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Percocet Addiction and Abuse: Professional Treatment in Idaho Makes Recovery Possible
Thanks to the opioid epidemic, Percocet abuse and addiction have become more common in Idaho than ever before.
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Detox and rehab are usually needed to help people get off this drug, and recovering can be extremely difficult. Fortunately, with the right support, it is possible. People only need to know where to turn to get the help they need.
The CDC reports that close to 218,000 people died from prescription opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2017. By the time 2017 came along, the number of deaths was five times higher than it was in 1999. Percocet has been a popular drug of abuse, but many people are unaware of the dangers of using it. They assume that because it is a prescription medication, that must make it safe.
We want to help make more people aware of the risks involved with abusing Percocet. It is possible to get addicted to it within a very short period of time. But the probability of addiction is only one of the dangers of this opioid drug. It can also have a negative impact on physical and mental health in the short and long-term. It is our hope that we can help people see the effects of Percocet as well as how to recover from the addiction.
What Is Percocet?
Percocet belongs to a class of drugs known as opioids, meaning they are either derived from the opium poppy (like morphine and opium) or are synthetically created to have similar effects to these drugs.
Percocet itself is actually a combination of two different compounds - oxycodone (an opioid) and acetaminophen (a mild pain reliever). While it might seem strange to add an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (better known as Tylenol) to a prescription strength opioid, the truth is that this drug actually enhances the strength of the opioid.
When taken properly, it can be incredibly effective at treating persistent pain like that caused by a back injury or an invasive surgery.
It does so by stimulating specialized cells in the brain and the body known as opioid receptors. These receptors are responsible for regulating pain tolerance, sedation, and certain aspects of mood as well.
And while this drug is, in fact, prescription medication and can only be legally obtained from a doctor, it still has a dangerously high risk of addiction. And that means that even people taking this drug legitimately may end up developing a dependency accidentally.
In fact, the problem of accidental dependency on prescription opioids is so severe that the CDC even states that an astounding 1 in 4 patients receiving long-term opioid therapy struggles with addiction to these pills.
Just because it's legal, then, doesn't mean it's safe.
Percocet's side effects can be quite extensive. According to Drugs.com, the most commonly experienced ones include:
- Acid or sour stomach
- Agitation
- Bad, unusual or unpleasant (after) taste
- Belching
- Change in taste
- Cold sweats
- Constricted, pinpoint, or small pupils (black part of the eye)
- Continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
- Cool, pale skin
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty with moving
- Disturbed color perception
- Double vision
- Excess air or gas in the stomach or intestines
- False or unusual sense of well-being
- Flushed, dry skin
- Fruit-like breath odor
- Full feeling
- General feeling of discomfort or illness
- Halos around lights
- Hearing loss
- Heartburn
- Increased hunger
- Increased urination
- Indigestion
- Joint pain
- Lack or loss of strength
- Muscle cramps or spasms
- Muscle pain or stiffness
- Night blindness
- Nightmares
- Over-bright appearance of lights
- Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- Seizures
- Shakiness
- Sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- Stomach discomfort, upset, or pain
- Sweating
- Swollen joints
- Thirst
- Trouble sleeping
- Tunnel vision
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness
How Does Percocet Addiction Occur?
From your very first dose of Percocet, you're going to feel the pain-relieving capabilities of the drug, but you're also going to feel its other effects too.
Percocet is an opiate, which means it behaves very similarly to other drugs in its class. As a result, you're probably going to feel an increased sensation of being calm and relaxed.
Beyond that, though, Percocet also causes excess amounts of dopamine (the "feel good" chemical) to be released into the central nervous system as well. This is what's responsible for the euphoria that comes with abusing this drug.
As the brain gets more accustomed to that intense rush of dopamine, it starts craving more and more of what caused it. Added to that, everything else that used to cause a burst of dopamine to be released - a delicious meal, the end of a great book, sexual release - all begin to pale in comparison.
As a result, the old activities you loved because they gave you pleasure simply don't hold the same appeal anymore. Now, the only thing that can cause that rush of dopamine is abusing Percocet.
And it isn't just your brain that's starting to change because of heavy Percocet abuse either. As your abuse becomes more and more common, your body starts to adapt to the continual presence of this drug as well.
