Drug addiction is at epidemic levels in the United States.

What is Vicodin exactly?

It’s the brand name for a prescription painkiller consisting of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid that has been synthesized from codeine, an opioid alkaloid found in opium. Acetaminophen is recognizable by most people as the ingredient in the over-the-counter pain reliever Tylenol. People suffering from an injury or disease are frequently given Vicodin for relief from chronic pain. Unfortunately, since hydrocodone is an opiate, the risk for addiction is high. Each year, millions of Americans become candidates for Vicodin drug rehab in order to reclaim their lives.

The numbers concerning Vicodin addiction are extremely discouraging. The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) reports that from 2000 to 2014, nearly 500,000 people in America died of opioid overdoses, which included such drugs as Vicodin. As a result of such findings, health experts across the country agree that Vicodin drug rehab is essential.

Vicodin Drug Rehab & Addiction Statistics

As many as 2 million Americans suffer from Vicodin addiction at any given time

Nearly 1 out of every 10 teenagers have used Vicodin by the time they are high school seniors, states a survey performed by the University of Michigan

In the last 10 years, Vicodin addiction in America has nearly quadrupled

According to a NSDUH national survey, nearly 23,000 Americans use Vicodin recreationally each year.

Understanding Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin addiction doesn’t affect just one segment of society. People from all races and all occupations and economic backgrounds can find themselves addicted. Individuals who would have never guessed they’d become addicted to drugs are finding that it’s more likely to occur than many realize. It’s not that people set out to become addicted. In most cases, it happens while using Vicodin under a doctor’s prescription. At first, it’s only used to alleviate pain. Before long, however, many people fall prey to its addictive qualities. When that happens, Vicodin drug rehab becomes a necessity.

Taking Vicodin for pain with a doctor’s prescription is certainly not a guarantee that addiction will occur. Many people use the drug as directed and don’t find themselves becoming addicted in the short period of time that they use it. However, the longer a person takes Vicodin, the greater the chance of addiction and need for Vicodin drug rehab.

How does Vicodin addiction happen when people receive a perfectly legitimate prescription for pain? In fact, people experience widely varying thresholds for pain. Some can handle quite a lot while others desperately need pain medication. All too often, people worry that their painkillers won’t kill all the pain or they begin to develop a tolerance to the drug. Both of these situations often lead to individuals upping the dosage without talking to their doctor. For others, taking the drug brings a euphoria that is so appealing that they want to experience it over and over. Since Vicodin allows many people to feel relaxed, the drug can allow them to take away their cares and worries with another dose.

However, using Vicodin for a high leads to diminishing returns. As time goes by, the body builds a tolerance to the drug and to achieve the same effect requires increasing the dosage. Taking more Vicodin isn’t necessarily linked to wanting to reach a high. It can also be an effort to avoid the effects of Vicodin withdrawal. For people in this situation, Vicodin addiction becomes the new normal. Vicodin drug rehab becomes a necessity when users realize that the drug controls them.

When used for its legitimate medical purpose, Vicodin works well. It acts to block pain receptors in the brain so that life is more manageable for people who experience chronic pain or frequent injuries. Athletes, for example, are particularly at risk for injuries. Football, basketball and soccer are just some of the sports that require athletes to push their bodies to the extreme. Under grueling conditions, they frequently tear ligaments, experience serious sprains or break bones, all of which require pain medication. Some athletes can take drugs like Vicodin without an issue. Others set themselves up for life-long addiction that requires Vicodin drug rehab to correct.

Who Needs Vicodin Drug Rehab?

In order for addiction to develop and create the need for Vicodin drug rehab, several factors are generally present, including:

Addiction to Another Substance
An addiction to alcohol or cocaine puts you at substantially higher risk of developing a Vicodin addiction, which requires Vicodin drug rehab in order to successfully recover.

Alcohol or Drug Abuse in Your Family History
According to research, addiction has been shown to run in families. In fact, it’s been suggested that genetics can increase the risk of addiction to drugs or alcohol more than 50%.

Childhood Trauma
If people have a childhood history of physical or sexual abuse, they are at a very high risk of developing an addiction to a prescription painkiller like Vicodin. Individuals who were victims of childhood trauma like abuse often relive these events in their heads, which is a phenomenon called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For people with PTSD, drugs like Vicodin often become an escape from the nightmare of reliving their childhood trauma over and over again. Vicodin drug rehab becomes a necessity for people in this situation.

Mental Health Disorders
Vicodin drug rehab often involves more than just overcoming the addiction. It can also mean addressing mental issues as well. When addiction and mental health issues are co-occurring, dual diagnosis treatment is required. Frequently, people with mental health disorders like depression or anxiety try to self-medicate in order to feel normal. This frequently leads to Vicodin addiction.

Side Effects of Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin addiction can include the following warning signs, all of which indicate the need for Vicodin drug rehab:

A variety of withdrawal symptoms that occur if you try to stop taking Vicodin.

Perpetual anxiety about having enough Vicodin for another dose.

Trying to get additional prescriptions through the practice of “doctor shopping”

Friends and family members tell you that they’re worried about your use of Vicodin. This would include their mentioning Vicodin drug rehab.

