Author: Charles Frank

Prescription drug abuse Symptoms and causes

These drugs are routinely recommended by doctors for severe pain treatment, as well as a variety of other illnesses. Still, many of these medications produce a high that can become addictive for some patients. Some people become psychologically dependent on this feeling of euphoria. There is also the risk of physical dependence on highly addictive pain relievers. These drugs contain the opioid hydrocodone plus acetaminophen. Talk to you doctor if you feel you need these medications for more than pain relief.

Now called opioid use disorder (OUD), painkiller addiction was a term used for years along with terms like opioid abuse, drug abuse, drug dependence, and drug addiction. Thus, pain medications should be used for a medical purpose only. Using pain medications for recreational purposes may cause addiction, damage to health, and lead to legal liability.

Medical consequences

While it can be legally prescribed by a doctor, this highly addictive drug might also be obtained illegally. This is a decongestant in lots of non-prescription cold medicines. While it helps clear up a stuffy nose, it’s also an ingredient in illegal methamphetamine (“meth”). To curb meth abuse, U.S. laws now control how you buy pseudoephedrine products. That’s why some cold medicines are located behind the counter and why you may have to sign for some. Clonazepam is commonly sold under the brand name Klonopin.

In many cases, it’s mixed with heroin, cocaine, or both. In October 2017, the CDC reported that fentanyl is involved in over half of opioid-related overdose deaths across 10 states. Prescription drug abuse in older adults is a growing problem, especially when they combine drugs with alcohol. Having multiple health problems and taking multiple drugs can put people at risk of misusing drugs or becoming addicted. Early identification of prescription drug abuse and early intervention may prevent the problem from turning into an addiction.

Risk factors

Even when addictive pain medications are prescribed for legitimate reasons, it is important to remain aware of their addictive potential. If you are concerned about any medication that you have been prescribed, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This article discusses why these substances are so addictive, the signs and symptoms of opioid misuse, and the painkillers with the higher potential for addiction. Do you suspect that someone you love is misusing prescription medications? Their doctor or mental health specialist might recommend counseling. They might also refer your loved one to an intensive rehabilitation program.

The Most Addictive Prescription Drugs on the Market

It increases levels of dopamine in the brain, which helps improve attention. Acetaminophen is likely far from the only drug that has off-label psychoactive effects. Our bodies and our brains, after all, are not discrete systems. “One has to wonder, are these drugs that people are taking for a variety of different reasons having brain effects? There might be more widespread psychological and behavioral effects than we currently appreciate,” researcher Baldwin Way tells Time.

Your addiction does not have to define who you are.

In 3.6% of counties across the country, there were enough opioid prescriptions written in 2020 for every person living in that county to have one, the CDC reports. It’s important to help protect your family and community from opioid misuse, too. Have your friends or family tried to talk to you about how you’re using your medication? If you feel defensive or irritated when they approach you, you may be getting in too deep, Schrank says.

Health News

Additional signs and symptoms of alprazolam misuse include trouble sleeping, swelling of the hands or feet, and tremors. It’s prescribed to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Some people misuse it for its fast-acting sedating effects.

  1. Early identification of prescription drug abuse and early intervention may prevent the problem from turning into an addiction.
  2. If you’re ignoring your children, your responsibilities, or life in general, it’s time to ask for help, Jay says.
  3. Addiction Resource is not a healthcare provider, nor does it claim to offer sound medical advice to anyone.
  4. Their doctor or mental health specialist might recommend counseling.
  5. Lofexidine hydrochloride (Lucemyra) and clonidine are non-opioid drugs that can be used to ease the symptoms during detoxification.
  6. Over time, you might become dependent on the drug to feel “good” or “normal.” You might also develop a tolerance to the drug.

If you become addicted to a prescription drug, you may compulsively use it, even when it causes you harm. Each medication has its own set of potential adverse effects. Most drugs might have some unintended side effects from time to time. Even if you take your pain relievers exactly as prescribed by your doctor, you may encounter adverse effects. Some adverse effects may go away after a period of using the medication.