Author: Anjali Talcherkar, PhD

Percocet is a combination prescription painkiller comprised of the opioid oxycodone and a non-opioid pain medication, acetaminophen. Percocet is typically prescribed to manage moderate to severe pain. However, it has a high potential for misuse, dependence, and addiction. If you have a Percocet addiction, treatment is available. Inpatient and outpatient recovery programs provide therapy to abstain from further opioid use.^1,2

In this article: 

• Signs You May Need Percocet Addiction Treatment
• Types of Treatment for Percocet Addiction
• Therapies for Percocet Addiction
• Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Percocet Addiction
• Holistic Interventions
• Recovery Support After Treatment

Signs You May Need Percocet Addiction Treatment

A Percocet addiction may be hard to recognize. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the following signs may indicate a Percocet addiction:³

• Taking larger or more frequent doses of Percocet than intended
• Failing to quit or cut down on Percocet use despite efforts to do so
• Experiencing strong cravings
• Spending an inordinate amount of time obtaining and using Percocet, as well as recovering from its effects
• Usage results in failure to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or home
• Continuing to use Percocet regardless of social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the drug
• Neglecting important recreational, social, or occupational activities in favor of Percocet use
• Taking Percocet in dangerous situations, such as while driving
• Continuing to use Percocet despite the knowledge that it causes or exacerbates physical or psychological issues
• Experiencing tolerance, meaning you need higher doses of Percocet to get high
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit or cut down usage

If you’re concerned that someone you know may have a Percocet addiction, you aren’t alone. Countless people have been in your position and have made the positive choice to enter treatment and quit opioid abuse. If you’re ready to make a change, call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak to a treatment support specialist about Percocet rehab programs nearby.

Types of Treatment for Percocet Addiction

Before committing to a Percocet addiction treatment program, you may be interested in learning more about what types of treatment programs are available so that you can choose the right one for you.

Detoxification

Percocet withdrawal symptoms can be extremely painful, which is why it’s usually difficult to go through withdrawal alone. Many people actually give up and start using Percocet again to relieve these withdrawal symptoms, creating a cycle of compulsive use. Thankfully, professional detox—the first step in addiction treatment—can help relieve Percocet withdrawal symptoms and keep you safe and comfortable.

During detox, your doctors or clinician may prescribe medications to relieve your opioid withdrawal symptoms. Here are some common medications used during oxycodone detox:^4,5,6

• Buprenorphine: This partial opioid agonist reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms in those with opioid use disorders without producing rewarding effects.
• Methadone: A synthetic opioid agonist that eliminates withdrawal symptoms and relieves drug cravings by acting on opioid receptors in the brain. Although it occupies and activates these opioid receptors, it does so more slowly than other opioids.
• Clonidine: Clonidine is a prescription medication available as a patch, an oral tablet, and an oral extended-release tablet. Clonidine helps reduce Percocet withdrawal symptoms including, irritability, agitation, restlessness, anger, anxiety, and fogginess.

Inpatient Treatment

During inpatient treatment, you’ll reside at the treatment facility for the duration of your program. An inpatient Percocet addiction program may last anywhere from 30 days to 90 days, depending on your needs—sometimes even longer.

Inpatient programs are the most intensive treatment options available, and they typically occur in hospital-type settings. All patients receive 24/7 monitoring and care while recovering from Percocet abuse. One main benefit of inpatient care is the setting; you escape from your everyday drug-using environment to focus solely on your recovery.

There are different types of inpatient programs:

• Luxury treatment centers: Facilities cater to those who prefer a resort-like setting with plenty of amenities for Percocet addiction recovery
• Executive treatment centers: Programs for high-level business professionals who still need access to high-speed internet and private phones
• Holistic inpatient programs: Intended for individuals who want a comprehensive treatment plan that includes complementary and alternative approaches like art therapy, medication, and yoga

Every inpatient treatment program has a different philosophy as well as different treatment modalities. Some programs may integrate 12-step meetings with NA or AA during treatment while others may have a secular treatment philosophy. Make sure to ask about treatment philosophy and amenities when researching rehabs.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient programs allow individuals to live at home and attend a day program. Therapy sessions occur from a few times per week to several hours every day. Outpatient rehab is convenient for people motivated to stop using Percocet but require the flexibility of a program that works around their schedules.

Here are several types of outpatient treatment programs for Percocet abuse:

• Partial hospitalization programs: Also called “day programs,” this option offers the deepest form of outpatient treatment.
• Intensive outpatient programs: Intensive outpatient programs are not as time-consuming as partial hospitalization programs, but they have longer and more frequent sessions than standard outpatient treatment.
• Standard outpatient therapy: This general format offers therapy one or two times per week.

Therapies for Percocet Addiction

When you enter a rehab program, you first receive a biopsychosocial evaluation by a mental health professional. They use this information to create a treatment plan tailored specifically for you. When researching Percocet addiction treatment programs, make sure to ask that they utilize individualized plans, as it is imperative that treatment meets your needs.

