While many individuals use codeine to treat minor pain or suppress a cough, others abuse this opiate drug.

Too many people struggling with abuse or addiction fail to get the help they need at a professional codeine drug rehab. Unfortunately, some of them never even get the chance.

Codeine is Currently the Most Commonly Used Opiate in the United States

Scott was a healthy working professional in his mid-30s. He lived in a beautiful, suburban single-family home with his wife and two kids. However, his life changed after he got into a major car accident. Fortunately, he and his family survived, but the impact of the crash caused  significant back pain for Scott. His doctor prescribed Tylenol-3 with codeine to treat it. Will he need codeine drug rehab ?

How Codeine Addiction Develops

At first, Scott took the medicine as prescribed. However, it wasn’t helping with the pain as much as he’d liked. Combined with the fact that he liked the feeling it gave him, he started increasing his doses without consulting a doctor. Soon, he found life unmanageable without codeine. When he wasn’t using, Scott began to feel physically ill. Withdrawal may be a sign that he need codeine drug rehab.

A Gateway Drug

Even after his pain subsided, Scott still asked his doctor for a prescription. Sensing a potential addiction problem, his doctor wouldn’t write it for him. Instead, Scott began illegally purchasing OxyContin from a coworker who had a prescription. His wife started noticing that he was always tired and never wanted to do anything with the family anymore. She also noticed an unexplainable amount of money missing from their account, but never confronted him.

The Consequences of Codeine and Opiate Addiction

Scott’s life began slowly unraveling. His job laid him off, and Scott discovered that heroin delivered a bigger rush of euphoria than Oxycontin or codeine. One night, after everyone went to sleep, he shot up in the kitchen. Almost immediately, he collapsed to the ground and started foaming at the mouth.

His family didn’t find him until the next morning, and by then he was long gone.

The Importance of Codeine Drug Rehab

If Scott’s loved ones knew the warning signs, they may have been able to help him avoid this fate. If you or your loved one’s story begins with codeine abuse, it doesn’t have to end the same way. We have the resources available to help people find the right codeine rehab programs. Contact us today for more information.