Information on Pain Killer Addiction

Painkiller addiction is a physical and mental dependency on narcotic (sometimes called opiate or opioid) medications. Most people begin taking prescription pain killers to treat a legitimate medical condition and develop a dependence on the drugs without realizing it.

Significance

• According to the Department of Health and Human Services, in 2006 more than 5.2 million people used prescription painkillers for reasons other than pain.

Identification

• Some of the painkillers most commonly abused include Vicodin, OxyContin, Demerol, Lortab, Percocet and Dilaudid.

Considerations

• In addition to relieving pain, narcotic medications create feelings of calmness, sleepiness and well-being. People who abuse painkillers are seeking this sense of euphoria.

Warning

• People who have battled other addictions, such as alcoholism, run a higher risk of becoming addicted to prescription painkillers than the general population.

Prevention/Solution

• Treatment for painkiller addiction usually involves a period of medically supervised detoxification to allow the drugs to clear the body. Afterward, the patient should be referred to substance-abuse counseling or self-help programs such as a Twelve Step group. If physical pain is still an issue, a referral to a pain clinic is also in order.

Famous Ties

• People who have struggled with opiate addictions include Charles Dickens, Bela Lugosi, Rush Limbaugh and Elvis Presley.