Opiate addictions continue to wreak havoc in the lives of individuals, families and communities with rates of addiction increasing with each passing year. As a group, opiates disrupt brain and body functions in the same way, so the effects of hydrocodone addiction can be just as damaging as heroin addiction in cases of long-term use.
According to the Journal of Drug & Alcohol Dependence, hydrocodone exists as the most frequently prescribed opiate in the U. S. with as many as 130 million prescriptions for hydrocodone written in 2006. Not surprisingly, the demand for hydrocodone treatment continues to run high.
If you’re struggling with hydrocodone abuse or addiction, understanding how hydrocodone treatment works can go a long way towards finding a program that best addresses your treatment needs.
The Effects of Hydrocodone Abuse
Like most all opiate-based drugs, hydrocodone abuse in any form disrupts the brain’s chemical activities. Over time, these effects compromise brain function, which creates a domino effect in terms of its ability to maintain normal physical and psychological functioning, according to the Journal of Addiction Science & Clinical Practice.
By the time hydrocodone addiction takes hold, the drug’s effects have reconfigured the brain’s chemical pathways and essentially warped a person’s psychological makeup. During the course of a developing addiction, getting and using the drug takes on increasing priority as far as a person’s thinking, emotions, daily habits and behaviors go.
Not sure if your insurance will help cover your treatment costs? Call our helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? for more information.
Hydrocodone Treatment Objectives
Support group work promotes positive change.
Restore Physical Health
Hydrocodone treatment addresses both the physical and behavioral effects of addiction. Once a person stops using hydrocodone, the absence of the drug’s effects causes the body to go into withdrawal. The first stage in the hydrocodone treatment process entails helping the body adjust to this drug-free state (also known as detox) by administering medication therapies and providing emotional support.
Restore Psychological Stability
Once a person completes the detox stage, much of the hydrocodone treatment process focuses on helping a person work through the effects of addiction on his or her thinking and behaviors. This entails of range of treatment interventions, including:
- Psychotherapy
- Group therapy
- Relapse prevention training
- Support group work
- Drug education
Develop a Drug-Free Lifestyle
After so many months or years of hydrocodone abuse, a person falls into a lifestyle that centers around getting and using the drug. A big part of addiction treatment involves helping a person develop the types of daily habits and routines that support ongoing abstinence from drug use. This may entail helping him or her find employment, participate in family therapy sessions or develop new interests depending on his or her current circumstances.
Considerations
It’s not uncommon for addicts to think they can stop abusing drugs at will, which is part of the mindset that addiction breeds. After so many failed attempts at abstinence, the need for hydrocodone treatment becomes increasingly apparent. For many people, the supports and direction obtained through hydrocodone treatment programs offer the only means for overcoming addiction’s hold on their lives.
If you or someone you know are considering hydrocodone treatment and need help finding a program that meets your treatment needs, please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? to speak with one of our addictions specialists.