Your treatment plan may include a combination of therapies, interventions, and methods to help you abstain from Percocet use:^7,8,9

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Addresses the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to replace unhealthy behaviors with healthy altneratives, as well as modulate feelings
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): Improves emotional regulation skills, distress tolerance, and communication skills, as well as teaches mindfulness
• Family counseling: Improves communication, repairs relationships, and instructs family members effective behaviors that don’t enable the individual with an addiction
• Group counseling: Involves sharing and learning from one another, improves sober social skills, and teaches conflict resolution strategies
• Motivational Interviewing (MI): Enhances patient motivation to attend Percocet addiction treatment
• Educational groups: A variety of topic groups on specific issues, such as anger management, trauma, and the effects of drugs on the brain
• Recreational activities: Healthy activities like outdoor excursions, fitness workouts, games, and movies
• 12-step support groups: Offers peer guidance and encouragement in a sober community (AA and NA)
• Relapse prevention groups: Teaches relapse prevention skills, including drug-refusal strategies, coping skills, and impulse control
• Employment training: Focuses on pathways to careers, interviewing skills, skills needed to maintain employment

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Percocet Addiction

After the withdrawal period has resolved and you’ve been medically stabilized, you may begin medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This involves taking an opioid dependence medication, such as methadone or buprenorphine in conjunction with therapy and counseling.⁶

As noted above, methadone and buprenorphine relieve Percocet cravings by binding to opioid receptors in the brain. Unlike opioids of abuse, methadone and buprenorphine don’t produce euphoria and are safe to take long-term.⁶

Naltrexone is another opioid antagonist drug and is sometimes used to treat opioid use disorder. This medication blocks the activation of opioid receptors in the brain. This means that if you take Percocet while on naltrexone, you won’t get high.⁶ In its oral form, it must be taken every day, which has resulted in poor patient adherence—if someone wants to return to opioid use, they just stop taking the Naltrexone and the cravings return. But, in 2010, Vivitrol, an injectable, long-acting form of naltrexone was approved by the FDA for treating opioid addiction. The effects of Vivitrol last for several weeks, which makes it a stronger option for patients who struggle with taking a daily medication.⁶

Holistic Interventions

In addition to standard treatment procedures, such as CBT and detox, a holistic rehabilitation center offers complementary and alternative treatment methods with the intention of treating the whole person: mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Various holistic treatments might include:^11,12

• Tennis, swimming, fitness
• Acupuncture, massage, herbal medicines, and Reiki
• Nutritional counseling
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Music or art therapy
• The option to attend church/temple
• Spiritual growth classes
• Equine therapy
• Ropes courses
• Rock climbing
• Tai chi
• Outdoor excursions
• Vision boards and/or imagery

Recovery Support After Treatment

Aftercare planning occurs as you transition out of your residential treatment program. Team members and medical staff assess your needs and develop ongoing treatment regimens upon discharge from your program. Leaving rehab can be scary as you exit your safety nest. Having a strong recovery support plan in place provides an extra blanket of security, especially for times you may feel vulnerable.

Here are examples of aftercare services that provide ongoing support:¹³

• Sober living homes
• Outpatient treatment
• Alumni support groups
• 12-step support groups like NA or AA
• Non-12-step support groups like SMART Recovery

Support groups provide you with the community connection and accountability to sustain recovery.¹³ Fellowships based on the 12 Steps are free to join and located all over the world and online, making them widely accessible.

If you’re unsure of how to pay for treatment or need help locating the right program for Percocet addiction, feel free to give our support team a call at 800-934-1582(Sponsored) . Our caring staff is dedicated to helping you every step of the way.

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Resources

1. Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Drug scheduling.
2. Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2025). Percocet (Oxycodone and Acetaminophen Tablets, USP). 
3. American Psychiatric Association. (2025). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (5th ed., updated).
4. Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Opiate and opioid withdrawal.
5. Chu, L. F., Sun, J., Clemenson, A., Erlendson, M. J., Rico, T., Cornell, E., Obasi, H., Sayyid, Z. N., Encisco, E. M., Yu, J., Gamble, J. G., Carroll, I., & Clark, J. D. (2017). Ondansetron does not reduce withdrawal in patients with physical dependence on chronic opioid therapy. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 11(5), 342–349.
6. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Medications used to treat opioid disorder research report.
7. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2025). Treatment.
8. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of drug addiction treatment: A research-based guide.
9. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2019). Enhancing motivation for change in substance abuse treatment.
10. Leiber, K. K. & Parker, R. W. (2025). Therapeutic uses and efficacy of low-dose Naltrexone: A scoping review. Cureus, 17(3), e81086.
11. Lake, J. H. (2019). An integrative paradigm for mental health care: Ideas and methods shaping the future. Springer.
12. Goutham, S., Bhargav, H., Holla, B., Mahadevan, J., Nagendra, R. P., Jasti, N., Narasimha, V. L., Mehta, U. M., Varambally, S., Venkatasubramanian, G., Chand, P., Gangadhar, B. N., Hill, K. P., Keshavan, M., & Murthy, P. (2026). Yoga for opioid withdrawal and autonomic regulation:  A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 83(3): 238-246.
13. Pettersen, G., Bjerke, T., Hoxmark, E. M., Sterri, N. H. E., & Rosenvinge, J. H. (2023). From existing to living: Exploring the meaning of recovery and a sober life after a long duration of a substance use disorder. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 40(6): 577-589.

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