It's because of these physical changes that you start developing what's known as tolerance to Percocet. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), tolerance is defined as:
when the person no longer responds to the drug in the way that person initially responded. Stated another way, it takes a higher dose of the drug to achieve the same level of response achieved initially.
And as that tolerance continues to build, you continue to increase your dosage, making your addiction more expensive, more consuming, and even more dangerous.
It's common for people to confuse the terms abuse, dependence, and addiction when it comes to the way they use their prescription medication. If you're abusing Percocet, you're most likely struggling with your body's tolerance levels. In the beginning, you might be having pain, but you might find that when you take your medication, the results just aren't the same.
It doesn't have to take long for tolerance to build up, and when it does, you may begin to abuse Percocet by taking more than your prescribed dose, by taking it more frequently than you should, or by mixing it with other drugs like alcohol.
Essentially, then, abusing Percocet simply means using it in any way that isn't prescribed.
Physical dependence is a bit different. If you're physically dependent it means your body can't function normally without the substance. Tolerance and the presence of withdrawal symptoms are two of the hallmarks of physical dependence.
Addiction, on the other hand, is different from both abuse and physical dependence. Addiction is more about the behaviors of your substance use. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is defined as "a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences."
Now, addiction and physical dependence often go hand-in-hand. They actually tend to fuel each other in most cases. But they don't always develop together.
In fact, you can actually be addicted to a drug without being physically dependent on it. And likewise, you can be physically dependent on a drug without having an addiction to it.
Denial is an incredibly common characteristic of nearly every addiction.
In fact, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, around 6 million U.S. adults met the clinical criteria for needing addiction treatment in 2016 but never received it. Of those 6 million, 93.3% didn't feel like they had a problem at all.
That's 5.6 million people living in complete denial about their addiction. And that means the overwhelming majority of drug addicts are willing to get the help they so desperately need.
When it comes to addiction to Percocet, that denial is sure to carry over. And to make matters worse, you may have received these pills from a real prescription. This can make it even more confusing whether your habits are legitimate or not.
However, if someone you love is exhibiting any of the most common Percocet addiction behaviors, they just might be addicted. Maybe they've started going to multiple doctors to get their prescriptions, or perhaps they've even started forging them in order to get their hands on more.
This kind of dishonesty is a serious indicator of a real problem with addiction. And there are other signs of pill abuse to watch out for in others too such as:
- They exhibit symptoms of prescription drug intoxication
- They show physical signs of abuse rather than normal usage
- You've noticed changed in their physical appearance
- They seem to have a decreased interest in former passions and hobbies
- They're neglecting obligations and responsibilities
- You've noticed missing money, items, or medications
- You find yourself enabling their behaviors
While seeing the signs of addiction in others can be tough, it can be even harder to admit that you're the one with the Percocet abuse problem.
That's because drug addiction fundamentally alters your brain. Your way of thinking, your mood, your personality, and how you make sense out of the world around you are all changed by your substance dependence.
And a drug-seeking brain has an especially hard time admitting that there's a problem when the solution is to stop using drugs.
That's why it's incredibly important for you to be as objective as possible when looking at your own behaviors. Easier said than done though, right?
Thankfully, there are a number of self-assessment options available to help you see the truth behind your actions. These options include online quizzes, self-assessment tools, and the DSM-V.
- Online Prescription Drug Addiction Quiz - One of the quickest and easiest ways to test your level of addiction is by taking a short online addiction quiz. These quizzes usually don't take longer than a few minutes to complete and could be the first step you need to really recognize just how addicted you've become.
- NIDA Self-Assessment Screening Tools - The numerous screening tools from the National Institute on Drug Abuse provide a number of different options for taking your self-evaluation even further. They vary in complexity and comprehensiveness, so you're bound to find a tool that works well for you.
- Clinical Guidelines from the DSM-V - For an even more in-depth look at whether you're suffering from a Percocet addiction, have a look at these clinical guidelines found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition). These guidelines are used by practicing physicians and psychiatrists across the country to evaluate addiction.
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Read Our BlogWhat Are the Effects of Percocet Addiction?
As with any other dependence problem, addiction to Percocet can wreak havoc on your personal life.
