How Does an Addiction Begin?
Addiction is a complicated and powerful disease affecting millions across the United States. Whether it’s a problem with alcohol use disorder, opioid overdose symptoms, cocaine tolerance, or any other substance, addiction kills thousands of Americans annually and impacts millions of lives. Addiction, or substance use disorder (SUD), is a chronic mental health condition. When and how addiction will affect someone is still being studied rigorously, but some factors help to shed light on this disease. Understanding the cycle of addiction may be the first step toward you or a loved one seeking the help they deserve. Begin your recovery by seeking help at an addiction treatment center near you.
When does drug addiction begin is a question that relatives of those who use drugs frequently ask us. ’. Given that hardly everyone who abuses drugs becomes addicted, it can be challenging to identify the precise point at which a drug problem turns into. One of the questions family members of affected individuals often ask is ‘when does drug addiction start? It is difficult to identify the exact point when a drug problem becomes an addiction, mainly because not everyone who abuses drugs will go on to develop an addiction.
Diagnosing a drug addiction requires evaluation by a medical or mental health professional. A thorough diagnosis often includes assessment by multiple professionals, such as a general practitioner, psychiatrist, and psychologist. Substance abuse detox centers with medically supervised and around-the-clock supervision and support can be the first step in helping addicted individuals stop compulsive drug-seeking behavior.
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(844) 597-1011What Factors Affect How Long it Takes to Get Addicted to Drugs?
If not everyone who abuses drugs will develop an addiction, why do some people become addicted to drugs while others do not? According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [1], the likelihood of developing an addiction differs from person to person, and no single factor determines whether a person will become addicted to drugs.
The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs will lead to drug abuse and addiction. Protective factors, on the other hand, reduce a person’s risk. Risk and protective factors may be either biological or environmental.
Biological Factor
Biological factors that can affect a person’s risk of addiction include their genes, stage of development, and even gender or ethnicity [2]. Is addiction hereditary? Scientists estimate that genes, including the effects environmental factors have on a person’s gene expression, called epigenetics, account for between 40 and 60 percent of a person’s risk of addiction. Also, teens and people with mental disorders are at greater risk of drug use and addiction than others.
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors are those related to the family, school, and neighborhood. Factors that can increase a person’s risk include the following:
- Home and Family. The home environment, especially during childhood, is a very important factor. Parents or older family members who use drugs, abuse alcohol, or break the law can increase children’s risk of future drug problems.
- Peer and School. Friends and peers can have an increasingly strong influence during the teen years. Teens who use drugs can sway even those without risk factors to try drugs for the first time. Struggling in school or having poor social skills can put a child at further risk of using or becoming addicted to drugs.
Other Factors
- Early use. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, research shows that the earlier people begin to use drugs, the more likely they are to develop serious problems. This may be due to the harmful effect that drugs can have on the developing brain. It also may result from a mix of early social and biological risk factors, including lack of a stable home or family, exposure to physical or sexual abuse, genes, or mental illness. Still, the fact remains that early use is a strong indicator of problems ahead, including addiction.
- How the drug is taken. Smoking a dope or injecting it into a vein increases its addictive potential. Both smoked and injected drugs enter the brain within seconds, producing a powerful rush of pleasure. However, this intense high can fade within a few minutes. Scientists believe this powerful contrast drives some people to use drugs to recapture the fleeting pleasurable state repeatedly.
Recognizing the Signs of Addiction
Recognizing an addiction problem in someone you know can be more complicated. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) describes addiction as a chronic disease that affects the brain’s reward, motivation, and memory functions. A person with an addiction will crave a substance or other behavioral habits. As a result, they’ll often ignore other areas of life to fulfill or support their desires.
General signs of addiction are:
- Lack of control or inability to stay away from a substance or behavior.
- Decreased socialization, like abandoning commitments or ignoring relationships.
- Ignoring risk factors, like sharing needles, despite potential consequences.
- Physical effects, like withdrawal symptoms or needing a higher dosage for effect.
