Millions of people in the United States abuse physician-prescribed opiate medications every day. Opiate abuse affects nearly everyone in the country in one way or another, whether directly or through loved ones. When discussing opiate addiction, it’s essential to know the difference between different types of medications. OxyContin vs oxycodone is an excellent place to start for those who don’t know a lot about opiate prescription medications.
If you need OxyContin Addiction Treatment in Portland, call us today!
Oxycodone vs OxyContin: Defined
Oxycodone is a powerful opioid pain medication. It belongs to a class of drugs called narcotic analgesics, which means they work by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord to reduce the perception of pain. Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid, meaning it is derived from a natural substance (opium) but has been chemically modified to alter its properties. It’s the active ingredient in several commonly prescribed pain medications, including Percocet, Percodan, and Roxicodone.
OxyContin is a brand name for a specific formulation of oxycodone designed to provide extended-release pain relief. Unlike immediate-release oxycodone tablets, which quickly release the medication into the bloodstream, OxyContin is designed to release oxycodone slowly over a 12-hour period. This controlled-release mechanism aims to provide consistent pain relief throughout the day.
Key Points:
- Oxycodone: The active ingredient in many opioid pain medications.
- OxyContin: A brand-name extended-release formulation of oxycodone.
- Opioids: A class of drugs that bind to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord to relieve pain.
- Semi-synthetic: Both are derived from a natural substance (opium) but chemically modified.
OxyContin vs Oxycodone
While both OxyContin and oxycodone contain the opioid oxycodone, they differ significantly in their formulations and how they are released in the body:
The drug release mechanism refers to how the substance interacts inside your body.
- OxyContin: Formulated for extended release, meaning it releases oxycodone slowly over a 12-hour period. This is designed to provide consistent pain relief throughout the day.
- Oxycodone: Typically available in immediate-release forms, providing rapid pain relief that lasts for a shorter duration (usually 4-6 hours).
While Oxycontin and oxycodone share the same active ingredient their formulations are different.
- OxyContin: Available in various strengths and is typically prescribed as a single daily dose.
- Oxycodone: Available in immediate-release tablets, capsules, and liquid formulations, allowing for more frequent dosing as needed.
OxyContin: Due to its extended-release nature, OxyContin was historically more prone to abuse. Users would crush or chew the tablets to rapidly release a large dose of oxycodone, leading to a euphoric “rush.” Newer formulations of OxyContin incorporate abuse-deterrent technologies that make it more difficult to crush or chew, reducing the risk of overdose.
Oxycodone: Oxycodone carries as much of a risk for opioid addiction as Oxycontin but is not viewed as potent or dangerous because it’s a slower release.
Similarities Between OxyContin and Oxycodone
Despite these differences, both OxyContin and oxycodone share several key similarities:
- Active Ingredient: Both medications contain the opioid oxycodone as their primary active ingredient.
- Pain Relief: Both are potent pain relievers used to manage moderate to severe chronic pain.
- Side Effects: Both can cause similar side effects, including drowsiness, nausea, constipation, dizziness, and respiratory depression.
- Addiction Risk: Both carry a significant risk of addiction, abuse, and overdose.
Oxy Abuse
Medically speaking, oxycodone is the generic name for OxyContin. Oxycodone is the main active ingredient in the medication. Oxycodone is also the main ingredient in several other medications, too, though. The main difference is that oxycodone in OxyContin is an extended-release formula. Scientists developed a brand named pharmaceutical to be effective for an average of 12 hours.
OxyContin is one of the most commonly abused opioids available. In general, this drug produces stronger effects than other opioid medications, mostly because it contains a pure concentration of oxycodone. This formula makes the drug excessively strong and highly addictive.
Tapering off the drug—as in crushing the drug to be swallowed or snorted, or diluting it in water and then injecting it—makes the time-release effects null and void, and allows users to receive a highly potent amount of the medication, immediately. The full results of the drug produce a “high” similar to the euphoria that heroin creates. Some users even resort to smoking OxyContin to achieve stronger, more immediate effects.
Help for Opioid Dependency and Addiction
The most significant similarity in OxyContin vs oxycodone is that addiction to either can make your life miserable. Opioid addiction is a dangerous disease that you shouldn’t have to live with forever. At Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, we can help you beat addiction and learn to implement positive, long-lasting change in your life.
Some of the programs and services we offer at Crestview Recovery include:
- Outpatient treatment: You don’t have to upend your life to get sober. With our outpatient treatment program, you can continue working and living at home while you receive the care and support you need to recover.
- Extended care 90-day program: For some people, the journey to recovery requires more time.
- Partial hospitalization program: If you need more structure and support than outpatient care can provide, our PHP might be the right fit for you. You’ll live at home and come to our facility for treatment during the day, returning home in the evening.
- Gender-specific treatment: We offer both men’s and women’s programs because we know that addiction affects everyone differently. In a gender-specific program, you’ll be surrounded by people who understand your experience.
- Rehab aftercare: After you complete one of our programs, we’ll help you transition to a sober living facility or connect you with resources in your community.
Addiction Therapy Options
As part of our treatment programs, we offer many types of therapy. These can be evidence-based, meaning that there is significant evidence proving that the treatment works. Conversely, they may be holistic, which means that they treat your mind, body, and soul. Some therapy options may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Helps you to understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all connected. Once you can see the patterns in your thinking, you can start to change them.
- Dialectical behavioral therapy: Focuses on helping you to accept both the positive and negative aspects of your life. This can be helpful in treating conditions like depression and anxiety.
- 12-step programs: These are support groups that can help you to recover from addiction. They follow a set of steps that you can take to change your thinking and behavior.
- Recreational therapy: Uses activities to help you recover from addiction. It can be helpful in dealing with depression, anxiety, and stress.
- Art therapy: Uses art to express your thoughts and emotions. It can be helpful in dealing with trauma or stress.
You can overcome addiction at a quality rehab center. In short, our team of physicians and master level therapists are ready and eager to help make your recovery process as smooth as possible.
Get Started on Your Recovery
Circle of people sitting in chairs having a discussion. Don’t let an addiction to opiate medications steal your joy. Instead, let Crestview Recovery help you beat your addiction. Here, you’ll learn good coping skills that you can use to resist temptation in the future. Additionally, we’ll provide you with many useful resources that can help you stay committed to sobriety for the rest of your life.
If you would like more information on how our addiction programs can help you regain control over your life, contact our team to start your treatment today.
