|
"I've got my son back
through Narconon Drug Rehab!"
Narconon The
World’s Most Successful Drug Rehab.
OxyContin Addiction
OxyContin addiction is a physical dependence that is unavoidable
when an individual is exposed to high doses of the drug for a
extended period of time. The body then adapts and develops a
tolerance for OxyContin. The addiction is so powerful that it
produces cravings. These cravings for OxyContin are the result of
its impact on the individual's memory with feelings of pleasantness
and euphoria which the individual has come to associate with the
taking of OxyContin. The subconscious memory then motivates the
individual to seek this drug because of its false imprint of
OxyContin.
The active ingredient is a 12-hour, time-released form of
oxycodone, a synthetic form of morphine that is found in common
painkillers like Percodan and Percocet. Jim Heins, a spokesperson
for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, said OxyContin has larger amounts
of oxycodone than Percodan or Percocet, in some cases more than 10
times as much.
OxyContin is designed to be swallowed whole; however, those who
have an addiction to OxyContin ingest the drug in a variety of ways.
OxyContin abusers often chew the tablets or crush the tablets and
snort the powder. Because oxycodone is water soluble, crushed
tablets can be dissolved in water and the solution injected. The
latter two methods lead to the rapid release and absorption of
oxycodone.
OxyContin, like other addictive prescription drugs is able to
short-circuit your survival system. It artificially stimulates the
reward centre, or pleasure areas in your brain, without anything
beneficial happening to your body. As this happens, it leads to
increased confidence in OxyContin, and less confidence in the normal
rewards of life.
In addition to the psychological addiction of OxyContin there is
also a physical addiction. Overtime the individual no longer
experiences the same feeling of euphoria they once did but still
continue to use because the pain that they suffer is far to great
with out it. Individuals addicted to OxyContin suffer: cold sweats,
diarrhoea, insomnia, muscle pain / bone pain, restlessness,
involuntary leg movement, vomiting, nausea and severe stomach cramps
without OxyContin in their system.
Once the individual is addicted their interests decrease in other
aspects of their life as they increase their reliance on OxyContin.
People, places and activities or lifestyles that that worked through
their normal reward system, before using OxyContin become less
important. Overtime individuals heavily addicted to OxyContin will
begin to resent people, places, and activities that do not fit with
their drug abusing lifestyle.
Its diversion and abuse is currently a major problem, especially
in the eastern United States. Because of its pharmaceutical effects,
OxyContin is a suitable substitute for heroin and is, therefore, an
attractive drug for the heroin abuser population. Because it is a
prescriptive substance, many health insurance policies will cover
its cost. When health insurance will no longer pay for OxyContin,
the lower priced street heroin may then be an attractive alternative
with devastating effects.
Individuals with an addiction to OxyContin obtain the drug in a
variety of ways including pharmacy diversion, "Doctor Shopping" and
improper prescribing practices by physicians. Pharmacy diversion
occurs when the pharmacy staff takes the OxyContin directly from the
shelves, or when people make fraudulent prescriptions.
The most widely used diversion technique of those with an
addiction to OxyContin at the street level is doctor shopping.
Individuals who may or may not have a legitimate ailment requiring a
doctors prescription for controlled substances, visit numerous
doctors, sometimes in several states, to acquire large amounts of
OxyContin which they abuse or sell to others who share their
addiction.
Another way OxyContin is obtained is through improper prescribing
practices by unscrupulous physicians. According to law enforcement
sources survey by the NDIC the abuse of OxyContin, as with the abuse
of most prescription drugs, creates a cycle of health care fraud.
For example, a corrupt physician writes an addicted patient a
prescription for OxyContin for a nonexistent injury. The physician
bills the insurance company for that, and subsequent, visits. The
patient uses a portion of the OxyContin and sells the rest for a
substantial profit. OxyContin addiction has led to an increased
number of pharmacy robberies, thefts, shoplifting incidents, and
health care fraud incidents.
Top of Oxycontin page
|
