A Comprehensive Guide About Blues Addiction and Life-Changing Rehabilitation Options
People often associate the term “blues” with harmless and somber music or an intermittent feeling of sadness, but addicts and dealers on the street know that it’s also slang for blue-colored prescription opioid medications. Blue pills vary by type but typically contain oxycodone. Counterfeit pills that look identical to legal drugs also exist that can cause even greater harm.
In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about habit-forming blue pills, including how to recognize blues, the dangers associated with these drugs, the reasons for abuse, and resources that can help you or a loved one finally be free of the blues.
What Are “Blues” Really?
Brand names of non-combination and combination prescription drugs in the oxycodone category include Oxycet, Oxycontin, Percocet, Roxybond, Roxicodone, Tylox and Xtampza ER. These drugs are powerful, legitimate opioid painkillers that help patients with different forms of acute and chronic pain manage their symptoms. They do more than reduce severe pain. They cause feelings of calm and euphoria and make a person more relaxed and sleepy.
On the street, people might refer to any pill that contains oxycodone as “blues.” The pills typically have a blue color. Counterfeit versions usually have a grainy or powdery texture. No matter the type, addicts take these drugs via oral ingestion without alteration, dissolving the pills and injecting the fluid, or crushing the pills and smoking or snorting the powder.
Other street names for blues include dirty 30s, M30s, 40s and 512s; beans; buttons; cotton; greens; hillbilly heroin; kickers; killers; m-boxes; Mexican blues; mexies; OCs; oxy; oxy 80s; percs; roxy; roxy shorts; and whites. These names have developed over time for different reasons that include appearance, counterfeit status, dosage, markings and popular usage.
The appearance and texture of blue pills vary so widely that some addicts take illicit counterfeit blues by accident that are contaminated with extremely dangerous chemicals. For this reason, they can’t rely on appearance alone and must use caution when accepting blue pills from a dealer, party host and others.
Dangers of “Blues” Abuse
Opioids that contain oxycodone and similar ingredients are highly addictive and can cause both physical and psychological dependence. Side effects include:
- Anxiety
- Behavioral changes
- Confusion
- Constipation
- Cerebrospinal fluid pressure increase
- Disorientation
- Dizziness
- Dry Mouth
- Exhaustion
- Hallucinations
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations or slow beat
- Irritability
- Itching
- Lack of energy
- Mood fluctuations
- Nausea
- Paranoia
- Seizures
- Slow heartbeat
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Weight loss
Blues can cause permanent cognitive decline, feelings of dependence, emotional instability, other serious mental health problems like depression and psychosis, hormonal imbalance, heart problems, immune system dysfunction, damage to the kidneys and liver, and reduced lung functionality. Blue pills are hard to quit. As with other addictive substances, the common side effects become exaggerated with withdrawal.
Contamination of counterfeit blues with other dangerous drugs puts users at risk of dying from just one use. If blues contamination occurs from a tiny amount of another extremely addictive and potent pain-relieving drug, the synthetic opioid fentanyl, that single experience can have a fatal outcome. The drug has a potency that exceeds both heroin and morphine. Even a few salt-like grains of fentanyl can kill.
That said, users of both prescription and counterfeit blues are always at a high risk of dying from overdose as well. Opioids slow down respiration processes in the body. When someone overdoses, with or without fentanyl exposure, their breathing can slow down too much. Addicts are also more likely to take other dangerous addictive substances with blues, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines, which accelerate respiratory depression. Opioid overdose symptoms include blue or purple fingernails and/or lips, clammy and/or pale skin, physical limpness, gurgling noises, speech problems, vomiting, slowed or stopped breathing, slowed heartbeat, fainting and coma.
Why Are “Blues” Abused?
People don’t wake up one morning and think suddenly that they want to abuse drugs. Typically, as with other forms of addiction, substance abuse usually starts with addictive chemicals in a legally prescribed medication, a person’s addictive personality traits, or peer pressure:
Pain Management
People often receive opioids for pain management. In some cases, opioids can cause almost immediate dependence. Some people have such difficult-to-manage pain that they take “a little more” of a drug because they believe their doctor’s instructions are too restrictive. Additionally, an opioid crisis exists because of the promotion of these drugs to patients who could fare just as well with non-opioid pain relievers. Easy access to prescription opioids often opens the door to abuse.
