The United States is in the middle of an opioid epidemic that continues to grow. It’s the reason why OxyContin addiction treatment has become a necessity at rehab centers. However, some people don’t understand how this painkiller can be so bad if their doctors prescribe it. Learning more about the drug and the addiction treatment process can clear up the confusion.
About OxyContin and Its History
As a brand name, OxyContin is the long-acting version of oxycodone, a prescription opioid painkiller. It’s a time-release medication that relieves pain for up to 12 hours. However, it’s twice as potent as morphine and very addictive. Because of that, doctors only prescribe it for short periods of time.
Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin to the health care system in 1996. It claimed that the medicine was less addictive than other opioids. For the next 10 years, it aggressively pushed the drug on doctors, flying them to resorts for conferences.
However, Purdue Pharma was wrong about OxyContin being safer and less addictive than other opioids. Not everyone who used it experienced the 12 hours of pain relief that the company promised. Some people reported relief for eight hours or less, and they experienced withdrawal symptoms between doses. It didn’t help that the drug made it to street dealers, and people started snorting and injecting it too.
By 2000, many people had developed an addiction or died from overdoses. Four years later, 7 million people suffered from OxyContin abuse. By 2010, pharmacies stocked an abuse-deterrent version of the medication that’s harder to melt and crush. Then, OxyContin became too expensive for abusers to buy, so they started using heroin instead, leading to the current epidemic.
OxyContin Addiction Treatment
Because OxyContin is highly addictive, it doesn’t take long for people to develop a dependence on it. They continue to use and increase their dose to feel normal and achieve the high or relief that they desire. When they can no longer control their drug use, they’ve developed an addiction. They need help at an OxyContin addiction treatment center to overcome it.
An Orange County residential treatment center can provide the safest recovery for addiction. This type of rehab can provide the structured environment that people need. It also takes them away from the triggers that make them want to use drugs.
Experts recommend that an entire OxyContin addiction treatment plan last for at least 90 days. However, some residential programs only continue for 30 days. When that’s the case, people can use other programs as step-down treatment. For instance, after residential rehab, they can step down to sober living or an Orange County IOP program (intensive outpatient program).
Medical Detox
The first step in every OxyContin addiction treatment plan should be medical detox. When people stop using the drug, their bodies go into withdrawal. The symptoms that manifest are often unbearable, especially bone and muscle aches. The detox staff at an OxyContin addiction treatment center can provide medications that make withdrawal symptoms comfortable.
Rehab and Therapy
When the worst of withdrawal is over, the OxyContin addiction treatment center will begin addiction therapy services in Southern California. The counseling sessions occur in individual and group settings, and they provide education and skills development. To improve the chances of a successful recovery, the therapists allow people in treatment to progress at an individual pace.
Aside from evidence-based counseling, holistic treatment is beneficial during OxyContin addiction treatment. It reduces stress and gives people activities to maintain a stress-free, relaxed lifestyle after rehab.
Aftercare Planning
It’s vital for every OxyContin addiction treatment center to help people plan for what they should do after treatment. This service might include sober living that provides a drug-free living environment while they learn to live without drugs. It may also include 12-step facilitation that prepares them for joining support groups in their own communities.
Treating Opioid Addiction at Clear Life Recovery
Do you or someone you love have an OxyContin addiction? Clear Life Recovery offers prescription drug addiction treatment in Orange County. We combine evidence-based and holistic services to deliver comprehensive care. Our team includes these services in each of our programs such as:
- Medical detox
- Mens drug rehab center
- Residential rehab
- Intensive outpatient program
- Nutrition therapy
- PHP (partial hospitalization program)
- Womens addiction treatment program
At Clear Life Recovery, we help you make lifelong changes so that you can enjoy long-term recovery. Our goal is to give you everything that you need to succeed during and after rehab. As part of that effort, we provide nutrition counseling and help you get a job.
Don’t let an opioid such as OxyContin cause any more turmoil in your life. Get the OxyContin addiction treatment that you need to rebuild your future. Reach out to Clear Life Recovery to learn more at 866-261-7291.