These signs of drug abuse and addiction are commonly linked. However, the degree of intensity for each sign may depend on how long the addiction has been going on. A healthy person can typically identify harmful behavior and get rid of it. Unfortunately, this is not the case with someone with an addiction. Rather than admit the problem, they’ll find ways to justify and continue the behavior.
Are Track Marks a Sign of Drug Addiction?
Track marks are the number one sign of drug addiction and injection drug use. They’re a symptom of long-term drug abuse. Intravenous drug use, such as heroin, may leave visual evidence such as bruising, scarring, discoloration, and scabs—known as track marks at the injection site. Track marks are caused by blunt, dirty, or repeatedly using needles on the same vein. It may indicate a collapsed or blown vein or infection. Because track marks signify drug abuse, most people try to hide them. However, not all individuals struggling with heroin addiction will show track marks. What does a heroin addict look like? Know more about the 6 signs of a functioning heroin addict.
Cocaine Septum Perforation Can Be a Sign of Addiction
One of the most common long-term effects of snorting cocaine is damage to the nose. A septal perforation or a “cocaine perforated septum” is a condition that is commonly caused by snorting (insufflation) cocaine through the nose. A deviated nasal septum is a common side effect of excessive cocaine use and is often associated with a coke nose. This requires surgery and can lead to breathing problems if left untreated.
Meth Mouth Can Be a Sign of Addiction
Methamphetamine, commonly known as meth, and its other forms, such as crystal meth and methamphetamine tablets, are the most widely used synthetic drug globally, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) [3]. Meth mouth is a term used to describe the visible effects of oral disease in an individual who uses meth. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) [4], researchers examined 571 meth users. They found that 58% of meth users had untreated tooth decay, compared with 27 percent of the general population in the U.S.
Not all individuals struggling with crystal meth addiction will show signs of meth mouth. High functioning meth addicts may be one classic example. A high-functioning addict is someone with a drug or alcohol addiction who doesn’t portray the typical signs of an addict. A high-functioning meth addict, for instance, may not exhibit the typical signs of meth addiction, like poor dental hygiene.
Alcohol Cirrhosis Can be a Sign of Addiction
Alcohol is a drug and is classed as a depressant. It is one of the most widely abused legal substances in the United States. Long-term effects can include heart, lung, and liver disease (alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis). Heavy, regular, long-term drinkers are much more likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis than healthy people.
Alcoholic liver cirrhosis can cause serious complications, including jaundice, internal bleeding, encephalopathy, and ascites. As the disease continues, more scarring and liver function continues to decline. Eventually, your failing liver may become a life-threatening condition. Not all individuals struggling with alcohol addiction will show signs of alcoholic cirrhosis. A high functioning alcoholic is one good example. Learn how to help a high functioning alcoholic.
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Hotline(844) 597-1011How Addictive is Tramadol?
Tramadol is an opioid painkiller most often prescribed to treat moderate and severe pain. Compared to many other opioid drugs, such as heroin, morphine, and fentanyl, tramadol’s addictive potential is relatively low, though not insignificant. Using tramadol for prolonged periods can change your brain chemistry and make tramadol detox more challenging.
Like other opioids, tramadol can result in relaxation and well-being. This may lead some people to take too much of the drug. How many days does it take to get addicted to Tramadol? Tramadol can be addictive and can cause seizures if stopped abruptly. It would be best to taper off the tramadol, thus avoiding any problems. People who experience tramadol overdose often abuse or take it more frequently than directed. With continued drug use, you may experience tramadol addiction symptoms, including insomnia, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and constant drowsiness.
How Addictive is Adderall?
Adderall is prescribed in the United States so often that many people are unaware that it is highly addictive and can have long-term effects on the body and mind. Statistics show that Adderall was among the most abused drugs in the U.S. in 2016. In 2018, there were over 25 million prescriptions for Adderall, making it the 24th most prescribed drug in the United States. How many days does it take to get addicted to Adderall? That depends based on several various factors. It might take one person as little as a few days to get addicted to Adderall, while it takes weeks for someone else.
