Millions of people in the United States abuse physician-prescribed opiate medications every day. Opiate abuse affects nearly everyone in the country in one way or another, whether directly or through loved ones. When discussing opiate addiction, it’s essential to know the difference between different types of medications. OxyContin vs oxycodone is an excellent place to start for those who don’t know a lot about opiate prescription medications.
If you need OxyContin Addiction Treatment in Portland, call us today at 866.262.0531.
OxyContin vs Oxycodone
Before looking at how OxyContin and oxycodone are different, let’s first examine their similarities. Understanding how they’re similar will provide you with a better overall understanding of each drug and how they work in the body.
Both OxyContin and oxycodone are opioid medications that physicians prescribe to treat chronic pain. Technically, these two medications are the same. Though, many medical professionals consider oxycodone to be the safer of the two options. Acetaminophen and iBuprofen are often present in specific formulations. Other medications, including Percocet, Percodan, Tylox, and OxyContin, all contain oxycodone in their make up. What sets OxyContin apart from the rest is the fact that oxycodone is the only ingredient.
Oxy Abuse
Medically speaking, oxycodone is the generic name for OxyContin. Oxycodone is the main active ingredient in the medication. Oxycodone is also the main ingredient in several other medications, too, though. The main difference is that oxycodone in OxyContin is an extended-release formula. Scientists developed a brand named pharmaceutical to be effective for an average of 12 hours.
OxyContin is one of the most commonly abused opioids available. In general, this drug produces stronger effects than other opioid medications, mostly because it contains a pure concentration of oxycodone. This formula makes the drug excessively strong and highly addictive.
Tapering off the drug—as in crushing the drug to be swallowed or snorted, or diluting it in water and then injecting it—makes the time-release effects null and void, and allows users to receive a highly potent amount of the medication, immediately. The full results of the drug produce a “high” similar to the euphoria that heroin creates. Some users even resort to smoking OxyContin to achieve stronger, more immediate effects.
Help for Opioid Dependency and Addiction
The most significant similarity in OxyContin vs oxycodone is that addiction to either can make your life miserable. Opioid addiction is a dangerous disease that you shouldn’t have to live with forever. At Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, we can help you beat addiction and learn to implement positive, long-lasting change in your life.
Some of the programs and services we offer at Crestview Recovery include:
- Outpatient treatment: You don’t have to upend your life to get sober. With our outpatient treatment program, you can continue working and living at home while you receive the care and support you need to recover.
- Extended care 90-day program: For some people, the journey to recovery requires more time.
- Partial hospitalization program: If you need more structure and support than outpatient care can provide, our PHP might be the right fit for you. You’ll live at home and come to our facility for treatment during the day, returning home in the evening.
- Gender-specific treatment: We offer both men’s and women’s programs because we know that addiction affects everyone differently. In a gender-specific program, you’ll be surrounded by people who understand your experience.
- Rehab aftercare: After you complete one of our programs, we’ll help you transition to a sober living facility or connect you with resources in your community.
Addiction Therapy Options
As part of our treatment programs, we offer many types of therapy. These can be evidence-based, meaning that there is significant evidence proving that the treatment works. Conversely, they may be holistic, which means that they treat your mind, body, and soul. Some therapy options may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Helps you to understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all connected. Once you can see the patterns in your thinking, you can start to change them.
- Dialectical behavioral therapy: Focuses on helping you to accept both the positive and negative aspects of your life. This can be helpful in treating conditions like depression and anxiety.
- 12-step programs: These are support groups that can help you to recover from addiction. They follow a set of steps that you can take to change your thinking and behavior.
- Recreational therapy: Uses activities to help you recover from addiction. It can be helpful in dealing with depression, anxiety, and stress.
- Art therapy: Uses art to express your thoughts and emotions. It can be helpful in dealing with trauma or stress.
You can overcome addiction at a quality rehab center. In short, our team of physicians and master level therapists are ready and eager to help make your recovery process as smooth as possible.
Get Started on Your Recovery
Don’t let an addiction to opiate medications steal your joy. Instead, let Crestview Recovery help you beat your addiction. Here, you’ll learn good coping skills that you can use to resist temptation in the future. Additionally, we’ll provide you with many useful resources that can help you stay committed to sobriety for the rest of your life.
If you would like more information on how our addiction programs can help you regain control over your life, call us today at 866.262.0531.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
