Why Is Vicodin Addictive?

Question

If you've ever watched House M.D., you see him through the show popping Vicodin like candy.

I was prescribed some and I'm trying to understand, if it's a pain relief medication, what makes it addictive unless someone is in constant pain?

Answer 1

It contains Hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid derivative.

Answer 2

It doesn't just kill pain, it makes you feel SOOOOOO good!!!

Answer 3

i think it has codeine or some drug like that in it that is addictive.prescription medication is a bit different then over the counter meds,it has stronger and different stuff in it that can sometimes make it addictive.not everyone will be addicted to vicodin,it depends on the person i guess

Answer 4

First, "House" is a TV show. IRL, an intelligent physician wouldn't subject himself to that high a dose of acetaminophen. He'd have pure narcotics to use or abuse.

Secondly, House is in chronic pain. That's why there's controversy about whether he's just playing fast and loose with the drug or whether he's truly addicted. There is a vast difference.

And more directly in response to your question, the hydrocodone in Vicodin is a narcotic. You can call it "pain medication," but whether it's used for that or abused as a narcotic isn't a simple, straightforward question. It's one of the more complicated problems in daily medical practice. A substantial portion of the public are in chronic pain. A substantial portion of the public are not in pain (at least not in the sense we usually think of) but like to abuse narcotics. Even initially there will be an overlap between those groups, and in the first group, the chronic use of narcotics leads to tolerance, fairly frequent dependency and habituation, and uncommonly full-blown addiction.