While Adderall is meant to treat attention disorders (ADHD), many people use the drug for other reasons. Some people use it to enhance their athletic performance. Others use it to improve cognition, suppress appetite, fight fatigue, lose weight, and enhance memory. Is Adderall a party drug? Adderall is also used recreationally because it can produce a euphoric feeling in some people. taking psychoactive drugs like Adderall and mixing them with alcohol poses a great risk. Not only is mixing Adderall and alcohol bad, but it’s also deadly. It is essential to be aware of the long-term effects and harm reduction of Adderall addiction.
How Addictive is Valium?
Valium (Diazepam) is an addictive benzodiazepine with longer-lasting effects. You can get addicted to Valium quickly if you do not follow your doctor’s prescription. One of the symptoms of a Valium addiction is needing larger doses to feel the drug’s effects. Over time, it is harder for your brain to function normally without the drug, leading many to experience Valium withdrawals once abruptly stopped.
How many days does it take to get addicted to Valium? There is no specific time frame for how long it takes to become addicted to a drug like Valium. How dangerous is Valium? The danger of continually taking Valium is that the body quickly builds a tolerance that makes it harder and harder to reach the euphoric state with the same amount of Valium, so the user will need to take increasing doses—upping the risk of severe addiction and overdose. What happens if you overdose on Valium? One of the more common signs of a Valium overdose is a night of deep, difficult-to-rouse-from sleep or coma-like state with maintained breathing.
Some users mix Valium and alcohol or other drugs to intensify their calming effects, others take Valium with other substances without being aware that they endanger their health and safety. Can you smoke Valium? Any benzodiazepine abuse is risky, and taking one of these drugs like Valium without a prescription is drug abuse. In addition, when Valium is smoked, it is regularly laced into other drugs, such as marijuana, heroin, or cocaine, which can significantly increase the odds of a life-threatening overdose.
How Addictive is Alcohol?
Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in America today, but precisely what makes alcohol addictive? About 17.6 million individuals in the United States suffer from alcohol dependence or chronic alcohol abuse. That’s almost one in twelve adults, with many more engaging in unhealthy binge drinking habits that can develop into alcohol use disorder. How many days does it take to get addicted to Alcohol? There is no set amount of time it takes to become addicted to alcohol, and there is no specific amount of alcohol that a person can drink to be called an alcoholic.
Drinking alcohol promotes the release of endorphins and dopamine within the brain. These are the chemicals that produce feelings of satisfaction and pleasure and act as a natural painkillers. Alcohol use can physically change the brain’s chemistry and functioning, which plays a big part in making alcohol addictive.
How to relieve stress without alcohol? Stress can also play a significant role in addiction, with alcohol providing a temporary and unhealthy solution to those uncomfortable feelings or stress. Unfortunately, this coping mechanism can become a habit that seems impossible to break. Because of the harmful effects of chronic stress, psychotherapy in an inpatient alcohol rehab can help with the stress and addiction recovery process. Individuals dependent on alcohol have higher rates of other mental health disorders than the general population.
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How Addictive is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a hallucinogenic drug that is sometimes used as a Tranquilizer for humans and animals. Ketamine addiction is challenging to overcome. Even when someone wants to quit using Ketamine, chemical changes in the brain make it nearly impossible to stop without professional help. Once a person crosses into the addicted state, they spend their days feeling detached from their surroundings and incapable of leading an everyday and productive life. They are usually cognitively impaired at this stage, with speech and memory both affected.
Combing ketamine with other substances can be dangerous. Studies have found that ketamine produces subjective alcohol-like effects in users, further suggesting that mixing alcohol and ketamine could result in over-intoxication and alcohol poisoning. The combination of cocaine and ketamine has been dubbed ‘Calvin Klein.’ Cocaine has often been used to enhance the effects of other drugs due to its stimulating properties, which can be dangerous, especially with ketamine. How many days does it take to get addicted to Ketamine? In normal medical use, you won’t get addicted to ketamine.
How Addictive is Meth?
Meth boosts the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is associated with motor function, motivation, reward, and the brain’s pleasure centers. Crystal meth causes an intense elevated or euphoric mood much more potent than cocaine. Experiencing these unnatural dopamine levels causes a strong desire to continue using the drug. It becomes addictive because your body experiences intense cravings to maintain the euphoric state, often resulting in constant redosing and binge-like behavior to achieve that goal. Meth addiction treatment is often critical due to how extensively meth affects the body.
