Vicodin is one of the brand names for the drug hydrocodone. This is a pain medication that is prescribed for the treatment of short-term or chronic pain, as well as for other conditions, such a recurrent cough. When used correctly, this drug is highly effective. It can also lead to addiction and has become a drug of choice among drug users around the world.

When an individual has developed an addiction to Vicodin, as with other drugs, his brain and physical body will go through certain changes. As the body develops a tolerance to the drug, more of the drug is needed to either control pain or produce the euphoric effects that a drug addict seeks. The addict is unable to make reasonable decisions, and their personal and professional life begins to suffer. When this happens, the only course of action to prevent further physical and emotional damage is to enter a Vicodin rehab program.

What Kind of Program Is Best?

There are many types of rehab programs available. Some are conducted on an outpatient basis, while others involve a long-term stay at a residential treatment facility. Some of these treatment facilities are luxurious and opulent, while others are more like the average home. Still others might resemble a hospital or medical clinic.

There is no correct definition of the “best” rehab program. Each individual should make that decision based upon their own needs and the availability of the program. Drug abuse, particularly Vicodin addiction, is a growing problem and finding a rehab facility can be challenging as more individuals are seeking treatment.

There are a few questions that a recovering addict and their families should keep in mind as they look for the best rehab for them:

The most important aspect of finding a facility should relate to the overall ambiance and connectivity between the recovering addict and their surroundings. If the recovering addict is not comfortable with their environment and the staff members who will be treating them, there can be additional barriers to recovery.

Types of Treatment Available

Treatment for any kind of opiate addiction, including an addiction to Vicodin or Lortab, might include the use of medications to control certain aspects of the recovery process. One such medication is methadone. The treatment for Vicodin addiction is very similar to that of heroin addiction because both drugs are in the opiate family and affect the body and mind of the addict in the same manner. Methadone can alleviate some of the cravings associated with addiction to opiates and therefore make long-term recovery more readily achieved.

In addition to medical treatment, a recovering Vicodin addict may benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This treatment involves private therapy sessions with a psychologist or drug abuse counselor, as well as group sessions with others suffering from addiction diseases. During the course of treatment, the recovering addict will work toward reestablishing healthy thought patterns and applying them to their reactions, or behaviors. The process may include completing self-assessment tests to determine past, inappropriate behaviors and replacing them with new alternatives, as well as role-playing to learn coping skills for real-life situations.

The program can last for several weeks and the overall length is determined by the recovering addict’s comfort level and progress.

What Is Holistic Rehab?

In recent years, there has been more attention paid to the overall health of the recovering addict. Rather than treating the condition of drug addiction, many rehab facilities will focus on treating the entire person. This might include education about the disease of addiction and how it affects the human condition. It can also mean that the recovering addict will receive instruction in other areas, for instance:

The disease of addiction often preys on those who have been exposed to limited resources in certain areas of their lives. They may have low self-esteem due to abuse or other factors. They might have a genetic link to addiction illnesses in their family history. Whatever the reason, a holistic approach to rehab can help to address the issues that have either influenced the addiction or resulted from it.

What Is Alternative Therapy?

Traditionally, when one thinks of therapy, one pictures a learned psychologist or psychiatrist sitting behind a desk while the patient reclines on a leather chaise and talks ad-nauseam about what is bothering them. For many individuals, this particular treatment approach might sound a little boring. While traditional talk therapy has a distinct role in the treatment of Vicodin addiction, it is not the only one available.

Alternative therapy is a newer, more modern approach to using hands-on activities to teach specific skills that can help the recovering Vicodin addict. For instance, an individual who may have a difficult time relaxing because of chronic pain might find relief through the art of yoga. Yoga can help a person relax, center themselves and get in touch with their inner peace of mind. Traditional medicine has proven repeatedly that if an individual is tense or anxious, their pain levels will increase. In fact, it has been recommended that doctors treat their patients for chronic pain with opiates only as a last resort, after safer alternatives, such as yoga, have been exhausted.

Other alternative therapies can help with communication and problem-solving skills, such as equine-assisted therapy. In this particular alternative therapy, the recovering addict works with horses to learn how to communicate nonverbally and produce desired results through means other than demands or brute force. Equine-assisted therapy does not generally include learning to ride or control a horse from the saddle, so no experience in this particular endeavor is required. Instead, the recovering addict is on the ground and will lead the horse through a series of maneuvers. There is a trainer on hand to help teach the skills necessary and these skills can be brought forward into one’s daily life with applications toward healthy problem solving.

Reiki is a form of energy healing that is spiritual, but not religious. Reiki has no dogma or doctrine attached, but works on the premise that each person has universal life energy. When that energy is low, the individual may feel ill or infirm. The recovering addict may have turned to Vicodin to relieve these feelings in the past, but Reiki can help them increase their universal life energy as the practitioner attunes their energy with the recovering addict, in effect sharing their own energy. The process of Reiki involves hands-on massage while the recipient relaxes and enjoys the flow of energy.

Alternative therapy is not a replacement for traditional talk therapy or more modern Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The use of alternative therapies is determined by the recovering addict’s preferences and state of mind, as well as the philosophy of the recovery center and their staff of professional caregivers.

Medications for Vicodin Addiction Treatment

Like heroin, Vicodin is an opiate. Opiates work by changing the way the opiate receptors in the brain work. There are a couple of powerful medications that can help the recovering addict to assuage the symptoms of withdrawal which is one of the driving forces to relapse and continued use of Vicodin.

Methadone has a couple of benefits in that it can:

• Last longer in the system than other opiates like Vicodin or heroin
• Reduce the euphoric effects of Vicodin and other opiates, so the benefits no longer exist should the addict choose to use the drugs
• Will not cause sedation or analgesia effects
• Prevents the withdrawal symptoms of Vicodin abstinence, including nausea, vomiting and anxiety

Methadone is only used in the most severe cases of Vicodin addiction; however, it is a medical treatment that can be effective during the detox phase of rehab.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

When an individual suffering from addiction is diagnosed with a co-existing condition, they are said to have a dual diagnosis. Often, an individual or his family desperately wants to know if the co-existing condition came first, or if the drug abuse caused the other condition. Unfortunately, this question is not always possible to answer and the information plays little part in the treatment process.

What does come into play is the effect that the dual diagnosis condition has on the recovery process. If an individual did not have a condition prior to developing their addiction, there is a likely chance that they developed one during the addiction process. Such conditions might include:

Since these conditions can often lead to drug abuse, if they are not treated concurrently with the addiction, the recovering addict has a greater chance of relapsing following treatment.

Get Help Today

The first part of the rehab course for Vicodin addiction is the detoxification process mentioned earlier. This process can last for a period of hours or days, with the most significant symptoms eradicating themselves in roughly 24 to 48 hours.

After the detox period has ended, the recovering addict will enter a treatment program of their choosing for a period of weeks or months. Inpatient or outpatient, the length of time will be unique for each recovering addict.

Finally, the addict will enter the maintenance phase of recovery. This will last for the remainder of the recovering addict’s life, although the symptoms of withdrawal and significant cravings will diminish over time. Some addicts report that the cravings never go away completely, but are managed with healthy lifestyle choices.

Don’t let another day go by without getting help. Contact us today to here about our evidenced-based treatment programs here at Axis.