5 Reasons to Get Treatment for Codeine Addiction

Getting treatment for an addiction to codeine helps you heal from the effects the drug has had on your life.

Codeine addiction is not a character flaw, but, rather a disease where the brain functions have been changed from repeated codeine abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Years of research have shown that addiction to any drug (illicit or prescribed) is a brain disease that can be treated effectively. ”

Codeine Effects

Codeine works as a pain reliever and cough suppressant by reducing stimuli responses between the brain and central nervous system. It decreases respiration and heart rate, while producing drowsiness, dizziness, sedation, and other cognitive or motor functioning deficits.

Why Choose Treatment

Codeine addiction can make an addict feel hopeless when it comes to the consequences they suffer or cause someone else. Treatment for codeine addiction is possible and the following are reasons to get it.

1. Tolerance and dependency – If you have found that you need higher amounts of codeine to feel a sense of normalcy or to achieve the desired effects, chance are that you have a tolerance and dependency to the drug. If you compulsively use it, despite adverse consequences, you have an addiction and because of the physiological changes happening in your brain and body, you may not be able to stop using on your own.
2. Suffering withdrawals when trying to stop using codeine is a sign of dependency and to avoid these symptoms, a person may resort to continued use. This complicates many aspects of the person’s life and creates a vicious cycle of ups and downs that only get worse as time goes by. By enrolling in treatment for codeine addiction the person can get the codeine out of their system in a safe detox program that will keep them as comfortable as possible throughout the process.
3. Compulsive use of codeine often leads to failures to meet family, social, work, financial, or academic obligations. The addict becomes preoccupied with behaviors surrounding the codeine abuse and may disregard or neglect their other responsibilities because their brains have become conditioned to the codeine effects and without it, they may feel anxious, depressed, or irritated. This psychological dependency can be treated with behavioral therapies and counseling.
4. Physical impairments from chronic or long term use of codeine products are not uncommon. Codeine is often combined with other medications that may have their own health risks such as acetaminophen which can cause severe liver and kidney damage when used excessively. Unfortunately, codeine abusers often combine it with alcohol which can be fatal.
5. Psychological issues often accompany codeine addictions because of constant disruptions to the neurological functions in the brain and central nervous system. Addict may suffer from anxiety, depression, stress, agitation, insomnia, aggression, or other symptoms and sometimes abuse other substances to self medicate which can be dangerous.