Prescription Drug Addiction
By
Dr.Fourkan Ali
Are you worried that
you or someone close to you is suffering with prescripion drug addiction? Help is at hand. Here we tell you a
little about codeine, what to look out for and how we can get you or a loved
one the best possible treatment for prescription drug addiction such as codeine
addiction.
What is prescription drug addiction?
Prescription drugs are legal drugs that people
are prescribed by their GP or physicians. Just because they are prescribed
legitimately, this does not mean that they are not addictive. It’s all too easy
for individuals to develop a physical and psychological dependency on
prescription drugs. People can become addicted to the effect produced by prescription
drugs, particularly those that produce a feeling of sedation or a “high”.
Others become tolerant to the effect of the drug and need an increasingly high
dose to obtain the same feeling. The initial condition can also worsen as a
result of prescription drug abuse and individuals may take larger doses to
counteract this.
Addiction to prescription drugs is on the
increase due to easy access to legal drugs via the Internet. The most commonly
abused prescription drugs are painkillers, sleeping tablets, anti-anxiety
pills, anti-depressants and medication for ADHD. These include analgesics with
codeine, benzodiazepine such as valium and temazepam, and stimulants such as
Ritalin.
Signs, symptoms and risk of prescription drug
addiction
Abusers of prescription drugs can become as
devious as those who use illegal drugs. It’s not unheard of for prescription
drug users to register with more than one GP and to visit a number of
pharmacists to cash in their prescription. The effects and risks of
prescription drug addiction vary depending on the particular drug. For example,
abuse of codeine can result in constipation, nausea, breathing problems and
even seizures. Benzodiazepine addiction can lead to amnesia, irritability,
confusion and aggression. Stimulant abuse can result in feelings of paranoia
and hostility, convulsions and cardiovascular problems. In addition, mixing
prescription medication with illegal drugs or alcohol can be lead to an
overdose and, ultimately, death. Many people use prescriptions drugs to
counteract the effect of illegal uppers such as cocaine and ecstasy and downers
such as heroin and alcohol. This combination can be lethal.
Treatment for prescription drug addiction
Getting someone who’s addicted to prescription
drugs to admit that they need help can be difficult. The image of a “drug
addict” conjures up someone who is “shooting up” in a seedy environment, not
someone who is simply “popping” a couple of legal pills a day. But addiction to
prescription drugs is very real, and needs medical and psychological treatment.
Withdrawing from prescription drugs can be just as traumatic and uncomfortable
as withdrawing from illegal street drugs, with symptoms ranging from headaches
to seizures. Withdrawing from benzodiazepine is particularly difficult. Detox
from prescription drugs must be medically managed by a GP, in a residential
detox centre or in a carefully supervised home detox programme. Many
users require help beyond management of withdrawal symptoms and are treated
with a range of therapies and counselling in a residential rehab centre or as
an outpatient. At Addiction Helper, we’ll guide you through the treatments
available for your circumstances, and provide you and your family with ongoing
support and advice.
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