Working a full-time job means you spend a lot of time around your coworkers and maybe have even become friends with them. If you have a coworker that’s been on worker’s comp after injuring themselves at work, they could have been prescribed Vicodin for pain. Vicodin though is a highly addictive prescription that your coworker (and friend) may be abusing. If your coworker’s acting off, here’s a few red flags that they may be addicted to Vicodin and how you can help.
What is Vicodin?
Vicodin is an opioid that’s a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. It’s often prescribed for pain, but can easily end up being abused. Vicodin blocks the brain receptors for pain and creates a sense of euphoria making it highly addictive. Once that prescription runs out though, an addict will feel a dependence for the medication and either get their hands on it illegally, steal it from someone else, or substitute it for another opioid, like Heroin.
What Are the Side Effects of Vicodin?
Struggling with a Vicodin addiction can seriously affect your coworker’s life and their long-term health. The prescription medication can cause liver damage and if your coworker uses it while on the job, it could hurt others — especially if they operate machinery while on duty. So what are some signs that your friend and coworker is abusing Vicodin?
- Having prescriptions from multiple doctors
- Stealing others’ prescriptions
- Euphoria
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Mood swings
- Memory problems
- Falling asleep at work
- Nausea and vomiting
What Are Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms?
You should also look out for withdrawal symptoms in your coworker. When someone has built a dependence on Vicodin (or any drug for that matter), there are side effects if they haven’t had their fix in a while. Withdrawal symptoms though are risky if not under professional care. At Transformations Care, our clinical team will manage withdrawal symptoms under close care and get your coworker clean and sober safely. How do you know if your coworker is having withdrawals?
- Intense cravings
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Dilated pupils
- Intense sweating
- Runny nose
- Chills
- Agitation
- Irritability
How to Help Your Addicted Coworker
If you notice symptoms of Vicodin use or withdrawals in your friend or coworker, be real with them and encourage them to get help for their addiction. We won’t lie, Vicodin (and any opioid for that matter) is a b**** to kick, but with the right treatment program it is possible. At Transformations Care, our program combines a mixture of addiction treatments, from 12-step, art therapy, and music therapy, we’ll help your coworker find the best path to recovery. Encouraging your coworker to take the time they need off from work to go to residential addiction treatment could not only prevent them from losing their job, but it could save their life. Give us a call at 424.339.0965 and help your coworker make a different choice — the choice of recovery.
GUIDE
Getting Clean & Sober at Home
Today, more than 75% of hospitals and healthcare providers offer access to telehealth treatment, with 29 states having gone so far as to enact telehealth parity laws, which force insurance companies to reimburse patients for telehealth at the same rates as they would for in-person treatment.
If you’ve been thinking about getting clean and sober, or if you’ve been wanting to work on and strengthen the recovery you already have, it’s never been easier to do it through telehealth.
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