What Is Addiction
Addiction is a disease recognized by the
American Medical Association. It is not a moral deficiency, and
addicts are not bad people. Prescription drug addiction is one
form of this disease.
For someone who becomes addicted to a
prescription drug, the process may start with an injury that
requires the use of pain medication, or a surgery that takes
time to heal. Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed for
intermittent insomnia or anxiety. Stimulants are given to people
with weight problems and for treatment of Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. All of these are typical reasons
to begin taking a potentially addictive drug, and for most
people, the drug use ends when the problem ends. People can take
these medications for years and not develop a problem.
Addiction occurs when the drug use starts
to cause problems in a person's life. It begins a cycle of using
and consequences, followed by more using and more serious
consequences. How far the disease progresses is largely up to
the person using the drug. It is not necessary for them to
continue to use for years, or to move on to other drugs, or to
lose their jobs and families.
Recovery First specializes in
treating
addiction to prescription drugs. Using group and individual
therapy sessions, we educate clients on the nature of addiction,
and how they can live happy and productive lives in spite of it.
Prescription Drug Addiction
Prescription drug abuse can be very
difficult to detect. Many prescription drugs, such as
painkillers and sedatives, produce effects that impair speech,
movement, gait, thinking, etc. Since they are frequently
necessary for someone to function, many families will have a
hard time determining when a loved one crosses from medical use
into addiction. The person abusing the drugs may also attempt to
hide this fact from others, or minimize and deny their behavior
when confronted. It is important to keep in mind that addiction
is a disease, and if left untreated, can have dire consequences.
If the abuser and the people around them allow the disease to
continue, it will continue to get worse. The sooner they enter
treatment, the better their chances of complete recovery. With
treatment, they can lead normal, happy and productive lives. If
you are worried that a family member or loved one has a problem
with prescription drugs, please contact our confidential, toll
free hotline for a consultation.
Prescription Drug Addiction Denial
Denial is a process that is extremely
common in people who use drugs. The drug abuser will deny the
presence and severity of their disease to themselves and others.
This allows them to continue using, and ultimately will cause
their disease to progress. Denial also works on their family and
friends. People will sometimes not see a drug problem in someone
close to them, even though it might be obvious to an outsider.
Denial is especially strong when it comes
to prescription drug abuse. A drug abuser might not believe they
have a problem simply because they have a legal prescription for
the drug they abuse. They may think that because a doctor gave
them the medication, there is no danger in taking higher doses
than are prescribed, or mixing the medication with other drugs
or alcohol. Many people believe they are not addicted because
they do not use street drugs, they are not alcoholics, they have
jobs and families, they are responsible. They do not fit the
stereotype of a drug addict. It would be especially difficult
for a person with these beliefs to admit they have a drug
problem and do something about it.
In a sense, they may be correct.
Prescription drug addiction is a unique situation, requiring a
unique treatment program. The consequences for someone addicted
to medication are every bit as serious as those for other drugs.
Health problems, legal issues and loss of control are the
frequent outcomes of prescription drug abuse. What starts off as
a legal prescription, taken as directed, can progress into
fraudulent prescriptions, seeing multiple doctors and using
several pharmacies, overdoses and even death.
Prescription Drug Addiction Warning Signs
The following are telltale signs that could
indicate an addiction to prescription drugs:
-
Obsessing about the medication (thinking
about the pills, counting pills, worrying about running out,
etc.)
-
Keeping a number of empty prescription
bottles
-
Seeing more than one doctor to obtain
prescriptions
-
Filling prescriptions for the same drug at
different pharmacies
-
Taking the medication even after the
symptoms have passed (for example, taking pain medicine after
the pain has subsided)
-
Lying about medications: how much is being
taken, what is being taken
-
Exaggerating symptoms to a doctor to obtain
more medication
-
Significant behavioral changes, such as:
sleeping habits, appetite changes, substantial loss or gain of
weight, withdrawal from family and friends, anger and shortness
of temper, loss of interest in hobbies or leisure activities
-
Trouble at work, including tardiness,
absenteeism and poor performance
-
Falling asleep in inappropriate places, or
appearing drowsy or tired on a consistent basis
-
Being secretive about medications
None of these are a sure sign that
something is wrong. However, seeing a pattern of these changes
in a loved one is a pretty good indication that they are having
a problem. Usually, by the time symptoms of addiction are
apparent, the disease has already reached a serious stage.
If you suspect that a family member or
loved one has a problem, please contact us for a free and
confidential consultation. We have a board certified
interventionist on staff, trained to help families confront a
loved one in trouble, and to get them to accept the help that
they need. We have a network of affiliated facilities we refer
to across the country. If the treatment we provide here at
Recovery First is not appropriate, we can put you in contact
with a program that will meet your needs.
Prescription Drug Addiction
Statistics
In 1999, an estimated 4 million people,
about 2 percent of the population age 12 and older, were
currently (within the last month) using prescription drugs
non-medically. Of these, 2.6 million misused pain relievers, 1.3
million misused sedatives and tranquilizers, and 0.9 million
misused stimulants. Of particular concern are the trends seen
among older adults, adolescents and women.
Prescription Drug Addiction Among Older
Adults
The misuse of prescription drugs may be the
most common form of drug abuse among the elderly. Elderly
persons use prescription medications approximately three times
as frequently as the general population and have been found to
have the poorest rates of compliance with directions for taking
a medication. One study suggests that older patients are
prescribed higher doses of benzodiazepines and pain medications
and are kept on these drugs for longer periods of time. Due to a
slower metabolism, older patients should actually be prescribed
lower doses of medication.
Prescription Drug Addiction Among
Adolescents/Teens
The most dramatic increase in new users of prescription drugs is among 12 to 25 year olds. It also appears
that college students' nonmedical use of pain relievers such as
Oxycontin and
Vicodin is on the rise.
Prescription Drug Addiction Among Women
Overall, men and women have roughly similar
rates of nonmedical use of prescription drugs. The exception is
among adolescents, where young women are more likely to abuse
medications. However, studies show that women are more likely
(up to 48% more likely) to be prescribed an abuseable prescription drug, particularly narcotics and anti-anxiety
drugs.
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