, he becomes addicted to the drug because not taking it makes his body feel terrible.

This can happen to anyone who is not carefully monitoring the pain meds that he is taking. This person may be a neighbor, a friend or a relative. It is hard to tell if someone has a drug addiction problem because on the outside, the person can appear to be a perfect, responsible citizen. It is when the person craves the drug and cannot get it that the ugly side may appear.

If you suspect someone whom you care about has a addiction problem to pain meds, do not just turn the other way. Try to talk to the person about it, without making any accusations. The last thing you want to do is make a person feel ashamed. What he needs is support rather than a lecture on the health hazards of drug abuse.

The desire for rehab must come from within the person himself. You cannot make up his mind for him. He has to first acknowledge that he has a problem, then make a conscious commitment to go through the rehab program.

Addiction to pain meds can lead to fatal consequences. If someone whom you care about has a problem, find help for him right away.