oxycontin addiction can set in rapidly for some who abuse this drug on a regular basis. It is impossible to know if it will be the user’s first pill or their hundredth that gets them hooked. One thing is for sure, those who abuse oxycontin will find that they have a difficult time when they want to stop taking the drug. This is because the pleasant effects of oxycontin diminish with time, requiring the user to take more and more of the drug in an attempt to get “high.” Typically, users do not use oxycontin for a prolonged period of time (day after day) because they are physically unable to experience the same euphoria they did initially. However, the addictive nature of the drug makes stopping difficult and the vicious cycle of addiction continues.

For many, using oxycontin seems to be a way of averting emotional and/or physical pain. While on oxycontin the user feels a temporary and illusionary escape from their problems of day to day life. However, there is a dark side to oxycontin’s seemingly rewarding effects. Those who develop an oxycontin addiction also experience many of the drugs negative psychological effects too. These include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. These symptoms occur during use as well as the weeks after taking the drug. There are many negative physical effects of oxycontin use such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth-clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, chills, sweating, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure.

Not only is oxycontin addiction difficult for the addict, it is extremely hard on those people around who care about them. For the addict, admitting they have an addiction problem can be hard. However painful this may be, it must be acknowledged as the first gradient to overcoming the problem. Most people who suffer with addiction initially believe that they can conquer addiction on their own. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case.

When someone with an addiction problem makes an attempt to quit using and tries to detox without professional help, statistics show that the results do not last long. Research into the effects of long-term oxycontin addiction has shown that substantial changes in the way the brain functions are present long after the addict has stopped using drugs. This is why a person who wishes to recover from addiction needs more than just strong will power to stop using. Users attempting to quit on their own must conquer detox, drug cravings, re-stimulation from their past, and changes in their brain function. It is no wonder that recovering from oxycontin addiction without professional help is an uphill battle.

For those who truly want to make a lasting recovery from oxycontin addiction, attending a drug rehab is the key to success. Trained addiction professionals will conduct individual assessments that address the addicts specific treatment needs. Most programs offer access to a variety of care. Attending a drug rehab will provide a recovering addict with the appropriate intensity of therapy throughout each stage of recovery, from extended residential care to aftercare services.