Oxycodone Addiction Treatment
Addiction to oxycodone is very difficult to overcome for several reasons. First of all, the strength of OxyContin, the most commonly abused oxycodone medication, creates a powerful addiction similar to that of heroin. Secondly, rapid detoxification usually causes severe oxycodone withdrawal symptoms that can be very difficult to bear. Finally, if the OxyContin addiction began with use for pain management, pain may return with detoxification.
Medically managed drug treatment has been shown to be the most effective way to treat opiate addiction. Using drugs containing buprenorphine (Suboxone and Subutex), opiate detoxification is much more successful. This therapy is used for heroin, codeine, vicodin and other opiate drugs in addition to oxycodone. These drugs can prevent oxycodone withdrawal, decrease cravings and block oxycodone effects in the event of a relapse.
Not all treatment centers use medically managed detoxification as part of their treatment program. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration asserts, however that premature withdrawal from oxycodone can cause users to turn to heroin for relief of withdrawal symptoms when no oxycodone is available. Use of heroin exposes a user to even more dangerous consequences including serious health problems from poor quality heroin and risk of HIV and hepatitis from injecting heroin.
Achieving long-term abstinence from oxycodone or any illicit drug is rarely achieved through successful detox alone, however. Even medication-assisted drug treatment must be accompanied by drug counseling and, in many cases, a residential treatment program. For oxycodone addiction treatment to be successful, both physical and psychological dependency issues must be addressed concurrently.
Source: http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/ms726/
Click here to read the next part in the series, “Physical Dependency Vs. Addiction: Are You Addicted to Oxycodone?” Click here to return to the first part in the series, “Introduction to Oxycodone Abuse, Addiction and Treatment.”
Pat Moore Foundation’s drug & alcohol detox and alcohol & drug addiction treatment programs are licensed and certified by The State of California. We provide non-medical and medically managed detoxification (using Suboxone, Subutex, and Buprenorphine when appropriate) and primary residential treatment. Our individual homes are on a unique co-ed campus where we offer gender specific treatment. We are located in Costa Mesa, in Orange County, Southern California, close to Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, and only an hour’s drive from Los Angeles and San Diego. To speak with a counselor, please call us 24-hours at (888) 426-6086 or if you’d like us to contact you, send a confidential message online by filling out our online form.
Note: All medical services are administered by medical professionals, which are facilitated and operated solely under the jurisdiction of a separate medical corporation.