Oxycodone addiction: what you need to know

Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy on April 23, 2024

Oxycodone addiction arises from the chronic misuse of the prescription painkiller oxycodone, a highly addictive and dangerous opioid. The CDC identified a significant rise in oxycodone-related overdose deaths since 2001: for every 100,000 people addicted, there were 4 overdoses.

When you’re addicted to oxycodone, you experience intense cravings and severe withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, around 2 million Americans had a substance use disorder involving prescription opioids such as oxycodone in 2015.

Left untreated, oxycodone addiction can disrupt nearly every aspect of your life. If you’re struggling with opioid use disorder, our caring, evidence-based oxycodone rehab center is here to support you on your journey to achieving lasting sobriety.

This is a place to truly reset your life onto the right path. I learned such great healthy habits to live by. The staff are AMAZING so caring and friendly. I consider everyone I met at Ardu family. I truly hope the person looking for an amazing place to begin their new journey starts here. I met Amazing friends for life here.

—Ashlee Poll

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What is oxycodone?

Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic narcotic analgesic that is used in medical practices to treat chronic pain. It’s derived from a natural substance found in the opium poppy plant, but undergoes further processing to become the active pharmaceutical ingredient we know as oxycodone. The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies oxycodone as a Schedule II controlled substance.

Oxycodone works by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors mostly found in the brain and the spinal cord. This allows the drug to change how the body perceives and responds to pain signals, providing pretty powerful pain relief. That’s why doctors commonly prescribe oxycodone to treat moderate to severe pain, especially for postoperative pain, cancer pain, or chronic arthritis pain.

Oxycodone is legally available by prescription in oral pill or liquid form for pain relief. You’ve probably heard of some popular brands of oxycodone such as OxyContin or Roxicodone. The big risk with taking these is the serious side effects and risk of developing dependence if you abuse or combine them with other substances. Those addicted to oxycodone commonly abuse the drug by crushing and snorting or dissolving and injecting the pills to get an instant, intense high.

It may be challenging to reclaim your life from the grips of oxycodone and other types of opioid abuse, but with the right support, you can achieve sobriety. The medical experts at our opioid rehab center provide personalized, evidence-based treatment to help you or your loved one get clean and stay clean.

What makes oxycodone addictive?

Oxycodone is so addictive because of the way it hijacks the brain’s natural reward pathways. Here’s what happens:

Oxycodone binds to and activates mu-opioid receptors in the brain, particularly in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the nucleus accumbens. This key component of the brain’s reward system produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls feelings of pleasure and happiness.
Oxycodone triggers a surge of dopamine, which creates an intense feeling of pleasure and reward, reinforcing the desire to use oxycodone again. A 2022 study explains that with repeated oxycodone use, the constantly elevated levels of dopamine in the brain make it harder to achieve the initial euphoric “rush” from bursts of dopamine release, driving users to take higher and higher doses to chase that diminishing high.
Oxycodone inhibits GABAergic neurons, which normally act as an “off-switch” for the dopamine-producing reward circuits. According to PBS, “once opioids shut off GABAergic neurons, the pleasure circuits fill with…dopamine.”
Excess dopamine in the brain blunts and reduces the number of dopamine receptors, making it hard to feel pleasure from previously enjoyed activities. This drives further opioid use just to feel “normal.”
The brain stops producing natural opioids at normal levels, relying on the exogenous oxycodone instead. When the drug is removed, you experience extremely unpleasant drug withdrawal symptoms.
Your brain becomes re-wired and dependent on oxycodone, driven by an overpowering compulsion to keep using it to avoid negative physical and emotional effects.

It can be hard to break free from addiction, but there is hope. Whether you’re struggling with alcoholism or drug abuse, our Utah rehab center welcomes anyone ready to reclaim their life and start healing. We’re located in Provo, surrounded by the picturesque mountains and serenity of Utah Valley—an ideal setting for healing mind, body, and spirit.

Contact Ardu Recovery Center today.

Signs and symptoms of oxycodone addiction

Oxycodone addiction can take over your life before you even realize what’s happening. Some common physical symptoms of oxycodone use disorder include:

Constricted pupils
Slurred speech
Drowsiness and nodding off
Lack of coordination and dizziness
Constipation
Slowed breathing rate
Weight loss
Injection track marks
Clammy skin
Vomiting
Runny nose

You can also recognize someone’s addiction to oxycodone as they show some or all of the following behavioral symptoms:

A growing tolerance, requiring higher doses to feel the same effects
Withdrawal symptoms when not using
Drastic mood swings, agitation, and secretive behaviors
An obsession with obtaining and using oxycodone, even illegally
Drug-seeking behaviors (e.g., doctor shopping or stealing pills)
Loss of interest in other activities and responsibilities
Social withdrawal
Continued use despite negative impacts on relationships, work, or health

How does oxycodone impact your health?