Self-Medication
Abuse of blues also often happens because some people decide to bypass modern medicine and physicians and seek out street drugs to help them with their emotional or physical pain. They use blues because they don’t want to deal with professional healthcare options. They might not have the money to afford a doctor’s appointment and a prescription copay or even feel embarrassed by their mental or physical health issues. They then turn to blues as a coping mechanism that is neither healthy or sustainable.
Recreational Use
Blue pills reproduce a euphoric effect that’s attractive to some people for recreational reasons. They start to use the drugs for “fun” at home alone or at parties. Over time, they must take more and more blues to gain a high that’s similar to their first time. If they take counterfeit blues laced with fentanyl or other habit-forming drugs, they become addicted and need to abuse blues and other street drugs to just function day to day.
Recognizing “Blues” Abuse
The signs of blues abuse aren’t difficult to notice. Addicts often exhibit severe behavioral and physical changes. The most common sign of misuse is when a person constantly shops around and visits new doctors to write prescriptions for oxycodone drugs or becomes a compulsive drug seeker on the street.
Blues addicts also isolate themselves from family, friends and loved ones, experience financial and relationship problems, and exhibit sleep pattern disturbance. Any of the common side effects or signs of overdose also apply. The most obvious way to recognize blues abuse is to look for tiny, pinpoint pupils combined with bad hygiene, behavioral and mood shifts, changed appetite, drowsiness, slower breathing, slurred speech, uncontrollable itching and unexplained weight loss.
Getting Help
Someone struggling with opioid addiction doesn’t have to be trapped by fentanyl pills, “blues drugs,” or other opioids forever. Effective treatment programs exist that can help them overcome substance use disorder, regain a healthier perspective, and improve their overall well-being.
Given the severity of withdrawal symptoms and the risk of overdose, especially with the prevalence of fake pills, many individuals choose a personalized treatment plan that includes either inpatient residential or partial hospitalization with medically supervised detox and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Treatment often starts with the use of buprenorphine or methadone, addressing the intense cravings. Post-detox, a healthcare provider helps the patient select from various therapy and support group options through intensive inpatient or outpatient routes.
Therapy solutions include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps patients identify and better understand their negative self-talk and how it can adversely influence their emotions and behaviors. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) helps them learn strategies for coping with life’s challenges and regulating their emotions. It can also aid in conflict resolution and interpersonal communication. Individuals with dual diagnoses might also choose Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help them process trauma, which can alleviate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to improved behavioral health.
Aftercare and Relapse Prevention
Aftercare and relapse prevention are crucial components of treatment. Trained professionals might teach patients at high risk of relapse harm reduction strategies, such as avoiding mixing harmful substances, how to use naloxone (Narcan) to reverse an overdose, and safe injection practices. Harm reduction training is not condoning drug use; it’s designed to save lives, especially given that one pill can kill.
Lastly, patients can learn how to develop positive habits and more effective coping skills. Before discharge, patients often receive help creating a detailed aftercare program. These aftercare solutions might include transitional referral to a recovery residence or sober living home; check-ins and consultations with staff for ongoing support; individual or family counseling and group therapy; 12-step, alumni, and local support group referrals and events; and Cognitive-Behavioral Relapse Prevention (CBRP) therapy. It is important to remember that even with prescription medications, misuse can lead to opioid use and addiction.
Informative and Helpful Resources
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fake Prescription Pills Fact Sheet
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Drug Misuse and Addiction Publication
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline
It’s Time to Set Aside the “Blues” for a Happier and Healthier Life
Synergy Sobriety Solutions provides holistic, tailored, transformative addiction treatment options to residents and visitors of South Florida at several treatment centers. We offer a healing, patient-focused environment to help you or a loved one end their drug addiction to blues and enjoy a lasting, long-term recovery. For more information and support, reach out to our experienced, caring, and supportive team via email or by calling us today.