Codeine Addiction Treatment

Like vicodin, codeine is a painkiller and a weak narcotic and its chemical structure is quite similar to morphine.

This prescription medication is used in the treatment of severe to moderate pain. The narcotic characteristic makes it addictive and another dangerous thing about this drug is that it can be obtained without a prescription in several countries.  When a person starts taking codeine without the recommendation from a doctor and for the sole purpose of getting the feeling of sedation or being high, this is when abuse occurs and can cause a lot of complications like decreased respiration. Usually, to make the effect of codeine even more potent it is combined with aspirin or acetaminophen.

Codeine and Addiction Signs

As codeine is weak narcotic, the signs of its drug addiction are quite difficult to detect. Usually, the addiction of codeine starts casually and from medical reasons, however slowly and steadily the user gets used to the effect of codeine and does not realize that he is getting addicted to the medication. One needs to realize that codeine addiction usually is a result of really long time and regular usage. This is why if you have a loved that has been using codeine for a really long time then you need to keep tabs on certain signs and symptoms that will tell you if your loved one has developed a dependency for codeine. The key characteristics of a codeine addiction are:

• Increased tolerance towards codeine: An addicted person develops a dependency towards codeine and with it comes increased tolerance towards the drug.  You need to be alarmed if your dear one is taking a higher dose than recommended by the doctor to achieve same effects.
• Obsession and strong craving for the drug:  A person who is addicted to codeine will show an unnatural obsession with this drug and will fixate on receiving more and more codeine even when they have no medical reason to take it.
• Undergoing withdrawal when the body does not get its usual fix of codeine: This is a sure shot sigh of an addiction that has already gone out of hand. When an addict does not receive its usual does of codeine, the body undergoes a withdrawal, which is quite uncomfortable both physically and mentally.

Codeine Addiction Treatment

Addiction of any kind has the potential of destroying a life and in serious cases even taking it too. This is why it is extremely important to get into a proper addiction treatment and drug rehab program so that you are on your way towards a healthy life once again in the best manner possible.


These days there are a lot of codeine addiction treatment programs available in both inpatient and outpatient options. Apart from these two options, there are other two major type of addiction treatment programs namely, treatment through hospitalization and treatment through drug rehabilitation.

If you have a loved one who needs immediate help for the treatment of vicodin abuse than we can help you in choosing the best addiction recovery program for your needs. We are available 24/7 to take your call.