The pain medication known as oxycodone is also known as a narcotic. It has been used to treat people in moderate to severe pain. This is one of the drugs that has been used to define opioid use, which has reached epidemic levels when it comes to being used as a legitimate painkiller. There are worries that oxycodone is being abused and has become a valid concern.
Today, over 2 million U.S. residents are affected by the misuse of prescription opioids annually. This type of abuse doesn’t affect certain people, it affects everyone. The downside to it is the crackdown by law enforcement which has made any legitimate use of oxycodone questionable. There are actually many concerns when it comes to taking oxycodone that should not be ignored or disregarded. All of those concerns revolve around the opioid crisis in America.
There Is a Very Real Fear of Taking Opioids
OxyContin, which is oxycodone, has caused people who suffer from chronic pain to be anxious about taking the drug. This is especially true where opioid dependence is concerned. There is a very real fear of becoming addicted to opioids and even opioid overdose. People suffering from pain day in and day out do not want to add addiction to their health problems.
The Thin Line between Use and Abuse
Sometimes there is a very thin line between use and abuse. OxyContin is a time-released pain killer that reduce pain from cancer, injuries, arthritis, and many other health conditions. Look at the drug to be much like morphine. It can be found in other prescription drugs like Percocet and Percodan. With up to 12 hours of relief being given, it is easy to see how it is possible to rely on OxyContin whether you really want to or not. A long-acting, time-release formula seems to be the answer for patients who require extended relief.
When does extended relief turn into abuse? Most times, it doesn’t, at least not for patients who really need opioids to feel any pain relief. People who abuse OxyContin have found ways to reach a high that compares to the euphoria of heroin. This opioid is already addictive in its natural state, but when it is crushed and snorted or diluted and injected the time-release mechanism is destroyed causing it to act as a full-on narcotic. Those actions can lead to an opioid use disorder.
OxyContin Can Be Lethal
As with most opioids, OxyContin can be lethal, as well. The use of the drug can make a person feel as if they are unstoppable and they can tolerate more without any consequences. Nothing could be further from the truth. Opioid abuse can cause respiratory failure, especially when used in conjunction with alcohol, other drugs, or benzodiazepines.
There Is Help in Regards to the Opioid Epidemic
Per the DEA, for over 30 years oxycodone has been used and abused. In 1996, Oxycontin was introduced which marked an increase in abuse. It has contributed to the opioid epidemic which is a serious concern for adults and teens. However, there is help on the horizon. With proper treatment, counseling, rehabilitation, and therapy opioid abuse can be treated.
