Prescription Painkiller Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, & When To Get Help

Learn about prescription painkiller addiction

Prescription painkillers have improved the quality of lives of those who were grappling with acute or chronic pain. However, these medications do not come without danger. Regardless of whether they are taken under the care of qualified healthcare providers, illicitly abused in self-medication attempts, or abused recreationally, prescription painkillers present the risk of addiction. Many of the most commonly prescribed painkillers, including Demerol, OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet, all contain opioids, a very addictive category of substances that also include morphine and heroin.

This fact does not mean that consuming a painkiller that has been prescribed by a professional is the same as consuming heroin. These medications can be very beneficial, and the risks are much less when they are taken as prescribed. However, the danger of developing an opioid use disorder is real, and the risk is increased dramatically when these drugs are consumed without proper medical supervision.

Oxycodone (the active ingredient in Percocet and OxyContin), meperidine (Demerol), and hydrocodone (Vicodin) are synthetic or semisynthetic opioids, meaning they are manufactured in a laboratory, but they share similar structures with naturally occurring extracts from the opium poppy plant. They also possess similar properties, including relieving pain, triggering a sense of mild euphoria, and posing the risk that individuals will develop opioid use disorder. As time passes, those who take prescription painkillers containing opioids might become tolerant. Tolerance is a sign of dependence, as is the presence of upsetting symptoms of withdrawal when an individual tries to stop using the drug or significantly reduce the amount that he or she has been consuming.

The desire to experience pleasant effects of an opioid-based painkiller while avoiding the pain of withdrawal can keep an individual trapped within what might feel like an inescapable opioid use disorder. It can be very hard for someone in this position to stop his or her dependence upon opioids without effective treatment. When comprehensive care is supplied, though, an individual can clear his or her body of opioids in a safe and more comfortable manner. An individual can then complete the therapeutic programming that will help him or her avoid relapse and live a happier, healthier life, free from the compulsion to abuse prescription painkillers.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that over 52 million Americans have used prescription drugs non-medicinally at least one time in their lives, and six million have done so within the past 30 days. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid-based prescription medications make up roughly 44 overdose deaths each day in America, a daily average that includes about 18 women and 26 men. In 2013, over 16,000 people died from prescription opioid overdose. Prior to that, in 2011, prescription painkillers caused over 420,000 visits to emergency rooms.

Causes and risk factors for prescription painkiller addiction

The abuse of prescription painkillers and the development of opioid use disorder might be impacted by a number of factors, including the following:

Genetic: Extensive research supports the presence of a genetic impact on the development of chemical dependency. For example, a genetic disposition to impulsivity and novelty seeking might put an individual at greater risk for abusing these medications and other substances. Also, studies that included twins and adopted children show that having a biological parent with a substance use disorder increases the likelihood that an individual will share similar issues.

Environmental: An individual who experienced child abuse or other forms of childhood adversity will be at greater risk for partaking in substance abuse, as will someone who suffers high levels of stress that supersedes his or her coping abilities. Specific to prescription drug abuse, suffering an accident or injury that requires treatment including prescription painkillers can be an environmental risk factor for developing opioid use disorder.

Risk Factors:

• Poor coping skills
• Family history of substance use disorders
• Trauma
• Stress
• Ease of access to prescription pain medications
• Experiencing severe acute or chronic pain
• Prior substance abuse

Signs and symptoms of prescription painkiller addiction

Below are some of the most common signs and symptoms that might show that an individual has been abusing opioid-based painkillers:

Behavioral symptoms:

• Borrowing or stealing medication that has been prescribed to someone else
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Slurring speech
• Visiting multiple doctors to get prescriptions for painkillers
• Diminished participation in significant activities
• Deception regarding whereabouts and/or activities

Physical symptoms:

• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Decreased blood pressure
• Constipation
• Itchiness
• Pupil dilation
• Impaired coordination
• Heavy perspiration

Cognitive symptoms:

• Disorientation
• Poor decision-making skills
• Confusion

Psychosocial symptoms:

• Depression
• Irritability
• Drastic changes in mood

Effects of prescription painkiller addiction

Opioid use disorder that includes prescription painkillers can have a dramatic impact on an individual’s physical, psychological, and social wellbeing, and can lead to the following negative consequences:

• Suicide attempt or attempts
• Legal problems, including arrest and incarceration
• Homelessness
• Suicidal ideation
• Job loss and chronic unemployment
• Financial distress
• Impaired or destroyed interpersonal relationships
• Family discord, including separation and divorce
• Isolation and ostracization
• Development of physical health problems

Prescription painkiller addiction and co-occurring disorders

An individual who has grown dependent on prescription painkillers might also be battling a co-occurring mental health condition. The following disorders are most commonly diagnosed in those who have also developed opioid use disorder:

• Other substance use disorders
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Major depressive disorder
• Persistent depressive disorder

Prescription painkiller withdrawal and overdose

Effects of prescription painkiller withdrawal: Stopping or dramatically decreasing one’s use of prescription painkillers after developing a dependency upon them can lead to many distressing withdrawal symptoms, such as:

• Pain in bones and muscles
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Inability to sleep
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Heavy perspiration
• Tremors and twitches
• Dysphoria
• Watery eyes and runny nose
• Powerful cravings for opioids
• Irritability and agitation

Effects of prescription painkiller overdose: Opioids interact with areas of the brain that also affect involuntary processes including respiration and heart rate. Therefore, overdosing can place an individual in extreme peril. Anyone who exhibits the following signs after ingesting a prescription painkiller might need immediate medical attention:

• Seizure
• Loss of consciousness
• Slow or otherwise irregular pulse
• Extreme disorientation
• Breathing problems
• Pinpoint pupils