Warning Signs, Symptoms and Signs of Vicodin Addiction

When Does Drug Use Become Drug Abuse or Addiction?

Millions of people around the world take Vicodin every day. The vast majority of them never have problems with abuse or addiction. Knowing that leads to the following question: when does prescription drug use become abuse, and then addiction?

To be able to explain these phenomena to ourselves, we will need to know the very basis of addiction and abuse:

Prescription drug use – Prescription medications like Vicodin can be used responsibly under the supervision of a doctor. Following a doctor’s instructions offers maximum benefit with the very little risk of abuse or addiction.

Drug abuse – In its most basic form, drug abuse is using any drug outside of the boundaries of a doctor’s prescription or, in the case of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, in ways other than what the manufacturer intended.

Drug addiction – Drug addiction is a physical and mental disorder characterised by an inability to control one’s drug use. An addict is compelled to continue using even though he or she knows doing so is destructive.

With those definitions established, it should be a bit easier to understand the process by which drug use ends up in addiction.

The short-term effects begin as soon as a person starts taking the drug. Vicodin works by binding and activating opioid receptors in the brain and spinal column. As it starts working, it blocks pain signals. It also has a sedating effect on various parts of the body. In the short term, Vicodin can cause dizziness or light-headedness, breathing problems, constipation, confusion, and other symptoms.

The long-term effects of Vicodin abuse are more profound. They begin with tolerance and dependence, two conditions that can eventually lead to addiction. Beyond tolerance and dependence are additional negative effects including increased pain perception, mood swings, poor stress management, poor memory, and an increased tendency to personal injury due to the drug’s sedating properties.

How it Can Change Your Loved One

Rest assured that Vicodin abuse does change people. Whether you are the person abusing it or you’re thinking of someone else, Vicodin changes the abuser’s personality. It will change the way that person views the world, interacts socially, and performs at work or school. And none of the changes is positive.

Imagine a loved one who used to be very socially outgoing before Vicodin abuse started. After a few months of using, he or she no longer goes out with friends and family. He/she does not participate in family activities. He/she is isolated because of not wanting to be around other people and they do not want to be around him/her.

Vicodin abuse and addiction cannot help but change people. Vicodin affects the brain in certain ways that influence everything from a person’s physical health to his or her thought processes and personality. He or she becomes an entirely new person driven by the need to consume Vicodin.

Shifts in Behaviour

A person abusing Vicodin will demonstrate clear shifts in behaviour. You have already learned about social interaction and isolation, but that is just a starting point. The Vicodin abuser will demonstrate other behavioural changes as well. For example, he or she might begin having trouble processing thoughts in a logical way. This is a result of the sedation associated with Vicodin.

Vicodin abusers frequently experience pronounced mood swings. A user might be on cloud nine today but living in the depths of despair tomorrow. And on either end of the spectrum, he or she might also show signs of erratic behaviour. Impulse may be the rule of the day.

Hydrocodone is an opiate in the same family as morphine and heroin. When used as a pain reliever, it works by binding itself to opioid receptors and then activating those receptors to slow down or block pain signals in the brain and spinal cord. Hydrocodone would probably be okay if that’s all it did. But it does more.

Hydrocodone also stimulates the production of endorphins. In turn, that stimulates a brain chemical known as dopamine. When these two chemicals are produced in excess, they create feelings of pleasure and euphoria. This is often where addiction lies.

The pleasure centres of the brain are very influential in driving us to do the things we do. When we experience something we like to do, the brain rewards us with pleasurable feelings. That motivates us to duplicate the experience in the future.

In some people, Vicodin triggers very intense feelings that are not experienced by others. Such intense feelings make it more likely that the user will eventually be a Vicodin addict. It all boils down to how the drug interacts with the brain.

Signs of an Overdose

Overdose is rare when a person uses Vicodin under the supervision of a doctor. It is not so rare among Vicodin abusers and addicts. Someone who has overdosed will begin to show signs that progressively get worse if not addressed. These are as follows:

Overdose Prevention

Preventing Vicodin overdose is as simple as not using the drug in any way contrary to a doctor’s instructions. You cannot overdose on Vicodin if you do not abuse it. If that is not an option for you at this juncture, you should make a point of not mixing Vicodin with any other drugs. Do not mix it with alcohol; do not mix it with other opiates; do not mix it with benzodiazepines. Combining Vicodin with other sedating drugs enhances its effects and can lead to an overdose situation.

Early Warning Signs of Teen Vicodin Use

Are you concerned that your teen might be using Vicodin? If so, there are some early warning signs that could confirm it for you. Here’s what to look for:

Common Physical Warning Signs of Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin addiction manifests itself in a number of physical symptoms. Look for the following if you are concerned about someone you know who uses Vicodin:

Common Emotional and Social Warning Signs of Vicodin Addiction

Just as Vicodin addiction manifests itself in physical symptoms, there are emotional and social warning signs as well. Look for the following if you are concerned about someone you care about:

Behavioural Warning Signs of Vicodin Abuse

Look for these behavioural warning signs in some you suspect is abusing Vicodin:

Common Vicodin withdrawal symptoms include the following:

Anxiety or depression – Feelings of anxiety or depression are often the result of the brain trying to rebalance itself.
Loss of appetite – As cravings for Vicodin increase, the appetite is naturally suppressed.
Nausea and vomiting – These two symptoms are the result of the gastrointestinal tract attempting to normalise itself.
Rapid breathing – Vicodin suppresses breathing; withdrawal does the opposite. A person in withdrawal will experience a measurable increase in respiration.
Sweating – Increased respiration and heart rate make the body work harder which, in turn, increases body temperature and causes sweating.
Sleeping problems – Because Vicodin is a sedative, it causes fatigue and drowsiness. Withdrawal reverses this effect. It can cause insomnia in some people.

This list represents only the most common withdrawal symptoms associated with Vicodin. There are more than a dozen others, some of which you might also experience should you go through withdrawal yourself. Please note that withdrawal symptoms can be severe enough to be life-threatening.

Frequently Asked Questions