What does meth feel like? When someone is high on meth, there are physical and physiological changes that occur. Meth can become not just a way to get high but a way to escape stress, and negative feelings, making it more addictive. Meth use may include a form of administration known as plugging. Also called “booty bump meth,” The preferred drug method varies by geographical region. However, crystal meth smoke produces a long-lasting high. How many days does it take to get addicted to meth? Since meth disrupts the normal functions of the central nervous system, when the drug processes out of the system, it can be difficult.
How Addictive is Oxycontin (Oxycodone)?
Oxycontin is one of several brand names for a medication called oxycodone, a prescription opioid used to treat severe or chronic pain. Oxycodone affects the brain and body like other opioids such as morphine, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and fentanyl. The signs of addiction to oxycodone are the same as addiction to any type of opioid.
Oxycontin (oxycodone) works through the central nervous system to alter our response to and perception of pain. Because the drug can also cause sensations of pleasure or euphoria, Oxycontin is highly addictive. People can mix alcohol and Oxycodone to intensify the effects of the drug. This can result in an increased risk of respiratory depression and fatal overdosing.
Can you shoot oxycodone? Oxycodone is abused orally or intravenously. Some people learn how to shoot oxycodone because it gives them a faster effect. When any drug is injected, including shooing up oxycodone, it reaches the brain more quickly, and the “high” people feel may also be more powerful.
Can you smoke oxycodone? Smoking oxycodone causes the drug to enter the body extremely fast. Within ten minutes, the effects are felt and last three to four hours. Since the pill is not being taken in the prescribed manner, Oxycodone isn’t being introduced into the body slowly it’s introduced all at once. Most people smoke it until they get legitimate help, such as long-term residential treatment.
How many days does it take to get addicted to Oxycodone (Oxycodone)? Oxycontin contains either natural or synthetic opium, and while it is an effective pain killer, it is also highly addictive. Some people become addicted to this drug in as little as five days. Many people who become addicted to Oxycontin do so starting by our trying to be responsible and following their doctor’s advice.
How Addictive is Xanax?
Xanax use can lead to physical dependence and addiction, which is why it is only recommended for use for up to six weeks. Someone with a Xanax addiction may take up to 20 or 30 pills per day. If the user decides to stop the Xanax dosages, they may experience withdrawal effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and tremors. The development of tolerance and withdrawal are indications of addiction.
Using Xanax and alcohol together can be extremely dangerous since both substances can suppress the normal functioning of the central nervous system. Mixing Xanax with alcohol increases the risk of serious, even fatal, complications such as respiratory depression. Withdrawing from Xanax under an inpatient drug rehab specializing in Xanax detox and Xanax addiction treatment reduces the risk of complications. It helps the individual experience a safer, more comfortable recovery.
How many days does it take to get addicted to Xanax? It is possible to physically develop a psychological addiction to Xanax within one to two weeks of continued use. The sudden and complete relief to medically diagnosed anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or social anxiety disorder is difficult to ignore.
How Addictive is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is addictive because of its potency. A person taking prescription fentanyl as instructed by a doctor can experience dependence, characterized by withdrawal from fentanyl when the drug is stopped. A person can be dependent on a substance without being addicted, but dependence can sometimes lead to fentanyl addiction.
Mixing Fentanyl and alcohol even one time could kill you. This danger is because fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin — even a tiny amount of this powder is deadly. As alcohol heightens the effects of opiates, taking fentanyl and then consuming alcohol boosts your risk of severe bodily and mental damage and can cause you to overdose unintentionally. Fentanyl rehab and fentanyl detox can help those suffering from the effects of fentanyl abuse.
How many days does it take to get addicted to fentanyl? Everyone’s body is different, and there is no way to say how long or if you will become dependent on it. All of the narcotic meds can cause dependency, it just depends on your body.
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How Addictive is Crack?
Is there a difference between cocaine and crack cocaine? Crack is cocaine combined with other substances to form white crystals resembling small rocks. The effects of smoking crack are instant and intense, lasting up to 10 minutes. The effects of snorting cocaine can start within 5 minutes and last up to 30 minutes but are less intense than smoking. The fast, short nature of crack highs may make them more addictive.
