Percocet Addiction Programs in Saint Paul, MN
Many people assume that drug addictions are limited to illicit drugs. However, Percocet addiction is a serious problem in the United States involving a legal prescription medication. Many people who develop a Percocet addiction do not know what they can do or where they can turn for help. At Saint Paul Drug Treatment Centers, they offer programs for the treatment of Percocet addiction, and help patients understand the causes and consequences of their disease. To learn more about your treatment options, call at (877) 804-1531.
Percocet is a prescription medication (drug) that is made up of a combination of two different individual drugs. The first of these drugs is an over-the-counter pain reliever known as acetaminophen, which is most commonly found in Tylenol. The other is oxycodone, a powerful prescription pain medication which falls into the narcotics category. Narcotics are also known as opioids or opiates, and are extremely strong pain meds that are used to treat severe pain.
Why it's Addictive
The opioid component of the drug Percocet is what makes it so powerfully addictive. Opioids are highly addictive prescription drugs, which is the primary reason that they are so highly regulated by the government. This addictive nature is due to the interactions these drugs have with the nervous system and brain. The oxycodone in Percocet immediately affects these areas when it is consumed.
This causes the brain to flood hormones like dopamine (responsible for contentment and pleasure) into the body and brain, making the person feel euphoric. However, this effect is so powerful and potent that the brain quickly adjusts the way it operates. The brain stops triggering the release of dopamine as well as the performance of other necessary tasks until the Percocet (or specifically the oxycodone component of Percocet) tells it to do so. When the brain comes to rely on the drug for normal tasks and operations, it is known as a chemical dependence or physical addiction. With opioids it can happen very quickly.
The Symptoms Of Addiction
- Dry mouth
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach pain
- Trying to get multiple prescriptions or forging prescriptions
- Depression
- Constricted pupils
- Agitation
- Dizziness
- Nausea/vomiting
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Low breathing rate
The Health Effects of Percocet Abuse
- Seizures
- Bradycardia
- Sudden death
- Coma
- Impotence
- Severe liver damage
- Kidney disease
- Heart attack
- Extremely low blood pressure (hypotension)
Withdrawal Symptoms
- Profuse sweating
- Aggression
- Diarrhea
- Insomnia
- Intense abdominal pain
- Tachycardia
- Muscle cramps and/or spasms
- Whole body aches
- Chills and goosebumps
Treatments for Percocet Addiction
The first step in treating an addiction to Percocet is through detox. Detox gets the addictive substance out of a person's body. It also causes them to go through withdrawals as the brain and body crave the effects of the drug they have come to rely on. As such, and because opioids addictions are so powerful and strong, a person should go through medical detox for this process.
Medical detox is the process of getting the drug out of the system with medical treatment and assistance. The doctors at Saint Paul Drug Treatment Centers are qualified to help a recovering Percocet addict manage their withdrawal symptoms, as well as to make the detox process gradual and incremental rather than abrupt.
Gradual detox, particularly to an opioid is way to detox with the use of prescription drugs administered at key moments in the detox process to ease discomfort, avoid shocking the body, and to make the detox process safer for the addicted person.
In addition to medical detox, a person will undergo treatments such as individual and group therapy, art or music therapy, restorative yoga and family therapy, among others to help them also overcome their mental addiction to Percocet.
The addiction specialists at Saint Paul Drug Treatment Centers are ready and waiting to answer any other questions you may have and to get you started on your journey to recovery. Call today at (877) 804-1531.