FORT WORTH, Texas -- Vicodin is a powerful prescription designed to treat pain, but an alarming number of people are using the drug just to get through their busy days -- and getting hooked in the process.

In fact, addiction cases have doubled and perhaps tripled during the last year alone, Dr. Byron Law-Yone said.

"I come into contact with someone every day … that is addicted to [Vicodin]," he said.

"Jennifer" is among them. The suburban North Texas housewife, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she abused the drug for nearly three years.

"You just knew if you have that in your purse, or a couple of extra in your pocket, and you have to go to a Chuck E. Cheese birthday party, that's going to make it a whole lot easier," she said.

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Jennifer said downing as many as 25 pills a day gave her endless energy to help make juggling children and home more manageable.

"I could clean the house and have dinner ready and played with the kids," she said. "The day was never ending."

Vicodin is often prescribed after a surgery, or serious injury, but abusers can purchase the pills on the Internet. They may also lie to different doctors to maintain multiple prescriptions.

"At some points, I even thought about dropping something on my foot or slamming my hand in the door so I could break it and go to the ER, just so I could get it, if there was a delay in receiving it," Jennifer said.

Spending as much as $800 a month to feed her habit, Jennifer nearly overdosed and finally faced her addiction.

"I just didn't want to have to go to bed anymore and just not know if I was going to wake up the next morning," she said.

A new drug -- suboxone -- is helping Jennifer get clean at home. "Life is so much better," she said.

"With this drug, you put one tablet under your tongue and it dissolves, and people tell me the withdrawal and craving is gone," Law-Yone said.

Jennifer's story is typical, and addictions like hers are among the most difficult to detect and treat, Law-Yone said, because people high on the drug exhibit no visible signs of intoxication.

In response to this report, the maker of Vicodin, Abbott Laboratories, released this statement:
"Abbott supports the appropriate use of Vicodin so that potent opioid-based therapies remain available for patients who truly suffer from serious pain."

Resources:
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
Prescription Medications