How Does Oxycodone Dependency Affect My Life?

Whenever someone becomes addicted or dependent upon a drug in their day to day lives, things of value in their lives suffer. No matter what the drug is, be it caffeine, nicotine, or something as serious as oxycodone, the addiction has an effect. The magnitude of the addiction and the type of drug determines the effect that the individual will feel. For example, caffeine addiction may do no more than make the addict irritable and tired before having coffee in the morning, while an oxycodone dependency will make the addict sullen, sneaky, and listless. Oxycodone is a very dangerous and potent drug, and should always be used with care. If you suspect that you or someone you love has an oxycodone dependency or an oxycodone addiction, there are some things that can help.

What Characterizes Oxycodone Abuse?

There are many different types of help available to people with oxycodone dependencies.  Most people who suffer from an oxycodone dependency or an oxycodone addiction will notice that their addiction is often born from legitimate use of the drug. Often, the sufferer is prescribed the drug for an injury, surgery, or merely to manage chronic pain. Over time, the sufferer becomes tolerant to the drug; that is, he or she needs to take more to attain the same level of happiness or comfort that he or she did at the beginning. This is the best time to catch a budding addiction or dependency, because it is also the time when the drug’s hold over the individual is weakest. As time progresses, the sufferer may notice a change in behavior; he or she will start trying to hide his or her drug use, for a start. After that, he or she may start looking for ways to acquire more oxycodone; these methods may stray into illegal territory very quickly.

What Are the Legal and Physical Ramifications of Using Oxycodone?

In Canada, oxycodone is a Schedule 1 controlled substance, meaning only one prescription per 30 days can be written for any one individual. The individual is required to disclose this information to any doctor he or she sees. The legal ramifications can be quite severe for this type of thing, including heavy fines and even incarceration, depending on the severity of the offense and the number of times the individual has been caught for drug offenses.

Are There Any Warning Signs for Oxycodone Abuse?

There are some warning signs that occur when someone is abusing oxycodone. For example a friend might suddenly start taking unmarked pills, complaining of constant or chronic pain, or demonstrate a sudden lack of funds. In this case, the individual may be abusing oxycodone, especially if he or she seems irritable at times and calm and relaxed at others.  Catching oxycodone abuse before it becomes a problem is integral to successful rehabilitation. If a friend or family member is using oxycodone for a legitimate reason, it is prudent to keep an eye on them to ensure it does not become a long-term problem. Getting an individual into oxycodone abuse treatment before the drugs become a serious problem is very important.

Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodone
http://www.medicinenet.com/oxycodone/article.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20060309000726http://www.minervamedica.it/pdf/R02Y2005/R02Y2005N07A0451.pdf