Oxycodone addiction can take a serious toll on your physical health. Some of the negative health effects include:

Respiratory depression. Oxycodone can slow down and depress breathing, especially when taken in high doses or combined with other depressants such as alcohol. This can lead to respiratory failure, coma, and even death.
Increased risk of infectious diseases from sharing needles. Many people inject oxycodone for a much quicker fix. Sharing needles and other equipment raises the risk of contracting serious infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
Constipation and bowel issues. Similar to other opioid drugs, oxycodone can cause severe constipation, abdominal cramps, bloating, and even bowel obstructions. Oxycodone binds to opioid receptors in the gastrointestinal tract, slowing down the movement and contractions that allow normal bowel function.
Sleep disturbances. Chronic oxycodone use disrupts normal sleep patterns. Those addicted often experience insomnia, restlessness, and other sleep-related issues.
Loss of appetite and malnutrition. Long-term oxycodone addiction can lead to a suppressed appetite, resulting in significant weight loss over time. This weight loss, combined with a lack of nutrients from not eating properly, puts you at risk of malnutrition.
Cognitive impairments. As oxycodone addiction hijacks the brain’s reward system, it causes abnormal functioning that impairs cognition. With repeated exposure, oxycodone disrupts regions involved in decision-making, attention, and working memory. Over time, this drug-induced neurotoxicity can lead to persistent cognitive deficits, impaired judgment, and memory loss even after getting sober.
Liver damage. Oxycodone metabolism can put a strain on the liver. When you combine it with other toxic substances such as alcohol or acetaminophen from Percocet, the risk of liver toxicity increases substantially. Long-term abuse hinders the liver’s ability to repair itself, potentially leading to acute liver failure (a life-threatening condition requiring transplantation).
Mental health issues. Oxycodone addiction often goes hand-in-hand with deteriorating mental health. The drug itself causes drastic mood swings, but the disease of addiction triggers issues such as depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. As the addiction takes over, the emotional turmoil and hopelessness can make recovery feel impossible without professional help.

Many of those struggling with oxycodone addiction also battle co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is known as a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder—the combination of a substance use disorder and mental illness.

Left untreated, the two issues can fuel a vicious cycle making recovery extremely difficult. At Ardu, we understand the complexities of dual diagnosis and offer compassionate, evidence-based co-occurring disorder treatment. Our integrated approach tackles both the addiction and mental health aspects concurrently, giving you the comprehensive support system needed to heal mind, body, and spirit.

Learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment programs and what mental health treatments they entail.

Can you overdose on oxycodone?

Oxycodone overdoses are extremely dangerous and can be fatal. Many people combine oxycodone with other depressants of the nervous system such as alcohol, which is a combination that can be even more deadly.

Some common signs of oxycodone overdose include:

Pinpoint pupils
Slow, shallow breathing
Bluish tint to lips and nails
Cold, clammy skin
Extreme drowsiness or the inability to wake up
Gurgling or choking sounds
Limp body
A slow, faint pulse
Loss of consciousness or coma

An oxycodone overdose is a serious, life-threatening medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. If you suspect someone has overdosed, call 911 right away.

How is oxycodone addiction treated?

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The best time to find an oxycodone addiction treatment program is before an addiction sets in. That is rarely the case for most users, but when they do decide to get clean, many people face a whole other set of difficulties.

We won’t let you climb this mountain alone. Ardu Recovery Center is here for you every step of the way. Depending on your specific needs, we offer therapies and programs such as:

Medical detox
Alcohol rehab
Dual diagnosis treatment
Opiates treatment
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Medication-assisted treatment
Residential treatment programs

…and many others that help you ease into a healthy and sober new life.

The first step in getting you clean is detox.

Oxycodone detox center at Ardu

Ardu offers comprehensive drug detox services to help you safely detox from oxycodone. Our experienced medical staff will develop an individualized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs and situation.

Our medical detox program provides 24/7 care and effective medications that alleviate often excruciatingly difficult withdrawal symptoms. We use prescription drugs as needed to make the detox process as comfortable as possible.

We often combine the traditional medical approach to treating addiction with holistic methods. At our holistic detox, we offer nutritional therapy, yoga therapy, IV amino acid therapy, and massage to help relax the nervous system and restore balance as your body adjusts to life without oxycodone.

With personalized medical oversight and holistic therapies tailored to your needs, our oxycodone detox program helps you transition into an effective treatment program with the best chance of success.

Oxycodone rehab center at Ardu

At our oxycodone rehab center, we provide compassionate care to help you reclaim your health, happiness, and purpose. We offer comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment programs tailored to your unique needs.

The inpatient treatment program provides round-the-clock structured support and intensive therapy daily. You have constant access to medical care and counseling and a structured daily schedule centered on healing.

Outpatient treatment allows you to maintain your personal life while getting help every week, on a bi-weekly basis, and even daily if needed. This modality is cost-effective, offers more flexibility to continue working or fulfill caregiving responsibilities, and allows you to apply the skills learned in treatment to your daily life.

You can choose our intensive outpatient programs or partial hospitalization programs, and work with us to find an outpatient program that works best for you.

