If you’ve ever broken a bone, undergone a surgical procedure or even had a tooth pulled, then you likely know how extreme the pain can be. And it’s in these instances that physicians often prescribe pain medications as a way to deter the pain. Pain relievers are exceptionally effective at reducing pain; however, the most of them are extremely addictive.
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Are pain medications addictive?
Over-the-counter pain medications are not deemed addictive by the FDA; these include Advil, Aleve, Tylenol, etc. On the other side of the counter though are medicines that are addictive, which include OxyCodone, Codeine, Percocet and Hydrocodone. The most powerful types of painkillers are OxyContin, Vicodin and Demerol, and they are often prescribed for back pain, arthritis and other types of chronic conditions including migraines. Because these conditions are generally long-term, people who are prescribed painkillers have a high tendency of becoming addicted.
Since 1990, the prevalence of painkiller prescriptions has increased tenfold, and this directly correlates with the increase in people who are addicted to them. Unlike methamphetamine — which is not used for medicinal purposes — painkillers are difficult to keep out of the hands of substance abusers because doctors cannot deny prescribing them when a person is in pain.
How does a painkiller addiction start?
There is no exact path that a person has to travel down to become addicted to painkillers. Many people start out taking painkillers for a legitimate purpose, such as after having back surgery but then find themselves addicted. Other people take painkillers simply because they are looking for a buzz — the person may or may have not suffered from the symptoms of addiction beforehand.
It is imperative that you realize that just because you are prescribed painkillers doesn’t mean that you can’t become addicted to them. Ideally, if you have suffered from an addiction beforehand, you will let your physician know so that if pain needs to be treated, he can prescribe you a medication that is non-addictive.
Can an addict take prescription painkillers for pain?
Absolutely! Many people who are addicted to painkillers do not respond well to non-opioids; this means that when the person is in pain, they legitimately need an opioid painkiller to relieve their pain. However, since their is a presence of addiction, taking opioids must be carefully monitored to ensure no substance abuse is taking place. For the most part, as long as the medication is taken exactly as prescribed by the physician, then all will be well. This includes taking the prescribed dosages in the manner that the doctor orders, which means no snorting the drugs. In some cases, a person may be prescribed a liquid version of a painkiller, such as morphine through an IV, however, it’s best to let someone else handle the dosing and administration to ensure no abuse takes place.
It’s also ideal for an addict to go through a treatment program that specializes in treating chronic pain. A chronic pain rehab takes into account that a person must take medications to eliminate the physical pain that is taking place in the body. In a sense, chronic pain treatment centers are the same as dual diagnosis facilities in that two or more conditions are treated simultaneously.
What happens at chronic pain rehab centers?
When you enter into a chronic pain rehab center, you should be ready to present documentation of your chronic pain conditions as well as copies of any medications that you have been prescribed. You may or may not be given a drug test upon entering as it is already known that you are addicted to drugs. You will, however, be required to take random drug tests during the duration of treatment to ensure that you are taking only the medications you have been prescribed.
The specialists who provide treatment to you will assess your level of pain as well as the severity of your addiction. You will likely be asked to try non-addictive painkillers during the first month of treatment, while also receiving in-depth treatment for your addiction. If it is found that you are unable to bear the pain without opioid medications, then your treatment plan will be altered to accommodate for this necessity. You will then be taught how to properly take your medications without abusing them, and if needed, a medication administration plan will be created that doesn’t allow you to have access to your meds.
Many chronic pain treatment centers put a heavy focus on exercise and healthy dieting because both of these factors largely influence the amount of chronic pain that patients endure. Patients often find that with adequate exercise and healthy eating they are able to limit the intake of opioid medications and enjoy reduced physical pain at the same time.
It’s important to note that chronic pain treatment isn’t solely based on treating physical pain. The addiction aspect focuses on mental health, too. Your addiction and chronic pain conditions will be treated parallel to one another, both of which are imperative in being able to properly treat one another.
Where can you find a chronic pain rehab?
Being that you likely go to your primary care physician or a pain specialist to acquire your prescriptions for chronic pain, it would be convenient if this person could treat both your chronic pain condition and addiction at the same time; however, the ability to do so doesn’t usually happen in a primary care setting. To receive adequate treatment for both conditions, chronic pain rehab centers will prove to be of the utmost value.
We can help you find a center that treats both conditions. You may be asked to go through detox before entering into treatment; however, being that many people cannot go without painkillers due to extreme physical pain, these rehab facilities often don’t require a detox phase to be completed. If you are interested in finding a program that accepts your form of insurance, we can provide you a list of treatment centers that meet your preferred criteria.
[Source: Harvard.edu, Stanford.edu]