215 Arizonans lost their lives from overdosing on opioids like hydrocodone in 2022. While that number isn’t dramatically high, think about it for a second: That’s over 200 families in Arizona impacted by an unimaginable loss – hundreds of loved ones overwhelmed by grief, all in one year.
Overdose deaths are completely preventable. There’s both tragedy and hope in that fact.
Hydrocodone addiction treatment works, and it saves lives. That’s why we offer it at Wolf Creek Recovery. People with a hydrocodone addiction aren’t guaranteed to overdose by any means, but there’s always a chance. Opioid use disorder does damage in other areas, too. Relationships, job performance, mental health, and physical health all deteriorate in the face of addiction.
But that doesn’t have to be the case. Wolf Creek can help.
What We Treat: Hydrocodone Addiction
Just because hydrocodone is a prescription doesn’t mean it’s safer to take illicitly. When following a doctor’s orders, it can be a helpful medication to treat pain. When you start taking it differently, though, you might run into trouble. Whether you started with your own prescription or obtained hydrocodone from someone else, it’s possible to develop an opioid use disorder.
Physical dependence (also known as “building a tolerance”) is a gateway to addiction. You probably know the feeling when you go a while without taking hydrocodone – the unpleasant, painful symptoms that you can only get rid of when you take it again.
The side of addiction people don’t always talk about is psychological dependence. Maybe you tried hydrocodone from a friend the first time, and the euphoria that came with taking it made the troubles in your life disappear, if only for a little while.
Searching for relief is a dangerous thing when it comes to addiction, whether it’s from physical or psychological pain. We know the feeling. Most of Wolf Creek’s staff is in recovery, too, and we remember our lives before we were substance-free very well – well enough to relate to you wholeheartedly.
We know what it takes to overcome substance use disorders because we’ve done it before. You can too.
How We Treat: What to Expect From Hydrocodone Addiction Rehab at Wolf Creek
When you first come to Wolf Creek, we’ll perform an assessment to form your individualized treatment plan. This is when we’ll determine whether you’d benefit from mental health care alongside treatment for your opioid use disorder. We’ll also refer you to one of our trusted partners for a detox program to make sure hydrocodone is safely out of your system.
Once detox is complete, you’ll move on to our partial hospitalization program (PHP), where we’ll set you up with housing. You won’t have to worry about where to stay during treatment because we’ll provide a safe, healing home for your recovery journey. You’ll attend therapy and other healing activities for most of the day, then return to your temporary home when it’s over.
You’ll have the opportunity to participate in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing (MI), rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), family therapy, and grief counseling. We also think having fun is an important part of getting better, so we spend a lot of time outside canoeing, paddleboarding, camping, and playing team sports.
What Is Hydrocodone? Defining a Popular Opioid
Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain. It’s also sometimes used as a cough suppressant, and often combined with other medication. One of the most popular forms of hydrocodone, Vicodin, is a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, which you can find in Tylenol.
Intensive Outpatient Rehab Services: Returning to Normal Life
If you need a little more freedom in your schedule, intensive outpatient (IOP) may be the best option for you. We’ll still provide optional housing for you during your treatment if you need it, but you’ll spend less time actively in therapy, leaving you more room to tend to other responsibilities. IOP is a great way to continue treatment while transitioning back into your regular life.
How Hydrocodone Affects the Brain and Body: System-Wide Impact
Hydrocodone works by binding to opioid receptors in your brain. This causes pain relief and euphoria. Taking hydrocodone for a long time often causes tolerance, physical dependence, and withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it. Long-term hydrocodone use can also lead to insomnia, depression, and liver or kidney disease, especially when paired with acetaminophen.
You might experience these symptoms if you take hydrocodone, too:
- Constipation
- Lightheadedness
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Dry mouth
- Nodding in and out of consciousness
- Slowed breathing
- Drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- Flushed skin
- Seizures
You also run the risk of overdosing if you take more hydrocodone than your doctor prescribes, especially if you mix it with other substances.
Fighting Flu-Like Symptoms: Hydrocodone Withdrawal and Detox
Hydrocodone withdrawal happens when you take hydrocodone long enough for your body to become physically dependent on it. That means your body adapts to the medication being in your system and isn’t sure what to do when you aren’t taking it. Symptoms can start as soon as a few hours after your last dose of medication.
Withdrawal includes flu-like symptoms, such as:
- Body pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Tremors
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Cravings
Detox programs are helpful during hydrocodone withdrawal. In a detox program, medical professionals will help manage your withdrawal symptoms to make sure hydrocodone leaves your system as safely and painlessly as possible.
Spotting the Cycle: Signs of Hydrocodone Addiction
It can be harder to recognize an addiction to prescription medication, especially if it started with you following a doctor’s orders. If you start taking more hydrocodone than you or your doctor intended, spend a lot of time thinking about and obtaining hydrocodone, and neglect responsibilities and relationships in your life because of it, you should consider seeking help for your hydrocodone use.
Maybe instead of yourself, you’re wondering if your loved one is using hydrocodone illicitly. If they frequently experience flu-like symptoms, visit multiple doctors, are secretive about their whereabouts and what they’re doing, neglect their responsibilities, and fixate on hydrocodone, it’s time to talk to them about how they’re taking it.
Finding Hydrocodone Addiction Recovery in Arizona With Wolf Creek
Opioid use disorders feel like a vicious cycle. You take hydrocodone to feel better. It gives you a little relief, but within hours, you feel sick again. The more hydrocodone you take, the worse the cycle gets.
It’s time to break out. You have the power to overcome your hydrocodone addiction, and you don’t have to do it alone. Contact us, and let us help.
Wolf Creek Recovery, located in Prescott, Arizona, offers treatment for addiction and the mental health conditions that come with it. No matter where you are in life, we want to meet you and empower you to achieve lasting recovery. You can build a life you love. Call us at 833-732-8202 to get started.
