What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Hydrocodone Addiction?

Signs of hydrocodone addiction include a preoccupation with using hydrocodone, isolation, and an inability to stop use despite negative effects. 

A person who regularly misuses hydrocodone may be more drowsy and confused than usual, and they may struggle with nausea and constipation regularly. Their behavior can also change, and some people experience personality shifts and strong mood swings. Some people may engage in risky behaviors, including committing crimes to try to get more hydrocodone.

Common Signs of Hydrocodone Misuse & Addiction

Hydrocodone misuse can cause significant changes in a person’s behavior.[1] Because opioids like hydrocodone can cause a surge of euphoria and relaxation, they have serious risk for misuse.[2]

Opioid misuse can quickly lead to an opioid use disorder (OUD). Opioids are able to essentially hijack the brain’s reward system and compel a person to engage in more opioid misuse over time. What starts out as casual hydrocodone misuse can shortly transition to a full OUD.

These are some of the common signs of hydrocodone misuse and addiction:

Lifestyle Changes

A hydrocodone addiction can greatly transform a person’s lifestyle and general habits, causing them to become socially detached from loved ones and unable to fulfill obligations related to work or school. This can lead to serious financial stressors, and some people turn to illegal activities at this point. 

Physical changes as a result of hydrocodone misuse can occur, such as weight fluctuations and poor hygiene. These issues can contribute to further health issues too. For example, opioid misuse is strongly correlated with poor oral health, and oral health is directly linked to overall health.[3,4]

This is why it is imperative for anyone suffering from an opioid use disorder to seek professional help without any delay, as it can cause worsening issues over time.

Behavioral Changes

The psychological impact resulting from excessive use of hydrocodone can be significant. One definitive hallmark of hydrocodone addiction involves mood changes, such as irritability and otherwise unexplained mood swings. The use of hydrocodone may cause a person to stop getting joy from previously pleasurable activities, as they start to prioritize the acquisition and use of drugs above the things they used to do for recreation. 

Hydrocodone misuse can also more directly affect an individual’s way of thinking, resulting in trouble with logical thinking and memory. Anxiety, depression, and even regular suicidal thoughts are fairly typical among people with OUD.[5]

Hydrocodone addiction can cause numerous dangerous patterns of behavior, which include but are not limited to engaging in unsafe sexual practices and operating vehicles under the influence. 

Dangers of Hydrocodone Misuse

While hydrocodone is a powerful opioid pain medication that can be highly effective in treating pain, its benefits have to be weighed against its significant dangers, both physically and cognitively.[6] Again, prolonged misuse can easily lead to an addiction, trapping users in a cycle of harm that can seriously disrupt their lives, damage their health, and even lead to their death. 

In terms of short-term consequences of hydrocodone misuse, respiratory depression arguably poses the most significant risk to an individual, especially for those with underlying respiratory conditions, such as sleep apnea.[7] It is essential that any person engaging in hydrocodone use be cautious about their activities as its use significantly impacts cognitive function, which means accidentally taking more than is intended becomes more likely. 

Misuse causes notable motor skills impairment, which can result in dangerous and potentially deadly outcomes, mostly due to preventable accidents and similar incidents. Drug interactions with hydrocodone (such as those from using benzodiazepines, other opioids, or alcohol) can cause serious potential complications, like overdose, to become much more likely and more difficult to predict.[8]

Individuals who consume hydrocodone over long periods might experience physical issues, such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, and liver damage. They may experience unwanted changes to their psychological state, causing them to have anxiety attacks, depression episodes, and severe mood swings, as described earlier.[9] 

In addition, hydrocodone misuse can have dire social impacts. Repeatedly engaging in any kind of opioid misuse has the potential to damage relationships with family members, colleagues, and peers. This can all have a devastating effect on one’s present and future. 

Hydrocodone misuse is also illegal, especially if one has acquired hydrocodone in a way other than through a legitimate prescription. If caught, this could result in fines or even jail time.

Getting Help for OUD

Getting help for an opioid use disorder related to hydrocodone is critical for recovery and long-term health. Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) is the primary treatment for OUD, and it has much evidence supporting its use.[10]

MAT can help a person reduce their opioid cravings and avoid withdrawal through the careful use of medication such as Suboxone or methadone. When taken as prescribed, these drugs can occupy the opioid receptors in a person’s brain without producing as intense of an effect, meaning they have lower misuse potential than potent opioids like hydrocodone. Their use prevents the body from entering opioid withdrawal.

This use of medications can be combined with various forms of therapy, including behavioral therapy, to address root causes of addiction. People can then work to reconfigure their way of thinking to better avoid and resist opioid cravings, reducing their risk of a relapse. 

Ultimately, MAT can make recovery possible for those dealing with hydrocodone addiction. There is no time limit on how long MAT can be used, provided it continues to support one’s recovery.