Oxycodone Addiction and Alcohol

The Popularity of Mixing Oxycodone and Alcohol

Prescription painkiller misuse is the second most common form of illicit drug use in the country.

This includes the prescription pain reliever oxycodone. When abused or taken long-term, oxycodone can be addictive.  

Mixing oxy and alcohol makes each one more dangerous. The risk of faster and more damaging, potentially fatal overdoses increases each time.

This practice remains common even though it comes with many long-term health risks.  

What Happens When You Mix Alcohol and Oxycodone?

Combining two drugs can intensify the effects of each. Using more than one drug at once is called polydrug use.

Alcohol and opioids are a common form of polydrug use. But taking opioids and alcohol together can damage the body and mind. 

This damage can be short-term or long-term. It can also be fatal. Oxy and alcohol should never be mixed.

If you or someone you love is mixing opioids and alcohol, help is available. Why wait another day to accept it? 

Alcohol and Oxycodone

Let’s back up for a moment and talk a bit more about oxycodone. Oxycodone is one of the most common prescription opioids in the country.

Doctors tend to reserve it for severe pains and chronic pains that are unresponsive to less potent pain relievers, like over-the-counter Advil. 

An example of this would be a prescription for overwhelming pain after an invasive surgery.

Other examples would be a severe injury, perhaps after a car accident, severe pain after oral surgery, or treatment for chronic migraines.   

Oxycodone goes by several other names, including OxyContin, Percocet, and Percodan.

By any name, mixing painkillers and alcohol is a dangerous practice. We’ll talk more about why in the next section. 

Side Effects of Oxycodone

Oxycodone alone can cause headaches, stomach pains, dry mouth, and drowsiness, among other side effects.

Alcohol can make these side effects worse, and it can also spark additional side effects.

One of the problems with mixing prescription medications with other substances when you aren’t supposed to is that it’s impossible to predict precisely how your body will react. 

Side Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Oxycodone

Your experience can vary depending on things like your weight, medical history, and how much alcohol you consumed, among others.

However, some of the most common side effects of mixing oxycodone and alcohol include:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness 
• Slowed or difficult breathing 
• Impaired motor control 
• Unusual behaviors
• Memory problems

What Are the Greatest Risks of Mixing Oxycodone and Alcohol?

One question that many people have is: can you overdose on painkillers? The answer is yes.

Mixing Percocet and alcohol or alcohol and any other brand name of oxycodone makes this type of overdose more likely.

The risk of overdose is one of the most severe concerns. 

But many other health impairments are possible when mixing oxy and alcohol, many of which we listed in the section above.

The greatest risks of mixing oxycodone and alcohol are the ones that can be fatal. 

Overdoses, slowed or difficult breathing, and impaired motor control can permanently damage the body or mind.

Slowed breathing as a result of drug abuse can lead to a condition called hypoxia characterized by too little oxygen reaching the brain. 

This condition can have short-term or potentially fatal long-term psychological and neurological effects, including coma and permanent brain damage. 

Alcohol and Oxycodone Overdose

There were 46,802 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2018. This is an astounding number for one year.

Alcohol may temporarily intensify the feelings of euphoria that come from opioids, which is one reason why so many people mix the two. 

But as we can see from the statistic above, this practice can be damaging and even deadly. 

What is Polysubstance Abuse?

Polysubstance abuse is what we call it when someone is abusing more than one drug at once.

Alcohol and oxycodone, alcohol and cocaine, and alcohol and benzodiazepines are three common examples of this.

Alcohol dependency is a common link to prescription drug abuse. 

Alcohol-dependent individuals are up to 18 times more likely to abuse prescription medications.

Because different drugs can affect your body and mind in different ways, polysubstance abuse can get complicated.

It can cause a wide variety of mental and physical health impairments. 

Addressing Common Concerns in Polysubstance Abuse

Depression and anxiety are common, as are respiratory depression and overdoses.

Taking two substances that have opposing effects, such as stimulants and depressants, can make overdoses and other potential complications more likely. 

Simultaneous addictions can also make recovery more difficult.

These types of addictions can impair your mind, body, and emotional well-being, as well as your relationships, work, and finances.

But that doesn’t mean that there is no way out. A multidimensional approach can help you regain control. 

Treatment Options for Polysubstance Abuse

Our comprehensive treatment programs are customized according to the needs of our clients.

We know that every individual and every recovery journey is unique.

Our proven and research-based addiction treatments start with a supervised detox. 

This type of detox is much safer than cold turkey quitting at home.

It allows us to monitor your progress, keep you properly hydrated, and guide you through the critical stage of early sobriety.

Depending on the severity of your addiction and withdrawal symptoms, your detox may be medically assisted. 

This means that we will cautiously administer approved medications to ease your withdrawal symptoms and drug or alcohol cravings. 

What Happens After the Detox?

After your detox, we will provide continued guidance and support for as long as you need it. This might include:

• Residential or inpatient care.
• A partial hospitalization program. 
• An intensive outpatient program. 
• A long-term rehab program.

From detox through aftercare, we will meet you where you are in your recovery journey and help you get where you need to be. 

How Do I Choose the Right Program?

The path from addiction to recovery looks different for everyone.

Someone with a mild addiction may move from their detox program into an intensive outpatient program.

This is particularly true for individuals who not only have milder addictions but have full-time work or family obligations that would prevent a full-time stay. 

But on the other hand, there are plenty of occasions where entering a residential or inpatient treatment program after your detox would be best.

This is often true for those with moderate to severe addictions, multiple addictions, mental health issues, or a history of relapse. 

In this case, a client might choose to move from detox to inpatient care to partial hospitalization or an intensive outpatient program.

This way, treatment occurs in stages and gives you the highest levels of support and guidance when you need them the most.  

As we mentioned before, everyone is different. What works for someone else might not work for you.

That’s why we offer personalized programs and guidance to everyone we meet.

We will evaluate your addiction, health, and other needs to help you find the right path. 

Getting Started at Pathfinders Recovery Center

Whether you need full-time support or part-time guidance, we are here to help.

With centers in Colorado and Arizona, we make it easy to find the help you need, when and where you need it.

Call us today at (866) 263-1820 for more information.