OxyContin, a prescription opiod medication used for severe pain, has quickly become one of the most widely abused drugs in America. Abuse of OxyContin can rapidly evolve into an overwhelming addiction state, contributing to the fact that prescription drugs are now the second-most abused substance in the country, second only to marijuana.

Further, statistics from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a mere 5% of those using prescription pain relievers non-medically, reported getting them from a drug dealer, compared to the vast majority who obtained them from the following sources:

• A friend or relative (70%), whether the pills were given or taken by theft unknowingly
• A doctor or healthcare provider (18%)
• The Internet (less than 1%)

rescription painkillers are considered a major contributor to the total number of drug deaths. In 2007, for example, nearly 28,000 Americans died from unintentional drug poisoning, and of these, nearly 12,000 involved prescription pain relievers.

Nearly 30,000 Americans die from unintentional drug poisoning or overdose on an annual basis. Trey, a graduate of the Narconon Arrowhead drug rehab program, avoided this tragic fate by finally getting help and regaining control of his life.

After being sober for one year, Trey reflects on his devastating addiction to OxyContin and his life-changing decision to receive treatment through Narconon Arrowhead.

Trey’s OxyContin Addiction

“I was never really one to experiment with hard drugs,” says Trey. “I always told myself, ‘I will never do heroin,’ and, ‘I will never try cocaine.’ But when I first tried OxyContin, I didn’t realize how addictive it would be. I just thought that because it was prescribed by a medical professional that it really couldn’t be that bad.”

Lawsuits against the makers of OxyContin and thousands of addiction cases just like Trey’s serve to further illustrate the addictive nature of the opioid medication. Some users become hooked on the drug after being prescribed it for an injury or illness. Others, like Trey, become addicted to the drug after experimenting with it just a few times.

“I developed an uncontrollable urge to use OxyContin,” explains Trey. “The pill gave me a euphoric feeling and a sense that all my problems had disappeared. Unfortunately, the problems were still there after the pill wore off, but they were worse.”

OxyContin Adverse Effects

After developing a severe dependency to OxyContin, Trey soon experienced first-hand the adverse effects of the drug once the addictive high wore off. “I would feel sick because of the withdrawals from OxyContin. And the pills were so expensive, all my money went to feeding my addiction.”

“After losing my friends, family, school, job, essentially everything important to me, to this insatiable OxyContin addiction, I realized that if I didn’t find sobriety I would never amount to anything,” says Trey. “I didn’t want to die in my addiction.”

Opioid Prescription Addiction Treatment

Like so many addicts, Trey’s story demonstrates how difficult it can be to break away from an opioid habit. “I tried getting sober so many times, but I couldn’t do it on my own. I kept relapsing,” he says. “After sitting on rock bottom for a couple years, I finally was directed to Narconon Arrowhead.”

Narconon Arrowhead specializes in drug and alcohol treatment using an individualized approach, achieving a 70% success rate for permanent recovery from addiction. Since the 1960s, the program has helped thousands of addicts regain drug and alcohol-free lives. Narconon’s drug prevention program also works to raise awareness amongst youth and adults about the dangers of OxyContin addiction and other substance abuse issues.

“I didn’t think I could gain so much from a drug rehab,” Trey says of his experience at Narconon. “The program gave me a definite way out of my OxyContin addiction. They didn’t  give me other medications to get off drugs like other places I had been to. Instead, Narconon got me off drugs and gave me the necessary tools to stay off the drugs—forever.”

For more information on how Narconon can help you or someone you know who is struggling with an OxyContin addiction, contact Narconon Arrowhead today by calling 1-800-468-6933.