Roxicodone Abuse & Addiction Symptoms, Signs, & Withdrawal Effects

Learn More About Roxicodone Abuse

Roxicodone (known as “Roxys,” or “Roxies”) is a prescription semi-synthetic opioid analgesic with highly addictive properties. This Schedule II narcotic is prescribed by doctors to immediately relieve moderate-to-severe chronic pain by affecting areas of the central nervous system of the body. While Roxicodone contains the same active ingredient as OxyContin – oxycodone – Roxicodone is manufactured in an immediate-release tablet, unlike OxyContin which is used for sustained pain relief. It’s this immediate rush of pleasure that creates the high potential for addiction to Roxicodone.

Roxicodone abuse, taking Roxicodone in a manner in which it was not prescribed, and Roxicodone addiction is a growing problem in the United States due, in part, to the general misconception that prescription medication, as it is prescribed by a physician, is not as dangerous as illegal street drugs. This couldn’t be more wrong. Prescription drugs, especially when combined with abuse and addiction to other substances such as benzodiazepines or methamphetamine can cause extremely lethal side effects.

Many people begin to use Roxicodone in a very innocent fashion. They’re prescribed Roxicodone by their physician to manage a pain condition and take their pills as directed. While the story ends there for many people, others become addicted to Roxicodone. After certain individuals begin to take Roxicodone, their body becomes tolerant to the drug, requiring more and more Roxie to achieve the same pain-relieving effects. Others find that the euphoric feeling associated with narcotic use is so pleasurable that they continue using Roxicodone to numb emotional pain even after the physical pain is long gone. While prescribed in tablet form, many Roxy addicts crush the tablet or melt the drug down so that it can be smoked or injected, providing an even stronger rush and more intense high.

Statistics on Roxicodone Abuse

Over 9% of all Americans have or will abuse opiate narcotics such as Roxicodone in their lifetime. This percentage encompasses those who use opiates under the careful supervision of a physician and those who buy the drug off the street. The United States Department of Justice learned that over 13 million people in the US abused oxycodone (the active ingredient in Roxicodone) for recreational purposes.

Causes of Roxicodone Abuse & Addiction

The development of an addiction is not thought to be based upon a single root reason. Rather, it is a combination of factors that lead to the development of a Roxicodone addiction. These factors include:

Genetic: Research has indicated that addiction tends to run in families. Individuals who have a first-degree relative, such as a parent, with an addiction are more likely to develop an addiction themselves.

Brain Chemistry: As Roxicodone produces its effects by acting upon the brain and central nervous system body, it’s been theorized that certain individuals are lacking the proper functioning of these parts of the body. In response, some individuals may abuse Roxicodone or other narcotics in order to make up for this imbalance.

Environmental: Children who grow up in homes that are riddled with chaos and addiction are more likely to grow up believing that drug abuse is normal. When drugs are demystified, children are more apt to try them later in life. In addition, children who begin to abuse drugs at an earlier age are more likely to become addicts later in life.

Psychological: Addiction has its roots firmly planted in mental illness. Many individuals who have undiagnosed or untreated mental illnesses are more likely to abuse substances such as Roxicodone to “self-medicate” the symptoms of mental illness.

Co-Occurring Disorders and the Complexity of Roxicodone Addiction

Most addictions, including addiction to Roxicodone, co-exist with another mental illness. These co-occurring disorders include:

• Depressive disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Borderline personality disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Conduct disorders
• Antisocial personality disorder
• Schizophrenia

Signs and Symptoms of Roxicodone Abuse

Individual symptoms of Roxicodone abuse will vary tremendously based upon the amount of Roxicodone taken, the frequency with which it is abused, and the tolerance the individual has developed to the drug. Symptoms of Roxicodone abuse may include:

Mood:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Anger
• Euphoria
• Overwhelming sense of well-being

Behavioral:

• Using more than one doctor to obtain prescriptions for Roxicodone
• Forging prescriptions for Roxicodone
• Frequent trips to the emergency room for vague complaints of pain
• “Losing” prescriptions for Roxicodone
• Tampering with prescriptions
• Borrowing or stealing Roxicodone or other narcotics from family members
• Robbing pharmacies and other medication dispensaries
• Ordering Roxicodone on the internet
• Change in vocal pitch
• Failing to meet demands at work, home, school, or socially
• Withdrawing from once-pleasurable activities
• Financial problems
• Loss of appetite
• Nervousness
• Restlessness

Physical:

• Decreased respiration rate
• Increased respiratory infections
• Seizures
• Extreme weakness
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Bradycardia
• Nausea and vomiting
• Constipation
• Increased sweating
• Itching
• Visual disturbances
• Circulatory depression
• Urinary retention
• Respiratory arrest
• Shock
• Cardiac arrest
• Myocardial infarction
• Chest pain
• Nodding off
• Fatigue

Psychological:

• Hallucinations
• Brain fog
• Delusions
• Confusion
• Psychosis

Effects of Roxicodone Addiction

The effects of Roxicodone are severe and can impact every area of an individual’s life. These effects include:

• Incarceration
• Joblessness
• Financial ruin
• Homelessness
• Interpersonal relationship problems
• Divorce
• Major depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Chills
• Weakness
• Rebound pain
• All-over body pain
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

Withdrawal Symptoms of Roxicodone Addiction

Opiate analgesics like Roxicodone are notorious for causing physical dependence among those who use them. When the body becomes physically dependent upon an opioid and the usage of the narcotic is stopped, very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms can occur. In general, narcotics such as Roxicodone should not be abruptly discontinued. The narcotic symptoms associated with Roxicodone include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Intense sweating
• Chills
• Body weakness
• Runny nose
• Joint pain
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased respiratory rate
• Tachycardia
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety