How Does Prescription Drug Abuse Start?

Hydrocodone – Synthetic Opiate

When most people think of drug abuse they think of the common street drugs. These drugs include methamphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. People seem to fall short on their knowledge of prescription drugs, which include opiates, benzodiazapines, tranquilizers and others. These medications have many different names, such as Vicodin, Xanax, Roxicet, and Oxycontin. These medications are highly addictive both physically and mentally.

Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It has been referred to as the housewives heroin. When opiates are taken in large amounts it can give one a feeling of excessive energy. This so called energy can allow people to take on many tasks such as cleaning, running errands, juggling kids to different activities and all the while they are damaging every area of their lives.

These drugs initially give one a feeling of “I can do it all”. The scary truth is that this addiction is fast and furious and it will inevitable take the person down to the depths of despair. People seem to justify to themselves that it is o.k. to take this medicine, because after all it was prescribed by a physician.

Opiate Abuse

Most people are introduced to painkillers as a result of an injury. They initially go to the doctor because they are in pain. The doctor will prescribe them a painkiller, but most physicians do not inform the patient of the potential danger of becoming addicted to this medication. Many are put on opiates due to a post-surgical procedure.

After the person has healed from the surgery they should start to wean down from the medication. This is not always the case, in actuality by this time the person is already physically addicted to the drug. When they try to come off the drug this is when the withdrawal symptoms begin. It is too much to bear so the person will either go back to the original doctor for more pain medicine or if that doesn’t work they will start what is called as doctor shopping. This is when one goes to several different doctors and obtaining prescriptions for pain medicine. Now the person is not only physically addicted, but mentally as well.

Opiates are so addictive because the person builds a tolerance very quickly. A person may start taking the drug as prescribed, but then it takes more of the drug to get the feeling of euphoria. So more and more of the pain pills are consumed which begins a downward spiral of drug addiction. When doctors stop writing prescriptions the person will resort to buying the pills on the street. This starts to affect all aspects the person’s life.

People begin to hide their addiction and therefore they lie to family and friends who may be seeing a change for the worse in the person. Some people build such a tolerance to opiates that they take an enormous amount of the medicine just to try desperately feel that feeling they got when they first started taking the medicine. It is to no avail though because they will always chase that first high. By consuming large amounts of opiates it affects ones respiratory system as well as the liver. They slow down motor functions and can cause many other physical ailments.

Withdrawal From Prescription Drugs

Misery Of Prescription Drugs

One of the reasons that people become addicted to pain pills is because the withdrawal process is painful and scary. Getting off of pain medication is possible , if one seeks the correct treatment in order to attain this opiate free life. Most important is that one doesn’t seek treatment from a treatment center that will substitute the opiates for other medications. Abstaining from all medications is the best option for someone who has been or is addicted to prescription drugs.

Withdrawal is usually started with a medical detox program where the person is weaned down to a safe dosage and this is monitored by an addiction specialist who is a physician. Once the person is through with the medical detox they can safely go to withdrawal at a program that is medication free. The withdrawal process while very uncomfortable is possible. The person usually doesn’t understand that while they were taking the opiates their bodies were being depleted of vitamins. It is very important to replenish the body of vitamins while going through the withdrawal process. In a short time the person will regain their strength and start feeling like they did before they ever took their first pill. Leading a drug free life is not only possible but it is a certain. So many people have not only gotten their health back but they are living a life they never could have dreamed of.

Find out how Prescription Drug Abuse Monitoring programs help …