We’re just a click away. Contact Ardu and start your journey towards lasting recovery.

Start your sobriety journey with Ardu Recovery Center

Our recovery center welcomes anyone seeking help to overcome their oxycodone addiction. Our dedicated team of professionals is here to guide and support you through the addiction treatment process, laying the foundation for long-term sobriety and relapse prevention.

Our team will thoughtfully assess your needs and insurance coverage to determine which type of care will give you the best chance of success given your current situation. Successful recovery is possible—we’re here to guide you.

If you want to verify your health insurance coverage, gather more payment information, and pursue the Medicaid redetermination process in Utah, visit our insurance verification page.

Read our admissions process page for more information.

Oxycodone addiction FAQ

What are the risk factors for oxycodone addiction?

There are many risk factors for developing an addiction to oxycodone. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over-prescription of opioids is considered a key driver of the current opioid epidemic.

Here are the most common risk factors for oxycodone addiction:

A major risk factor is being prescribed oxycodone or other prescription opioids for pain management, as this initial exposure to these potent opioid analgesics can have significant abuse potential.
Those with a personal or family history of substance abuse disorders are at higher risk.
Mental health issues are also risk factors that can contribute to oxycodone addiction.
Environmental factors such as peer influences and the availability of illicit drugs play a role.

What does oxycodone do?

Oxycodone is a legal prescription medication that treats moderate to severe acute or chronic pain. It works by binding to mu-opioid receptors in the brain and body, reducing pain perception. This opioid also produces euphoric effects by causing surges of dopamine, which reinforce continued use despite negative consequences. Oxycodone has a high potential for misuse due to these rewarding effects.

How long does an oxy last?

Immediate-release oxycodone tablets such as Roxicodone typically provide pain relief for 4–6 hours. Extended-release versions such as OxyContin offer pain relief for an extended period of time (around 12 hours per dose). With continued use and development of tolerance, addicted individuals often take oxycodone more frequently than prescribed.

What painkiller is the strongest?

Among prescription opioid analgesics used for severe pain, fentanyl is considered the most potent, followed by hydromorphone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Potency doesn’t necessarily equate to superior efficacy in managing pain. Patients’ responses vary based on opioid receptor genetics and other factors. In general, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids carry higher overdose risks due to their strength than semi-synthetic opioids such as oxycodone.

Can I take ibuprofen with oxycodone?

Ibuprofen can be combined with oxycodone for added pain relief through different mechanisms of action. The combination may increase the risk of side effects like stomach bleeding, kidney problems, or cardiovascular events. Consult a doctor about dosing and potential drug interactions before combining oxycodone with any over-the-counter medications.

What is oxycodone made of?

Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from thebaine, an opioid alkaloid found in the opium poppy plant. While the opiates morphine and codeine come directly from opium, thebaine undergoes additional chemical modifications to produce oxycodone and other semi-synthetic opioids like oxymorphone and naloxone.

Is tramadol stronger than oxycodone?

Oxycodone is generally considered stronger and more potent as an opioid analgesic than tramadol. Tramadol has a lower binding affinity for the mu-opioid receptor and weaker pain-relieving effects than pure opioid agonists like oxycodone. With that said, tramadol does have the same potential for abuse as an unscheduled opioid medication.

Does oxycodone make you sleepy?

One of the common side effects of taking oxycodone is sedation or drowsiness, especially at higher dosages. This is due to the depressant effects of opioids on the central nervous system (CNS). The sedating qualities of oxycodone can be worsened by combining it with other CNS depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines.

Is OxyContin still prescribed?

Despite major efforts by the FDA and drug manufacturers to create abuse-deterrent opioid formulations, OxyContin (extended-release oxycodone) continues to be prescribed for the management of severe chronic pain conditions. These products are meant to make abuse more difficult by preventing the tablet from being easily crushed for snorting or injection. Scientific evidence on the real-world impact of abuse-deterrent properties is still being evaluated.

Is oxycodone stronger than hydrocodone?

Oxycodone is regarded as a stronger, more potent opioid medication than hydrocodone. Oxycodone has higher binding affinity and intrinsic activity at the mu-opioid receptor. This results in greater analgesic effects, but also increases the potential for abuse and overdose risks of oxycodone versus hydrocodone products like Vicodin.

Resources

Hedegaard, H., Miniño, A. M., & Warner, M. (2022, December 22). Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States, 2001–2021. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:122556

Kampman, K., & Jarvis, M. (2015, September). American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 9(5), 358–367. https://doi.org/10.1097/adm.0000000000000166

Grace, A. A. (2000). The tonic/phasic model of dopamine system regulation and its implications for understanding alcohol and psychostimulant craving. Addiction, 95(8s2), 119-128. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1360-0443.95.8s2.1.x

How a brain gets hooked on opioids. (2017, October 9). PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/brain-gets-hooked-opioids

Phillips, J. K., Ford, M. A., & Bonnie, R. J. (2017, July 13). Evidence on Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic. Pain Management and the Opioid Epidemic – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458653/