Do you or someone you know take prescription medications? Do you know how to recognize the signs of prescription drugs abuse? The definition of prescription drug abuse is taking medications that have psychoactive, or mind-altering properties for reasons or in amounts not intended by a doctor, or taken by someone other than who the medicine is prescribed for.
Prescription Drug Abuse
While there are many types of medications that can be abused, the most commonly abused classes of medications are:
- Opioids (for pain) including hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Percocet), hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and others
- Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants (for anxiety and sleep disorders) including diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), zolpidem (Ambien) and others
- Stimulants (for ADHD and narcolepsy) including methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines (Adderall), and others
The symptoms of prescription drug abuse vary, depending on the drug’s classification. Some of the symptoms for the three main classifications are:
- Opioids: Constipation, depression, low blood pressure, decreased breathing rate, confusion, sweating, poor coordination
- CNS depressants: Drowsiness, confusion, unsteady walking, poor judgment. involuntary and rapid movement of the eyeball, dizziness
- Stimulants: Weight loss, agitation, irritability, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, restlessness, impulsive behavior
Signs that can accompany any of the symptoms listed above can include the following:
- Stealing, forging or selling prescriptions
- Taking higher doses than prescribed
- Excessive mood swings or hostility
- Increase or decrease in sleep
- Poor decision making
- Appearing to be high, unusually energetic or revved up, or sedated
- Continually “losing” prescriptions, so more prescriptions must be written
- Seeking prescriptions from more than one doctor
There are many reasons people give for abusing prescription drugs. It might be to get high or to feel good, which can also include experimenting with the mental effects of the medication. Some may need to relax or relieve tension. Some might take it to feel like they are accepted or to try to improve their performance at school or work. Some might simply do it because they’ve experienced pain in their body for so long and they think they need more of the drug to make the pain go away. Whatever the reason or reasons, the root cause that led to the abuse of prescription drugs is what has to be dealt with in order to overcome the addiction.
As with any addiction, there are complications that come with abusing prescription drugs. Because it is a chemical, with each medication having different chemical properties, it can be dangerous to combine them with other medications, alcohol or illegal drugs. There are other complications, as well. Each classification carries its own medical consequences. For example, opioids can cause low blood pressure, slow breathing rate or your breathing can potentially stop. CNS depressants, can cause memory problems, low blood pressure and slowed breathing. If you overdose, it can cause coma or death. Stimulants can cause dangerously high body temperatures, high blood pressure, seizures or tremors, hallucinations, aggressiveness or paranoia. Other consequences for any of these could be engaging in risky behaviors due to poor judgement, committing or being involved in crime, motor vehicle accidents, decreased school or work performance and troubled relationships. Prescription drug abuse can potentially lead to the use and abuse of illegal drugs as well.
The best way to ensure you won’t become addicted to prescription drugs is prevention. If you’re taking a medication that is commonly abused and you are afraid you might abuse it, take the following steps to decrease the possibility of abuse of that drug:
- Make sure you’re getting the right medication and check in with your doctor The medicine you get prescribed should only be treating what it’s being prescribed for. Communicate with your doctor exactly what you’re feeling and if the medication isn’t working, tell your doctor that you’d like to try something new.
- Follow directions for use carefully. Don’t stop or change the dose of the medication if it isn’t working. Always consult your doctor.
- Know what your medication does. Not only what it’s supposed to do to help you, but the side effects, too. If you have questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- Never use another person’s prescription. You have different bodies and different chemical makeups. Medicines will react differently. Also, don’t give your medicines to anyone else.
- Don’t order prescription medicines from online pharmacies unless they’re from a trustworthy pharmacy. They could be counterfeit and dangerous.
If you or someone you know may have a prescription drug abuse problem, or if you have any questions about prescription drug addiction, contact us today.
