Addiction and substance abuse can be a little contradictory. Here, in the United States, and across most of the world, we place enormous importance on avoiding illegal drugs and substances – cocaine and heroin, for example, because we worry so much about becoming addicted to them. However, what many of us do not realize, or maybe do but, choose to ignore, is that most people with a serious addiction are addicted to substances that are perfectly legal. This includes things like alcohol or tobacco that any adult can go and buy from the store on the corner, or, as we are going to talk about here, the pretty standard pain relief medication that your family general practitioner may prescribe when something hurts or life is getting on top of you.
No one chooses to become addicted to pain relief. For those who may be predisposed to substance addiction, it can be an unfortunate effect of having them readily available. They need them to manage their pain, but they can also be addictive. It is not only the person who they are prescribed to who can end up with a Vicodin addiction- other people in the household may find them too tempting.
If you, or someone you know and love, are suffering from a prescription drug addiction, a Vicodin addiction detox and rehabilitation program in Kentucky may be precisely what is needed.
What is Vicodin?
To understand why someone may need rehab for Vicodin addiction in Kentucky, it is important to know a little more about the actual drug itself.
It is the brand name of a drug that is graded by the U.S. as “Schedule II.” This means that, while the drug is deemed to be legal, it is a controlled substance, implying that it can only be used under certain conditions, generally of a medicinal nature. A schedule II prescription means that while the medical community acknowledges the effectiveness of the medication, it also acknowledges a strong risk for developing physical addiction and that the addiction process happens rapidly without a properly regulated dose.
The drug is primarily made up of two analgesic elements. The first is hydrocodone, which is an opioid, – a lab-created chemical that reproduces the powerful analgesic properties naturally found in the opium plant from which opiates are naturally extracted. The second ingredient is acetaminophen, a low-grade pain reliever that can be obtained without a doctor’s prescription and is included in the Tylenol painkiller. Acetaminophen serves as both a painkiller and a “booster” for the symptoms of hydrocodone, which is why the risk of addiction is high and usually involves addiction treatment from a professional.
Fighting Against Your Vicodin Addiction
Professional treatment is the best chance of successful Vicodin recovery. When a healthy, controlled detox has been completed, healing will continue with personal counseling, support group training, and new therapeutic techniques and coping mechanisms to help a recovering addict cope with the difficulties and pressures of life without the use of addictive medications to alleviate pain or pressures.
For more information about rehab for Vicodin addiction in Kentucky, phone Robert Alexander Center for Recovery.
