Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin is one of the most commonly abused prescription pain medications today. With this fact in mind, it is no wonder that Vicodin addiction has become so widespread. One of the most widely prescribed medications, Vicodin and its related medications, loricet, loritab percodan, and oxycontin are opioid-based pain medications. Vicodin is a derivative of opium, which also used to manufacture heroin. Vicodin successfully diminishes pain, but it is highly addictive and withdrawal symptoms of Vicodin addiction are very similar to the pain it was relieving.

Many persons taking Vicodin longer than medically necessary continue using Vicodin thinking that if they were to stop taking Vicodin, their pain would return. In reality, the fear of Vicodin addiction withdrawal can be a strong motivating factor in the continuing use of Vicodin, and more importantly, the feeling that more Vicodin is needed to combat the same pain. Over a period of time, more and more Vicodin is needed to have the same pain relieving effects and to ward off Vicodin addiction withdrawal symptoms. Many people end up taking more and more Vicodin or changing medications and switching to a strong medication such as oxycontin or loritab and taking more and more of these, due to the highly addictive qualities of these medications.

Pain that once was the physical problem is replaced by Vicodin addiction. Instead of being used to help tolerate the pain, Vicodin itself becomes the problem. The patient becomes forms a Vicodin addiction and the problem actually gets worse instead of better. It is estimated that in 1999, 4 million people were currently using prescription drugs non-medically. Of these, 2.6 million misused pain relievers the most common of which is Vicodin. Pain is one the most common reasons cited to visit a doctor. Pain is also a very common reason to form a Vicodin addiction. People often self-medicate themselves with Vicodin for pain or abuse Vicodin and end up forming a Vicodin addiction.