Not only can habitually abusing this drug cause you to lose your job, get in trouble with the law, jeopardize your friendships, and alienate your family, it can also cause severe short-term and long-term effects that might change your life forever.
Understanding the consequences of your Percocet addiction, then, might end up being one of the best means of convincing you to get help today.
Percocet can lead to a few dangerous short-term effects.
In addition to the side effects listed earlier, abusing Percocet can cause a dangerous impairment in consciousness and judgment. This can lead to putting yourself in dangerous situations like operating heavy machinery or vehicles.
Percocet addiction can also increase the risk of abusing multiple drugs at once - an act that can make the risk of complications far more likely.
But without a doubt, the most serious short-term side effect of abusing Percocet is the fact that you might experience an overdose from too much abuse.
And an overdose isn't just a frightening scene to watch - it can actually end up costing you your life.
According to Drugs.com, some of the most noticeable symptoms of Percocet overdose include:
- Bluish lips or skin
- Change in consciousness
- Cold, clammy skin
- Extreme sleepiness
- Slow breathing
- General feeling of discomfort or illness
- Loss of consciousness
- Low blood pressure or pulse
- Unconsciousness
In the long-term, Percocet addiction can cause a variety of severe health problems.
Liver damage, for example, is incredibly common among Percocet abusers. This is due to both the toxicity of opioids in general as well as the acetaminophen in the drug which has been shown to be problematic for the liver.
Severe and chronic constipation is another problem that many opioid abusers encounter. That's because in addition to having opioid receptors in the brain, we also have them in our intestines as well. And just as opioids sedate the mind, they also slow down the functioning of the gastrointestinal system.
And lastly, addiction to opioids like Percocet may be linked to severe brain damage. According to NIDA, the depressed respiration so common in opioid abuse can cause a condition known as hypoxia. This condition can have both short- and long-term psychological effects including brain damage.
In the end, addiction to Percocet can cause some very serious and very damaging long-term effects.
How Has the Opioid Epidemic Impacted Idaho?
The opioid epidemic was borne as a result of physicians overprescribing these drugs for their patients. But they only did so because pharmaceutical companies assured them that these medications were non-addictive. Years passed, and during that time, providers continued to prescribe these drugs at higher rates. It was a long time before it became clear just how addictive drugs like Percocet are.
Idaho has certainly been hit hard by this crisis, and so many people have lost their lives to overdoses. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that:
- In the United States there were more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in 2017.
- Out of this number, 47,600 of them involved opioid drugs.
- The biggest increase involved drugs that contained fentanyl, which resulted in the deaths of 28,400 people.
- In Idaho, the majority of drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid drug.
- During that year, Idaho doctors wrote 70.3 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people in the state.
- This number is Idaho’s lowest prescribing rate in more than 10 years.
- However, it is still much higher than the national average, which was 58.7 prescriptions for every 100 people.
Fortunately, the state government in Idaho is responding swiftly to the opioid crisis. The Division of Behavioral Health is using a broad approach to help bring those numbers down. It has four parts:
- To provide opioid addiction treatment to as many people as possible. Services include access to medication-assisted treatment, which includes Suboxone, Methadone and other opioid replacement therapy drugs.
- To increase providers’ access to tools that can help them prevent overdose deaths. This includes establishing drop-box programs in pharmacies, implementing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and more.
- To provide community services that connect people who suffer with opioid abuse disorders to sober living activities and various types of peer support.
- To increase the use of and access to Naloxone, which can reverse opioid overdoses. This includes ensuring that first responders and others within the community have access to this medication.
What Is Percocet Withdrawal Like?
It doesn't take long for you to become addicted to Percocet, and if you try to quit on your own, you can experience painful physical and psychological problems known as withdrawals. Like other drugs in its class, these withdrawal symptoms that can be really hard to get through.
In fact, according to the online drug addiction community BlueLight, opioids like Percocet are tougher to get through than drugs like crack cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, and oxymorphone (Opana).
Former addicts recovering from Percocet abuse problems report feeling symptoms similar to those of the flu - though to a much more severe degree. Some have even reported that these symptoms are 10 times as severe.
What Are the Physical Withdrawal Symptoms?