Using Vicodin in secret, and the feeling of shame or guilt that occur as a result.

Keeping supplies of Vicodin in different places so that you’re never without it.

Treating Addiction in Vicodin Drug Rehab

Trying to overcome a Vicodin addiction on your own without Vicodin drug rehab professionals to help you is difficult, perhaps even dangerous. Some withdrawal symptoms can be difficult to handle on your own. When that happens, people drift back into Vicodin addiction just to stop the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

Vicodin withdrawal symptoms often include the following:

Anxiety

Muscle aches

Fever

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Irritability

Extreme sweating and dehydration

Tremors or restlessness

Sleeplessness

Chills

Headaches

Nausea

Detox before Vicodin drug rehab is an effective way to deal with these withdrawal symptoms in a safe and comfortable environment. Having medical supervision 24/7 helps to ensure that you can safely detox from Vicodin.

Vicodin Drug Rehab Must First Begin With Detox

Vicodin detox involves a withdrawal process that builds in intensity and peaks at roughly 72 hours (three days). The previously mentioned withdrawal symptoms are at their most acute during these first 72 hours. At home, these symptoms can be unbearable. However, at a professional treatment facility, doctors and staff members can monitor you and keep you safe. After the first 72 hours, the process becomes much easier and patients are well on their way to successful detox and an easier entry into Vicodin drug rehab.

At a professional Vicodin drug rehab center, comprehensive addiction treatment therapy begins with detox. This will be handled either at another facility or on site at the rehab center. Regardless of where detox occurs, it’s important to remember that this is the vital first stage of recovery. Without detox completed first, a successful Vicodin drug rehab experience is all but impossible.

In Vicodin detox, experienced doctors and staff members can provide prescription medications to ease pain and discomfort during the withdrawal process. And many problems may arise in detox. For example, dehydration can be harmful, even life-threatening. At a professional detox facility, staff members can keep this situation from developing into a problem, either with re-hydrating electrolyte beverages or I.V.s if necessary.

What is Vicodin Rehab?

Once you’ve completed detox, it’s time to transition into Vicodin drug rehab. But what exactly is Vicodin drug rehab? A Vicodin drug rehab center is a facility where rules have been established that patients adhere to in order to create the best chance for long-term sobriety.

The benefits of attending Vicodin drug rehab include the following:

Greater accountability

Much less chance of experiencing relapse

24/7 medical attention

Careful instruction concerning comprehensive health

Appropriate resources & unfailing support during a process that can be difficult

In Vicodin drug rehab, accountability is a vitally important aspect of treatment because it’s ultimately what keeps patients sober when they leave the facility. At home, there’s no accountability. However, at a Vicodin drug rehab center, patients are very aware that drug tests are going to happen on a regular basis. They also know that they don’t have any opportunities to get Vicodin while on campus. As a result, there’s a very strong incentive to resist cravings and stay focused on achieving a successful recovery.

By attending a Vicodin drug rehab center, individuals stand a much greater chance of resisting relapse, which is unfortunately a common occurrence. Some research suggests that people who attend a Vicodin drug rehab for 30 days or more of treatment are much more likely to stay sober than those who don’t.

Why does Vicodin drug rehab work? The answer simple. Patients experience structure, which they can then internalize in their battle against Vicodin addiction. With 24/7 support, you’re never alone. There’s always someone there to talk to if the going gets rough.

Vicodin Drug Rehab Treatment Methods

A drug rehab facility brings you an assortment of effective methods. Many of these modalities are evidence-based, which means they have been validated by scientific studies. Holistic methods help round out rehab treatment to provide a richer, fuller rehab experience that can help heal the entire person beyond just the symptoms of addiction. Methods in use at a Vicodin drug rehab include:

Lifestyle training

Dual diagnosis treatment

Group counseling

Behavioral therapy

Nutrition therapy

Fitness therapy

Levels of Vicodin Drug Rehab Care

Facilities usually offer several levels of care. Residential care, also known as inpatient care, is the most effective and most popular. This type of care includes treatment, accommodations, meals and social activities. In contrast, outpatient care may be more suitable for those who have family or career obligations that preclude them from entering inpatient care, or if insurance won’t cover the cost of inpatient care.

The length of time you’ll spend in treatment varies, depending on several factors. Generally, inpatient treatment is no less than 30 days. For many patients, however, 60 days or even 90 days may be appropriate if the addiction is more advanced. In general, the longer you are in rehab, the more time you have to internalize a new way of living so that you can better resist relapse.

Amenities in Vicodin Drug Rehab

Excellent amenities can make the entire treatment process far more acceptable and productive for many people. It’s not just about enjoying greater comfort and a nicer environment. It’s also about giving patients the opportunity to be active and develop skills and hobbies. Remember that boredom in rehab can be a very dangerous thing. Amenities help with that.

An art or music studio that encourages artistic expression or outdoor activities that promote physical health can do much to improve the mood of people who haven’t had much to be happy about lately. These activities help patients leave Vicodin drug rehab with healthier minds and bodies.

If you or a loved one has a Vicodin addiction, there is no better time than now to overcome it with effective treatment at a Vicodin drug rehab center. The road to recovery is within your grasp. All you have to do is pick up the phone and ask a drug rehab center for help.