Erasing the fine line between dependency and addiction

Danger can lurk behind the most innocuous things. what begins as a pain reliever soon turns out to be the root of severe pain .Left untackled it changes into a dependency, an addiction. I refer to oxycontin, a common drug used to reduce moderate to high pain . Very similar to morphine, it gives rise to a dependency that is both physiological as well as psychological. Unmonitored usage soon creates a requirement of rehab for oxycontin or treatment for oxycontin.

Oxycontin lures. That is because besides reducing pain, it carries with it the promise of decreasing anxiety, causing euphoria and relaxing the mind. This potency can simultaneously cause addiction ultimately leading to a state of severe respiratory depression. It is the most frequently used opioid pain killer in North America. The medication is commonly used to treat pain associated with trauma, arthritis, cancer-induced pain or a spate of injuries but due to its potentially serious side effects, the dosage has to be alertly monitored and tapered off over a period of time.

A sudden stoppage of oxycontin induces severe withdrawal symptoms. Restlessness, anxiety, lacrimation , chills, myalgia, rhinorrhea finally lead to irritability, weakness, insomnia, high blood pressure and increased respiratory rate. Once addiction to this prescription drug is established the patient must immediately start treatment for oxycontin. Quitting on one’s own is rarely successful and a prolonged battle with craving and relapse ensues. The conventional process of rehab for oxycontin commences with a medically assisted detoxification process so that physical dependency can be changed into abstinence.

Patients have to be kept under observation and on prescribed medication to reduce the discomfort and pain associated with the withdrawal process. If the treatment is terminated here, a relapse is certain. The follow-up treatment for oxycontin addiction involves individual and support group therapy with emphasis on life skills, educational and vocational programmes. At this stage social and emotional support is of paramount importance so that the recovering person learns how to overcome the surprisingly strong and lasting cravings. Methadone or suboxone are two opiate substitution medication drugs used in the rehab for oxycontin to counter its side effects. But they too require to be administered in a controlled environment.

Like all forms of addiction treatment, only those options are taken that best meet the particular requirements of the patient. Any initiation into treatment that takes one away from addiction is to be considered a positive step on the path leading to recovery. Physicians and pharmacies the world over now carefully maintain clear records of information related to quantity, frequency and renewal requests by patients. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. If proper prescription practices are followed then measures for treatment for oxycontin addiction can be rendered unnecessary.