The physical withdrawals of addiction to Percocet can be quite overwhelming at times. Some of the most common ones according to Mental Health Daily are:
- Diarrhea
- Dilated pupils
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Goose bumps
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- High blood pressure
- Hot flashes
- Itchiness
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Watery eyes
- Yawning
What Are the Psychological Withdrawals?
In addition to the overpowering physical symptoms of Percocet withdrawal, you'll also likely experience a number of psychological difficulties as well.
And don't be fooled - what goes on in your head during this phase can be just as excruciating as what goes on in your body.
Some of the most common psychological withdrawal symptoms are:
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Concentration problems
- Cravings
- Crying spells
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Memory problems
- Panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Suicidal thoughts
Is Percocet Withdrawal Deadly?
While the symptoms of Percocet withdrawal are undoubtedly quite painful to endure, they aren't dangerous on their own.
Can Percocet cause seizures? No.
Does Percocet withdrawal cause comas? No.
In the end, the withdrawals alone from this drug aren't going to end up costing you your life.
However, there are a few things about going through Percocet addiction withdrawal that can be deadly.
While the withdrawals alone from most opioids like Percocet aren't fatal, they can bring with them some very serious complications. And these complications can actually end up costing you your life without proper medical care.
Aspiration, for example, is a condition where a patient accidentally inhales their own vomit. This medical condition can lead to choking, pneumonia, and even death.
The combination of profuse vomiting and uncontrollable diarrhea can also lead to malnutrition and dehydration. These conditions can consequently lead to other dangerous complications as well such as heart attacks.
Another danger associated with Percocet withdrawal is the threat of accidental overdose. To explain, opioids are notorious for building up dependency at a particularly rapid pace.
In fact, some patients show signs of tolerance within just a few hours of taking high doses of opioids (a condition known as tachyphylaxis).
However, tolerance to opioids also drops especially quickly. As a result, a Percocet addict may go through detox only to relapse only to fatally overdose on the same dosage they were getting high on a week earlier.
It's an incredibly serious problem that makes it all the more important that you undergo only the most successful recovery programs available.
What Is the Timeline for Percocet Withdrawal?
Just as everyone experiences addiction differently, so too will withdrawal timelines differ from person to person. While one person may be back on their feet within just a few days, others may struggle with symptoms for weeks at a time.
It all depends on a number of factors ranging from unique genetic makeup and the severity of the addiction to individual body type and the strength of your support system.
That being said, most opioid withdrawals tend to last for around 4 to 10 days.
According to MedlinePlus, the symptoms you'll experience during this time depend on what phase of withdrawal you're in: early withdrawal or late withdrawal.
Starts about 12 hours after your last dose and lasts for several days. Symptoms include:
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Muscle aches
- Increased tearing
- Insomnia
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Yawning
Usually begins around day 3 of withdrawal and can last up to a week. Symptoms include:
- Abdominal cramping
- Diarrhea
- Dilated pupils
- Goose bumps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
What Medications Help with Percocet Withdrawal?
Getting clean from your addiction to Percocet can take some work - that much is clear. But luckily, there are a number of medications that you can use to reduce both the severity and duration of your withdrawals.
In general, these medications fall into two separate categories: symptom-specific medications and Opioid Replacement Therapies (ORTs).
Depending on what kind of detoxification program you're in, your physician may prescribe a variety of medications to help you get through your withdrawals comfortably and safely.
These drugs may include anti-anxiety medications like Ativan to help ease psychological symptoms, sleep aids to treat your insomnia, Imodium and other OTC drugs for gastrointestinal problems, and more.
It's worth remembering, though, that some of these drugs may be addictive, so it's important that they are only taken under the supervision of a medical professional.
This type of medicated therapy aims to reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and eliminate cravings by using low-grade opioids as treatment.
Drugs like buprenorphine and methadone activate the same opioid receptors as drugs like Percocet, though to a much smaller degree. As a result, they become stimulated enough to stave off certain uncomfortable symptoms without causing any euphoria or sedation.
However, there are some risks involved in using ORTs. Since these drugs are technically opioids themselves, they do carry a risk of addiction. As a result, you may end up using an ORT to get through Percocet withdrawals only to find yourself addicted to those same ORTs afterwards.
What Is Addiction Treatment Like?
Without a doubt, checking into a Percocet treatment program is by far the safest way to recover from your addiction.
