Painkiller Addiction

Are you wondering if you are at risk of becoming the victim of painkiller addiction?  Thousands of people suffer from painkiller addiction and have fallen victim to this dangerous and potentially lethal disease.  Painkiller addiction effects the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the famous and not so famous, those who have hundreds of friends and those with very few, those who have big happy families and those who come from abusive families; addiction doesn’t care who you are, where you’re going or where you’ve been.

Types of Addictive Painkillers

Many different types of painkillers are on the market today but not all of them pack the powerful punch of addiction.  The most common types of painkillers that are actually habit forming include:

• Codeine
• Fetanyl
• Oxycodone
• Oxycontin
• Percocet
• Percodan
• Roxicet
• Morphine
• Demerol
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphine or Dilaudid
• Lortab
• Vicodin

Am I at Risk of Painkiller Addiction?

If you are wondering if you are at risk of painkiller addiction, consider the following factors that could increase your chances of becoming addicted to painkillers if you take them for recreational purposes or as prescribed:

• Abuse increases the risk of becoming an addict
• Past or present addictions increase the risk of becoming addicted to painkillers
• Drinking alcohol while taking painkillers increases the risk of becoming addicted
• Family history of addiction may increase the risk of becoming addicted
• Mental illness such as anxiety, depression or another condition could increase the risk of becoming addicted to painkillers
• Taking painkillers for a prolonged period of time can increase the risk of becoming addicted

Preventing Painkiller Addiction Before it Starts

There are some steps that you can take to prevent yourself from becoming addicted to painkillers even if you do have to take them for a valid reason.  For instance, you can always make sure to disclose any past or present addiction issues with your doctor openly.  Make sure to tell the doctor if you have a family history with addiction, whether you do actually use drugs or alcohol and whether you have had problems with substance abuse in the past.  If these factors do apply to you, and you let your doctor know in advance, there’s a good chance that the doctor will monitor your intake more regularly and may even prescribe a less addictive painkiller for you to ensure that you don’t fall victim to the addiction.