A discussion on the addiction to one of the most heavily abused painkillers, Vicodin.
The paper describes Vicodin as one of the most commonly prescribed pain medications, especially for those suffering from lower back pain, arthritis, post-operative distress, malignant cancer or sports injuries. First the paper explains the chemicals in Vicodin which make it one of the most addictive painkillers on the market. It shows the dangers of the drug when mixed with alcohol, as well as to the fetus.The paper then examines reasons why people become addicted to Vicodin (for example, sports players who wish to continue playing with a sports injury) and provides a list of stars who are well-known Vicodin abusers, such as Michael Jackson and Sonny Bono. The paper discusses the effects of Vicodin abuse on the body and the mind and then explores various options available to abusers such as drug rehabilitation programs or detoxification. Finally, the paper discusses the effect of Vicodin abuse on society and what the medical world is doing about this problem.
“One of the effects of Vicodin can be mental confusion. Hence, it is easy for an addict to accidentally overdose, in an attempt to achieve the wished-for euphoria. Symptoms of an overdose include a bluish tinge to the skin, a cold and clammy feeling, sweating, sleepiness, low blood pressure, limp muscles, nausea, slow or troubled breathing and a slowed heartbeat. In some cases, the addict slips into a coma and dies. Emergency room visits involving Vicodin increased from 6100 incidents in 1992, to more than 14,000 in 1999.”