But what are the different kinds of programs available? How do they help in recovery? And how do you know which one is right for you?
It all may seem a bit overwhelming right now, but once you learn a bit about the process, you'll be even more prepared for treatment, sobriety, and eventually for long-term recovery.
As we've seen, getting through the withdrawals associated with this powerful opioid can be an incredibly tough process. The physical symptoms can be excruciating, the psychological ones can be just as relentless, and if you don't have proper care, the complications can be deadly.
That's where a professional detox program comes in. Percocet detoxification in an expert treatment center ensures that you have access to medical care 24/7 so you won't have to worry about any risks to your safety.
Beyond that, though, professional detox can also provide you with powerful medications that can make your withdrawal symptoms much more manageable.
A medicated detox program uses these drugs exclusively during your detoxification while a holistic program tends to rely on proper nutrition and exercise to help support the body.
Ultimately, a professional detoxification program for Percocet addiction is by far the safest and smartest way to start your journey towards recovery.
Once you've completed your detoxification, it's time to move on to Percocet addiction rehabilitation.
While detox may have focused on curing your body's addiction, rehab puts the emphasis on healing your mind's addiction. Through counseling, group therapy, and a variety of behavioral therapies, you'll learn powerful new ways of coping with your cravings.
Added to that, you'll also learn more about addiction and will also discover what caused your addiction in the first place. Many times, an addict is using drugs simply to help them cope with emotional trauma from the past, an underlying mental disorder like depression or anxiety, or they are using drugs to fill some other hole in their lives.
Rehabilitation will help you get at the core of your addiction, so you can solve the problem at its root.
Finding the right facility for your Percocet addiction can be tough. There are often plenty of options to choose from, and it can even be hard to tell them apart at times.
Added to that, it can be hard to know exactly what you should even be looking for.
That's why we've put together a list of questions you'll definitely want to find the answers to in your search for a Percocet addiction treatment facility. They'll help you get to the heart of what a program is about and help you decide if a facility is right for you.
- Does your facility use inpatient or outpatient programs?
- Is your staff trained and licensed?
- Is your facility accredited/qualified in any way?
- Do you use medicated or holistic detox?
- What is your staff-to-patient ratio?
- Do you use evidence-based treatments?
- Do you have individualized treatment plans or is it a one-size-fits-all approach?
- What kinds of amenities do you offer?
- Does your program accept my insurance?
- Do you offer any flexible payment plans or sliding-scale costs?
The Importance of Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders During Rehab
When treating anyone with a Percocet addiction, it is important to determine if they are suffering from a co-occurring disorder. In many cases, the individual is suffering, but they may not be aware of it.
A co-occurring disorder is a mental health condition that often leads people to abuse drugs and/or alcohol. They start abusing substances as a way to self-medicate their symptoms away, and it may work for a while. But over time, so much damage is done by the drug, and the help the person was receiving starts to disappear.
When treating a patient with a co-occurring disorder, dual diagnosis treatment is necessary. This ensures that they are getting treated for both the addiction and the mental illness at the same time. It is so important for the patient to see the connection between the two. Treating them simultaneously gives the patient the best possible chance of recovering.
Our Inpatient Addiction Treatment Program in Idaho
Northpoint Recovery offers one of the best drug treatment programs in Idaho. We are located in Boise, and it is a 28-day program that includes both detox and rehab.
We understand how important it is for addicts to receive treatment for the physical and psychological parts of their addictions. That is why we include detoxification services. Many of our Percocet-addicted patients receive medication-assisted treatment as they go through the detox process. We offer Vivitrol services as an alternative to more traditional ORT medications.
After our patients detox, they move on to rehab, which takes place under the same roof. There, they receive many different types of therapy, including individual sessions, group therapy and more.
Get More Information About Percocet Abuse, Addiction, Detox and Rehab in Idaho
At Northpoint Recovery, we truly care about our patients. We know how hard it can be to get off Percocet, which is why we only use proven treatment methods. Our success rate is much higher than many of the other rehabilitation centers in our area. That is because of how we invest in our patients and equip them to live their lives substance-free.
Would you like to talk with someone about your Percocet abuse or addiction? Do you have questions about our detox and rehab program? We are here to help. Please contact us today.
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