Pain Medication Addiction

Warning Signs and Dangers of Pain Killer Addiction:
"Tolerance. Your body adapts to the continuous presence of a pain drug. Over time, your body builds up a resistance to the medicine, and you need higher doses of the medication to get the same level of pain relief. This is called building up a tolerance, and is normal.
• Physical dependence. When your body has grown accustomed to the presence of the pain medication, you may go through withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking the medication. This is physical dependence.
• Addiction. Pain-pill addiction is a pathological condition. This is characterized by the addict using the drug regardless of dangerous, destructive effects on the body, relationships, and other parts of his/her life.

Which pain medications are most addictive?

Opioids — sometimes called narcotics — are among the most addictive pain medications. These include:

• Codeine
• Fentanyl (Duragesic, others)
• Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, others)
• Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, others)
• Meperidine (Demerol, others)
• Morphine (MS Contin, Kadian, others)
• Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, others)
• Propoxyphene (Darvon, others)

People who develop pain-pill addiction tend to have a genetic tendency towards this. Studies have shown that most of them have family members who abuse drugs or alcohol. A"
Warning Signs and Dangers of Pain Killer Addiction: