Prescription Drug Addiction
Table of Contents
In recent years, more and more studies have shown that prescription drug abuse is a significant problem in the United States. Prescription drug abuse occurs when an individual obtains and takes a drug that is only available by prescription from a professional medical provider in a manner other than indicated. This might mean that the individual taking the drug is not the individual to whom it was prescribed, or it may also mean that the legal recipient of the prescription is taking the drug in a dosage or frequency that is not indicated by their condition.
Why Are Prescription Drugs Addictive?
Many prescriptions drugs contain ingredients that can have profound effects on an individual’s health and well-being. Prescription pain medications often contain opiates, for instance, and when used correctly can mitigate the pain of a broken or sprained ankle or reduce severe coughing due to the common cold.
Opiates, however, are highly addictive. This is the same type of drug that is found in heroin, for instance.
Other prescription drugs might be central nervous system depressants, such as Valium. These drugs can influence the manner in which neurotransmitters behave in the brain.
Both types of prescription drugs are popular among those who use drugs recreationally, and both types of drugs are easily obtained based upon how frequently they are prescribed.
When an individual takes a prescription like an opiate painkiller or tranquilizer, the effects of the drugs for the first few days are profound. The patient is often told not to drive or operate certain dangerous machinery until their body adjusts to the effects.
This adjustment is known as “tolerance.” As the body builds tolerance to the drug, the euphoric effects will lessen; however, the prescription will still do its job to reduce anxiety or mitigate pain. In order to obtain the euphoric effects, which is the primary goal of the drug abuser, the individual must take larger doses of the drug. The body will continue to build a tolerance, however, and ultimately, the drug user will become addicted to the drugs they have been taking.
Slang Names for Prescription Drugs
There are myriad street names for prescription drugs that have been created over the year. The type of drug can often determine the name of the drug on the street.
- Opiates (e.g., Lortab, OxyContin, Vicodin, morphine): tabs, oxy, oxy cotton, vikes, vics, percs, cody, juice, Miss Emma, dance fever, goodfellas
- Tranquilizers (e.g., Valium): roofies, roofs, valley girls, downers, blue devils, yellows, yellow jackets
- Stimulants (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall): uppers, speed, black beauties, JIF, MPH, R-ball, skippy
Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
There are various signs and symptoms for prescription drug addiction that depend upon the type of drugs being used at any given time. Stimulants will create one set of behaviors while central nervous system depressants will create another. The differences can be subtle or quite clear depending upon the frequency and amount of abuse.
Physical Symptoms
Physical Symptoms
The physical signs of stimulant addiction might consist of an agitated state. Other symptoms might include:
- Rapid pulse
- Hyperactivity
- Inability to concentrate
If an individual is taking a prescription tranquilizer, the symptoms may be different. For instance, he or she might:
- Sleep excessively
- Be unable to communicate effectively
- Appear “drunk” even though they have consumed no alcohol
Someone who takes excessive opiates might exhibit any of the following symptoms:
- Increased sociability followed by drowsiness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Decreased motor skills
In the case of opiate pain medications, the addict may experience constipation as a result of the drug’s negative effects on the digestion system and intestines.
Behavioral Signs
Behavioral signs
Because prescription drugs are generally taken orally, there may not be any outward physical signs of prolonged abuse or addiction. There may be emotional and behavioral signals, however, that can be indicative of a problem. These signs include:
- Lack of interest in hobbies that were previous important
- Lack of interest in schoolwork or career progress
- A disregard for family or social obligations and responsibilities
- Refusal to introduce new friends or associates into a social or family circle
- The need to obtain drugs becomes of more importance than other interests
- Always without funds, even immediately following payday
- Borrowing cash from friends or family to meet obligations previously met without difficulty
Paraphenalia
Paraphernalia
There is very little paraphernalia associated with prescription drug abuse and addiction, however, addicts may forget to hide or otherwise dispose of prescription bottles when they have been emptied. If a prescription was recently filled and the contents are missing within a few days, this could indicate a serious addiction problem in the household.
Also, more and more youth are planning and attending “pharm” parties where each individual brings various prescriptions they have obtained to share with other teens. At some of these gatherings, the teens will use a coffee grinder to turn the pills into powder so they can be inhaled or snorted.
These parties are incredibly dangerous because the prescriptions are mixed and there is no way to determine which medications are which. Blending medications can cause serious medical issues or even death.
Health Concerns
The use of prescription drugs for bona-fide conditions can bring peace to those with anxiety, relief to those with chronic pain and the ability to concentrate to those afflicted with attention deficit disorder. However, the long-term use of some prescriptions can lead to dependency and addiction even when the patient follows the prescribed directions.
When an addict uses these drugs over the long term, the effects can be devastating. For instance, Lortab (generically known as hydrocodone) contains acetaminophen (Tylenol). Too much acetaminophen can have serious effects on the liver.
The most common effect of long-term addiction is centered on the destruction of lives and families. Prolonged drug addiction, because of the overwhelming cravings for the drugs and the all-consuming behavioral patterns associated with getting the drugs needed, will ultimately ruin more lives than that of just the addict.
Overdose Signs
A prescription drug overdose can occur at any time when an individual is addicted. In order to obtain the “high” or euphoria they seek, the addict must consistently increase the amount of drugs they consume. As they increase the dosage and the euphoria sets in, the disease of addiction may prevent them from curbing the number of pills they take. Ultimately, this can result in an overdose.
The signs of a prescription drug overdose will depend upon the type of drugs taken. If the individual has taken too many tranquilizers, they may be difficult to rouse from what appears to be sleep but could be a medically induced state of unconsciousness. If the individual has taken too many prescription stimulants, they may have an increased body temperature or incredibly rapid pulse.
If you suspect that an individual you know has overdosed on any type of drug, it is crucial that you contact emergency services immediately.
Withdrawal Signs
The human body will build a tolerance to drugs rather quickly. As this tolerance grows in tandem with the addiction, the body can become physically dependent upon the drugs in order to feel “normal.” When the drugs are absent, either by accident or due to an attempt at recovery, the body will “fight back” with vigor in an attempt to gain more of the drugs it feels it needs.
Physical
The physical signs of withdrawal from prescriptions drugs will depend upon the types of drugs the individual is addicted to. Most recreational drug users or addicts will not limit themselves to one particular type of drug, however, so the entire array of physical symptoms could be present during withdrawal, including:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bone and joint pain
- Insomnia
- Exhaustion
- Excessive sleeping
- Extreme hunger
- Trembling of the hands or legs
- Seizures
- Fever and chills
Psychological
The psychological effects of withdrawal can be just as severe as the physical symptoms. While some prescription drugs will cause one symptom, such as aggression, others might cause major depression. Other symptoms may include:
- Mania
- Mood swings
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Violence or aggression
- Anxiety
- Major depressive episodes
- Suicide ideation
It is important that an individual who plans to detox from drugs do so under the care of a professional who can recognize the signs and symptoms when they become severe enough to cause physical harm, and who can also provide medications to mitigate the effects of the withdrawal.
Facts Drug Addiction
Each year since 1975, the non-profit group Monitoring the Future has conducted a study about drug use, abuse and addiction among America’s youth. Most recently, in 2010, they discovered that 7.7 percent of students between the 8th and 12th grades reported a non-medical use of prescription drugs in the one year prior to the survey.
Overall, the rate of prescription drug use and abuse among our nation’s youth seems to be falling, however when the numbers are narrowed to only those youngest teens in the 8th grade, the percentage is actually on the rise.
How Addiction Affects Relationships
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is marked by certain behaviors, one of which is the need for the addict to use drugs regardless of the harmful effects that drug use has on personal relationships.
Addicts will choose drugs over his or her children, parents and siblings. They will choose drugs over their jobs or careers, and over the ability to finish high school or college. Drug addicts will lie, cheat and steal to obtain the drugs they need.
Because of this very real symptom of drug addiction, many families are destroyed. While the non-drug users in the family wish only to have their loved one back, they often will become bitter because of the drug-addicted individual’s behaviors. Rather than continuing to offer help to their family member, they may be forced to withdraw completely and shut the individual out of their lives.
Drug addiction, in and of itself, is not a crime in the United States. However, the possession of illegal drugs, including prescription drugs that do not belong to the person who possesses them, is a crime. These crimes are often punished by time in jail or, in the case of addicts who begin to sell drugs to earn money for their own drugs, longer terms in prison. When this happens, the children of addicts may be placed in foster care. If the addict is unable to enter recovery upon their release and they once again turn to drugs, the courts might terminate parental rights completely and place the children for adoption.
Treatment Options
Treatment for prescription drug addiction is broken down into three phases. The first phase is the detox phase where the individual allows the toxins from the drugs to exit their system. The most significant withdrawal symptoms are present during this period, which can last between a few days to a few weeks, depending upon the types of drugs used.
The second phase is the treatment phase. There are two distinct types of treatment – inpatient or outpatient.
Inpatient treatment
Inpatient treatment takes place in either a residential or medical facility. The recovering addict will participate in traditional and alternative therapy session in private and group settings. He or she might also have alternative therapies available, such as equine-assisted therapy; however, this is generally only available in residential treatment programs.
Outpatient programs
Intensive outpatient programs are best for individuals who are unable to enter a residential program due to their job or familial responsibilities. These programs meet daily, or several times per week, in the morning or evening, and include many of the same modalities for treatment as an inpatient setting.
Getting Help
Prescription drug addiction affects everyone, from the addict to their families, friends and colleagues. Finding help isn’t as difficult as you might think. If you or a loved one has an addiction to prescription drugs, please contact Axis now to find out how we can help.