Vicodin is designed to help people overcome episodes of moderate-to-severe pain. The drug works by boosting a signal of euphoria and reward deep inside the brain, so signals of pain are just a little bit easier to overcome and/or ignore. It’s that euphoria that can be troublesome, in terms of addiction, as teens who experience this artificial joy can become addicted to it. As an opioid medication, tolerance to Vicodin can increase which drives teens to experiment with heroin in order to feel the same euphoric effects.
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