Crack is smoked and inhaled through the lungs and spreads through the body, producing the ‘high’ much more quickly, lasting longer than snorting cocaine. This causes a cycle of bingeing and crashing, which puts the user at a greater risk of crack addiction.
Since people generally associate powdered cocaine with snorting and crack cocaine with smoking, there’s a false belief that crack is more addictive. But if you inject or smoke powdered cocaine, it is just as addictive as smoking crack. How many days does it take to get addicted to crack cocaine? Cocaine addiction doesn’t happen overnight, but it can occur surprisingly fast.
How Addictive is Heroin?
Regular use of this drug can lead to heroin addiction within two to three weeks. However, not all individuals who experiment with heroin become addicted. Some individuals use the drug occasionally, such as on weekends, without increasing the dose. However, with regular use, users develop tolerance and need more heroin to achieve the same effects. This leads to physical dependence on heroin.
Once someone is dependent, stopping their use can be extremely difficult. Individuals who have used heroin for a long time often report that they no longer experience any pleasure from the drug. They continue to use the drug to avoid the withdrawal symptoms of heroin and to control their craving.
For many people with addictions, the fear of withdrawal is a major barrier to escaping their addiction. For some people, that fear keeps them from even trying heroin addiction treatment. Fortunately, withdrawal and detox don’t have to be terrible experiences. By participating in an inpatient heroin detox program, people can get through the experience safely and comfortably. How many days does it take to get addicted to crack heroin? People can get addicted to heroin fairly quickly. One study revealed that one in five patients given ten-day opioid prescriptions become long-term users. As the length of time, a patient takes opioids increases, the patient’s risk of becoming addicted increases.
How Addictive is LSD?
Is LSD addictive? LSD may not be considered an addictive drug. Although addiction to hallucinogens is rare, polydrug abusers (individuals addicted to several drugs) frequently abuse hallucinogens. However, LSD does produce tolerance, so some users who take the drug repeatedly must take higher doses to achieve the same effects. This is very dangerous given the unpredictability of the drug and dose. In addition, cross-tolerance between LSD and other hallucinogens has been reported.
As the long-term effects of LSD are unpredictable, combining alcohol and LSD is dangerous. When you mix drugs like alcohol and LSD, you increase the risk of overdose and death. Can you overdose on LSD? while LSD overdoses are rare, it’s important to remember that drugs aren’t always accurately labeled or manufactured in a sterile environment. In other cases, they could be contaminated with something that has a higher chance of causing an overdose.
When someone abuses LSD, they may develop a psychological dependence on it, so most LSD withdrawal symptoms are mental or emotional. An individual can theoretically withdraw from LSD cold turkey. Still, it is often best to seek professional help to manage the effects due to the potential for emotional and mental disturbances.
How Addictive is Morphine?
Morphine is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. It is designed to block pain sensations and calm some of the functions of the central nervous system (CNS) by slowing blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration while enhancing a sense of calm and pleasure. Even when used as directed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that morphine can be habit-forming and cause physical dependence.
Not everyone who develops a dependence on morphine may become addicted, but it is highly likely, when someone uses a drug for recreational purposes. When someone uses morphine for recreational purposes (i.e., beyond the scope of a legitimate prescription), the risk of becoming addicted to the drug increases.
Mixing prescription drugs with alcohol can be harmful. Alcohol, like some medicines, can make you sleepy, drowsy, or lightheaded. Drinking alcohol while taking medicines can intensify these effects. Combining morphine and alcohol can have severe consequences and be fatal. Because opioids and alcohol are both depressants, combining them can have a synergistic effect.
How many days does it take to get addicted to morphine? Injecting, smoking, or snorting morphine raises the risk of a potentially fatal overdose from suppressed respiration rates. It also may lead more quickly to dependence and addiction. With comprehensive morphine addiction treatment, addiction to this drug can be overcome, and true recovery can be reached.
How Addictive is Hydrocodone?
Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid prescribed pain reliever similar to codeine and often combined with acetaminophen. It’s sold under the household name Vicodin and poses a potential risk of causing addiction. Frequently, users will begin their exposure to prescription hydrocodone following surgery or an injury. Within a short time frame, tolerance to the drug can accumulate.
Taken in higher doses, hydrocodone is likely to produce euphoria along with heavy sedation. These effects mean people often abuse the drug for non-medical reasons. Hydrocodone addiction can become apparent during or after treatment for an injury. Does hydrocodone get you high? Not everyone who uses hydrocodone holds a prescription, and once addiction is established, some users go to great lengths to keep a supply accessible.
How many days does it take to get addicted to hydrocodone? It takes a couple of weeks to become physically dependent on an opioid, but that varies by individual. If you take an opioid for a day or two, it should not be a problem; you will generally not become addicted. However, some studies show even the first dose of an opioid can have physiological effects.
How Addictive is Ecstasy or MDMA?
Ecstasy or MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), or Molly, is a drug that has mixed effects and is generally classified as a dissociative hallucinogenic drug. The effects of the drug depend on the dose taken. It can produce stimulant- or amphetamine-type and hallucinogenic effects similar to the hallucinogenic drug mescaline. The drug became a popular “rave energy pills” or club drug in the late 1980s to early 2000s.
In 2016, an estimated 2.4 million people reported using ecstasy, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health published in September 2017, and an estimated 1.3 million people reported struggling with ecstasy or molly addiction. Long term effects of MDMA or Ecstacy include hypertension, tachycardia, and the indirect effects on the heart caused by the suppression of appetite, thirst, and sleep. Ecstacy or MDMA weight loss occurs due to its appetite-suppressant effect. Initially marketed as a diet pill, it was abandoned due to its psychoactive side effects.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [5], research hasn’t definitively answered whether MDMA is addictive. However, it affects many of the same neurotransmitter systems in the brain targeted by other addictive drugs. Experiments have shown that animals will self-administer ecstasy or MDMA—an important indicator of a drug’s addictive potential—although the degree of self-administration is less than some other addictive drugs, such as cocaine.
How many days does it take to get addicted to ecstasy? Users feel there is sometimes a need to use other drugs such as heroin or cocaine to help cope with the mental and physical pain that results after one “comes down” from Ecstasy; 92% of those who take Ecstasy also abuse other, even harder drugs.
How Addictive is Crystal Meth?
Crystal meth is a powerful and highly addictive synthetic stimulant. Smoking crystal meth produces what is sometimes referred to as a “flash,” a brief but intense rush of pleasure or euphoria. As a result, these specific methods of ingestion may have a higher relative risk for binging, continuous use, and a rapid onset of addiction.
While crystal meth addiction can set in quickly, it is not the same as merely liking the drug. Addiction entails continuous, compulsive use despite evidence that doing so has or will be harmful. How long does crystal meth stay in your system? The metabolic rate for crystal meth is twelve times longer than for cocaine, meaning that meth acts on the brain for a longer time.
How Addictive is Ativan?
Ativan (lorazepam) is a potent benzodiazepine with a high potential for abuse and addiction. Slang terms for Ativan include goofballs, heavenly blues, stupefy, or benzos. People with a history of drug and alcohol abuse or untreated mental health disorders are at a greater risk of developing an Ativan addiction.
Because Ativan is legal to use with a prescription, some people may not realize they’re abusing it. Taking more significant amounts of Ativan than prescribed, taking more often than prescribed, and taking the medication for longer than prescribed are considered abuse. Using Ativan without a prescription to achieve a high is also abuse.
How many days does it take to get addicted to Ativan? People who self-medicate or use Ativan for non-medical purposes typically become addicted faster than those who use the medication as prescribed. However, there isn’t a set timeline for addiction development.
How Addictive is Percocet?
Percocet is a powerful prescription drug and is also an opiate. Like other prescription painkillers with oxycodone as their main ingredient, including OxyContin, Percocet causes users to develop a tolerance and is highly addictive. This means that over time, you will need to use more and more Percocet just to feel the same way.
