When you visit your doctor and receive medication, you assume it’s safe. After all, why would someone who spent years in medical school steer you wrong? The truth is, they’re not steering you wrong. When taken as directed most prescription drugs are harmless. Prescription drug abuse statistics show that some of these medications are anything but safe. Unfortunately, far too many people simply assume that because their medications come from a doctor there are perfectly safe. Understanding the risks associated with your prescription is vital to preventing addiction.
Government Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics Paint a Grim Picture
The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns that concerns about certain medications are appropriate. Hydrocodone and oxycodone are active ingredients that have an addictive potential on par with heroin. Furthermore, Adderall and other stimulants carry the connotation of being “smart drugs” that can boost performance.
The age groups with the highest risk of dependency development are those between 18 and 25. Even though the drug of choice may change later on, the illness of addiction remains in place. They might abuse drugs to deal with pain or stress, affect weight loss, or even to just get better sleep.
Opioid abuse, in particular, can be life-threatening. Prescription drug abuse statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point to a high mortality rate. Since 1999, deaths due to opioid overdoses quadrupled. On average, 15,000 people die each year because of an overdose involving these painkillers.
Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse
People struggling with addiction are inherently different. The chase of the high is the common thread that connects them. Many of these prescriptions directly affect the way the body releases dopamine, which results in feelings of pleasure or euphoria. As a result, those struggling with a prescription drug addiction will go to great lengths to get them.
Some go doctor shopping, which refers to seeking out multiple doctors to get scripts for imagined illnesses. Others steal prescription pads to write fake scripts and forge a physician’s signature. Those with an addiction may also take drugs out of friends or family members’ medicine cabinets. Some commit burglaries to get the drugs or money they need to pay for them.
If you suspect that your loved one is abusing prescriptions, you might notice that he or she is selling off possessions. Doing so enables the person to finance the habit. Look for sudden changes in appearance such as weight loss when using stimulants or slurred speech for those on anti-anxiety drugs. There are also moments of unexplained confusion, euphoria, paranoia, or extreme mood swings that catch you off guard.
When you’re dealing with someone who’s a teenager or young adult, look for unexpected bouts of hostility. Your child may withdraw from friends and give up on hobbies and interests. Grades go down, sleep patterns change, and there’s a general lack of consideration for family members. In severe cases, you’ll notice changes in personal hygiene that go against prior patterns of neatness.
Treatment for Prescription Drug Abuse
Did you receive a prescription for a medication with a potential for addiction? Statistics suggest that one in four patients using opioids will experience a problem with dependency. It starts with the body’s need to increase the dose to receive the same results. Before long, you need to keep taking the medication to feel like yourself.
Maybe you liked the way the medication made you feel. You’ll continue to take them even though you no longer experience the pain you once had. If you do nothing, things will get worse. You’ll need to use more of the medications. Moreover, you may mix them with other drugs.
Doing so puts you at risk of overdose. However, don’t become a statistic. There’s help in the form of rehab.
Crest View Recovery Center offers treatment for many prescription drug addictions, including:
- Valium addiction treatment program
- Benzo addiction treatment program
- Oxycontin addiction treatment program
- Xanax addiction treatment program
- Opioid addiction treatment program
- Codeine addiction treatment program
The logical next step in addiction treatment. However, this shouldn’t be a “do-it-yourself” experience. Not only do you need help getting off the drugs, but you’ll also need to learn how to stay off of them. Detoxification is a medically supervised setting that provides a good start.
After detox, seek a high-quality prescription drug abuse treatment center that offers proven therapies. They’ll teach you how to establish a strong, daily routine without the use of prescription drugs.
Prescription Drug Addiction Recover Center in Asheville, NC
Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, Crest View Recovery Center has helped many individuals find a new beginning following their prescription drug addiction.
All of our substance abuse treatment programs include:
- Individual, group and family therapy
- Nutrition counseling to help you achieve healthy habits that last beyond your time at the rehab center
- Wellness services like yoga classes and meditation therapy to overcome stressors that would typically make you reach for a drug
- Around-the-clock treatment availability to ensure that staff members meet all of their needs as they occur
- Hands-on reality-based therapy teaching individuals how to handle social activities and even grocery shopping without giving in to the temptation to use
Don’t allow prescription drug abuse to rob you of another day. Call Crest View Recovery Center now at 866-986-1371 to learn more about our prescription drug abuse treatment center.
