Addiction to OxyContin

How many times has someone told you a “party” drug could lead to more serious problems — like addiction, brain damage, or even death? You’ve probably heard it so many times, it’s getting hard to believe. But all drugs have real potential for harm—even prescription pain relievers. When abused, alone or taken with other drugs, prescription pain medications can kill you.

Prescription pain relievers, when used correctly and under a doctor’s supervision, are safe and effective. But abuse them, or mix them with illegal drugs or alcohol, and you could wind up in the morgue. Even using prescription pain relievers with other prescription drugs can lead to life-threatening respiratory failure. That’s why people just like you are dropping pills at parties, and dropping dead. With some prescription pain relievers, all it takes is one pill.

The most dangerous prescription pain relievers are those containing drugs known as opioids, such as morphine and codeine. This includes OxyContin. Your friends probably call these drugs by their street names: o.c., oxy, oxycotton and you can get them in powder form or in a syringe. Whatever you call them, or whatever form they are in, remember one thing - they can be killers.

If you, or any of your friends, have taken prescription pain relievers, here are the danger signs to watch for:

• Slow breathing (less than ten breaths a minute is really serious trouble)
• Small, pinpoint pupils
• Confusion
• Being tired, nodding off, or passing out
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Apathy (they don’t care about anything)
• Cold and clammy skin
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Seizures

A lot of these symptoms can make people think your friend is drunk. And you may be tempted to let them sleep it off, or tell their parents they had too much to drink. But don’t. Your friend could go to sleep and never wake up.

Prescription pain relievers can be addictive, the longer you take them, the more your body needs.