Many people struggling with Percocet addiction began by taking the drug just like they were prescribed, after surgery or injury when their doctor prescribed it. If you started this way, you’re not alone; however, you shouldn’t believe that you don’t have a problem just because you have or had a prescription. Tolerance will develop within a short period of consistent use or abuse, followed by Percocet addiction symptoms.
Percocet, also known as “White Collar Heroin, Withdrawal from Percocet can happen any time long-term use is stopped or cut back. It can be hard living with Percocet addiction. Coping with such an addiction can be life-consuming. How to detox from Percocet? Never try to detox on your own. The detox process can be painful and difficult without medical assistance.
How many days does it take to get addicted to Percocet? People who self-medicate or use Ativan for non-medical purposes typically become addicted faster than those who use the medication as prescribed. However, there isn’t a set timeline for addiction development.
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Drug Addiction Treatment
First and foremost, if you think a loved one is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, you should first research the drug and associated addiction to understand better what your loved one needs. Next, you must plan an intervention to provide your loved ones with options to battle their addiction in a safe and supportive environment. During this intervention, offer compassion and support instead of judgment. Lastly, offer your support throughout the entire treatment process.
In addition, overdose can have severe physical and psychological effects, so seeking treatment as soon as possible is essential. Inpatient drug rehab offers intensive care that can help you promptly get through the early stages of withdrawal.
Detox Treatment
Medical detox is often considered the first stage of treatment. It will help you navigate the complicated process of crack withdrawal but doesn’t address patterns of thought and behavior contributing to drug use. Various treatment approaches and settings can help provide the ongoing support necessary to maintain long-term sobriety after you complete medical detox.
Cravings are very common during detox and can be challenging to overcome. This often leads to relapse. Constant medical care provided during inpatient treatment helps prevent relapse. Clinicians can provide necessary medication and medical expertise to lessen cravings and the effects of withdrawals.
Psychotherapy
Several different modalities of psychotherapy have been used in the treatment of mental health disorders along with addiction, including:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – is an effective treatment that involves changing both the patterns of negative thoughts and the behavioral routines which are affecting the daily life of the depressed person for various forms of depression.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy – is a comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment program whose ultimate goal is to aid patients in their efforts to build a life worth living. The main goal of DBT is to help a person develop what is referred to as a “clear mind.”
- Solution-focused therapy is an approach interested in solutions that can be quickly implemented with a simple first step leading to further positive consequences.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Drug abuse and mental health disorders often co-occur. In many cases, traumatic experiences can result in a mental health disorder and substance abuse. Dual diagnosis rehabilitation treats both of these issues together. The best approach for the treatment of dual diagnosis is an integrated system. This strategy treats both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder simultaneously. Regardless of which diagnosis (mental health or substance abuse problem) came first, long-term recovery will depend mainly on the treatment for both diseases done by the same team or provider.
Medication-Assisted Treatments
Medication-Assisted Treatments (MAT) for substance use and mental health disorders are commonly used in conjunction with one another. This includes the use of medications and other medical procedures. During your rehab, the staff from your treatment facility will help you identify what caused your addiction and teach you skills that will help you change your behavior patterns and challenge the negative thoughts that led to your addiction. Sometimes, the pressures and problems in your life lead you to rely on substances to help you forget about them momentarily.
Take Control of Your Life
Please, do not try to detox on your own. The detox process can be painful and difficult without medical assistance. However, getting through the detox process is crucial for continued treatment. We Level Up provide proper care with round-the-clock medical staff to assist your recovery. So, reclaim your life, and call us to speak with one of our treatment specialists. Our counselors know what you are going through and will answer any of your questions.
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Sources
[1] [2] NIDA – Drug Misuse and Addiction | How many days does it take to get addicted? National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
[3] UNDC – Global_Smart_Update_20_web.pdf (unodc.org)
[4] The relationship between methamphetamine use and increased dental disease – How addictive is crack? PMC (How many days does it take to get addicted. nih.gov)
[5] Is MDMA Addictive? How many days does it take to get addicted to MDMA?| National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
[6] Signs Of Drug Abuse And Effective Treatment Options. How many days does it take to get addicted to Drugs?( welevelupnj.com)