Prescription drug Addiction can begin innocently enough with a quick trip to the doctor for some common problem. This doctor’s visit could quite possibly result in a powerful pain relieving drug being prescribed. This being the primary reason prescription drug addiction is on the rise and many states are taking measure’s to regulate how pharmacies are dispensing and tracking these powerfully addictive drugs.
The abuse of prescription drugs often begins with a legitimate visit to a doctor or emergency room. The patient is treated for pain, anxiety, or depression. These ailments are real and valid. Mistakenly the doctor will lean towards the quick fix and begin with writing a prescription. This could be for any number of reasons; usually time and money are the common denominator. Most assuredly all the possibilities creating the ailment are not examined, and some times are undesired since the handling might take a while, e.g. vitamin deficiencies, Mercury poisoning, or a host of other problems.
Telling someone who is suffering “take this, it will make you feel better” is all that the person was looking for and all it takes to convince a person that is exactly what they need. The original intent of the drug use was to relieve a symptom. The fact that the drugs being given have a high rate of addiction is not discussed, or is under emphasized.
A few years ago my wife had a problem her stomach; she was in enough pain we ended up in the ER. Fortunately, she came out of it okay, was given some antibiotics to cure the problem and enough Vicodin and Tylenol three to last about 3 weeks, more than enough to become dependent and start an addiction.
We both have helped people overcome addiction; prescription drug addiction very often, is like overcoming a heroin addiction as the drugs usually are of the opioid nature. Imagine having the worst case of flu magnified by ten. Knowing this I was amazed at the amount of drugs doled out with wild abandon.
This reminded of a time I had knee major knew surgery with a cast from mid thigh to ankle that would last for six weeks. I was given a three day prescription of lortab and thought the doctor was sadistic and was shocked, having to go back to get the prescription refilled, only for another three days. When I asked him what was up, he adamantly stated he was not going to be responsible for me becoming addicted to pain killers. I now have the utmost respect for that doctor because he had my overall well being in mind when he told me I was going to have to tough it out. Not so much the case for my wife, who with the knowledge of prescription Drug Addiction and how it begins, took the drugs sparingly as needed for about two days and flushed the remainder.
People who have never taken an illegal drug in their lives are introduced to a drug that seems to remove the pain or solve a problem. Along with the medical advice being given, they are then solidly convinced they have found the solution to their problems. They are given the information that drugs are in fact a solution. Prescription drug addiction most often begins right out of the family doctors office and neighborhood pharmacy just like that.
This makes this type of addiction very hard to detect until it becomes life threatening and often goes unnoticed until too late. Drugs such as Hydrocodone, upon development were known for their high potential for addiction without the users’ knowledge.
Every drug has effects that are mostly negative in nature. While drugs are sometime necessary all drugs are toxins and alter the normal function of the body thereby creating the need for or dependence by the sheer mechanics of how the drugs work.
If you are someone you love is being prescribed any medication, do your own research, understand all of the effects of the drug, you are at risk of suffering prescription drug addiction.
Ask your physician or pharmacist about the potential for abuse and addiction. Please keep in mind all of the now illegal drugs were at one time legal until proven a high risk for addiction.
Those that profit from the sale of drugs will not possess the responsibility or have the desire to inform you, it’s up to you. Prescription drug addiction is killing our artists at an alarming rate. More alarmingly prescription drug addiction is killing your family, friends and neighbors, more people today than heroin addiction and cocaine addiction combined.
If you or someone you love have a question about a particular drug or know someone suffering from a drug or Alcohol addiction, please contact us at www.addictionwatch.com or call 866-989-4499
