Suffering from Hydromorphone addiction or know a loved one who is? Here we go into detail about Hydromorphone addiction, various treatments available for you and how you can benefit from going to treatment for your Hydromorpone addiction.
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Hydromorphone is part of the opioid drugs and is a very effective tool when it comes to treating patients’ pain. However, like any opioids, they have the potential to be abused and can be very addictive if used frequently and many opioids such as Hydromorphone are now abused by thousands of people across the United Kingdom.
Hydromorphone also may be known as dihydromorphinone is a drug that affects the opioid receptors inside your brain to give off a morphine-like high which is where the user will feel completely relaxed and euphoric. Hydromorphone is taken in tablet form, you can start to feel the effects of the drug in half an hour with the effects lasting up to 5 hours but if you have started to build up an addiction to Hydromorphone and using the drug in higher doses the effects may be lower due to your tolerance.
Use Of Hydromorphone
Hydromorphone is most commonly found in tablet form however under medical supervision it can be injected into a vein or under the skin. It should only be used and orchestrated by a medical professional as it can be dangerous done by an individual with no background in medicine.
The medical uses of Hydromorphone can only work if they are prescribed under a certain guideline and not misused frequently.
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How Does A Hydromorphone Addiction Happen?
Addiction while may look like a physical addiction on the outside, it is primarily a psychological problem as it has affected the user’s brain reward system which forces the user to seek out the drug in order to frequently get rewarded engagement despite them knowing the bad consequences that come with abusing the drug. The more someone abuses a drug such as Hydromorphone, the more that the reward centres inside the brain will start to adjust to the chemicals given off such as dopamine which gives the user a positive feeling.
That means when there are decreased levels of dopamine from not using the drug, the user will start to begin feeling physiological withdrawal symptoms such as depression. Not only will you feel physiological withdrawal symptoms but you will also have a physical dependence on the Hydromorphone as a result of frequent consumption which will cause Hydromorphone addicts to seek out to take drugs in order to function ‘normally.’
Why Is Hydromorphone Addictive?
Hydromorphone has been found to be addictive for two main reasons. The first is because of the relaxing effects that come with taking the drug which is known as a ‘high’ this causes people to repeatedly take the drug in order to feel the effect, leading to a psychological addiction.
The second reason is that Hydromorphone like all opioids has a high dependence liability which causes users to build up a strong physical dependency which makes people want to consume the drug daily.
It is hard to know which exactly opioids are the most addictive as addiction can vary between each user. However, Hydromorphone is considered to at least be five times more potent than Morphine on a per-mg basis. It should be noted that this doesn’t mean it’s five times more addictive, it means that Hydromorphone has the potential to be one of the opioids with the highest dependence.
Signs Of Hydromorphone Addiction
If you are suffering from a Hydromorphone addiction or know a loved one, it can be hard to admit you have an opiate addiction due to the stigma behind the drug. Many addicts know they have an addiction but choose to hide it as it can be hard to speak out or some other times they can be unaware of how the drug is affecting their everyday life.
There are common signs that you can look out for when dealing with a hydromorphone addiction –
- Anxiety & Depression.
- Poor sleeping pattern.
- Abandonment of personal and professional responsibilities.
- Money troubles due to spending on drugs.
- Engaging in illegal activities.
- Lack of sexual drive.
- Fatigued.
- Changed friendship group.
- Obsessed with Hydromorphone.
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Hydromorphone Addiction Rehabilitation Treatment
Hydromorphone addiction treatment will be two stages which are detox & rehabilitation, due to the user depending on Hydromorphone for a long period of time, if they attempt to remove the drug from their life they will begin to start suffering from withdrawal symptoms which can range from headaches, nausea, aches and in some serious cases seizures.
It’s important that every addict undertakes a drug detox before they start their rehabilitation programme as they will medically assist you through the detox in order to flush the drugs out your body completely. Once completed, you can focus on your rehabilitation programme such as therapy which will help a patient find the root of the addiction and create strategies to battle against any thoughts of relapse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hydrophone is a powerful opioid painkiller that can be prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain. It’s also used illicitly, often in the form of heroin, because it has a similar high. You are more likely to become addicted if: You have a history of substance use disorder or mental health problems, you’re using hydrophone for non-medical reasons or you’ve been taking hydrophone for an extended period of time.