Often prescribed to relieve pain, oxycontin can be quite addictive. It attaches to molecular structure in your brain called opioid receptors. When this happens, it trigger the release of a feel-good hormone dopamine that leads to decreased physical tension, decreased pain perception, euphoria, and increased sense of relaxation. Once you experience these effects, your brain’s reward system pushes you to repeat the same. Unfortunately, your body builds tolerance against whatever dose you are taking and you decide to take more. This often requires oxycontin addiction treatment.
When trying to break the addiction of oxycontin, it is important to work with a substance abuse professional. They will assess your situation first to determine the best course of treatment. They usually consider the amount of the substance used, the frequency of use, and the duration of abuse to determine what treatment approach will work for you. In most cases, you need to start with detoxification, which involves reducing the amount of oxycontin gradually to finally end its use. Sometimes, you may have to take another “stabilizing” medication like methadone or buprenorphine to control your oxycontin addiction.
Many people decide to quit oxycontin and decide to detox from oxycontin from home. At-home detox is certainly a possibility and is essential before you attend a drug rehab. Some people decide to quit oxycontin cold turkey because the withdrawal symptoms of opiate are not life threatening. You may experience symptoms such as watery eyes, diarrhea, runny nose, and sneezing, along with arm spasms and body aches.
The idea is to stay away from the drug for long enough to give your brain a chance to heal. The opioid receptors start to function properly after some time and it all works fine. However, some people decide to detox from oxycontin at home but have to stick with the tapering method. It usually becomes an option when you have been taking oxycontin for long enough. It requires you to reduce the dose slowly. A good idea is to take the drug by swallow it with water and not snort, chew, or shoot it. You should also stick to a strict schedule and ask a friend to help you stay on track.
Whether you try quitting cold turkey or you stick to the tapering method, be ready to experience some withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms begin about 6 hours after you take your last dose. If you have completed stopped its use and are not going for the tapering off method, you may notice your oxycontin withdrawal peak 72 hours after your last use of the drug. The symptoms are likely to resolve in a week or so, but it can take longer depending on the doses administered and the duration of the use.
It is important to bear in mind that if you have tried ways to quit oxycontin addiction at home and failed, you should consider medical detox. You can find several options here, including outpatient and inpatient, medical and nonmedical. Do not let the addiction take control of your life; fight back and break it today!