Prescription Drugs That Can Become Highly Addictive
Prescription medications help people deal with pain and treat a wide range of medical conditions. They can be highly effective when used properly and per physician recommendations. When abused, taken improperly, or used in ways other than prescribed, prescription drugs can become addictive. What’s worse, they have the potential for producing dangerous adverse medical effects, including death. As the number of prescription medications increases and reasons for taking them to do too, the chance for prescription drug abuse and addiction rises as well, especially among adolescents and teens.
Certain medications are addictive by nature whereas others are not. For example, Tylenol is not a psychically addictive medication. The base ingredient, acetaminophen, has no properties that allow for dependency to grow, and that’s really what addiction is all about — a chemical and physical dependency on a drug. Once this dependency develops, the user feels like he cannot function without the substance. True to form, without the substance, withdrawal symptoms set in that make going without the substance seem unbearable. These symptoms vary from drug to drug and include:
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea that may or may not be accompanied by vomiting
- Irritability
- Sweating
- Diarrhea
- Drug cravings
- Respiratory depression
- Coma
- Death
- Mood swings
How Do People Misuse Prescription Drugs?
One question many ask is how it’s possible to abuse prescription drugs. The definition of misuse of a prescription drug includes taking medicine:
- In a way or dose other than prescribed
- That wasn’t prescribed to you
- For the effect it causes (getting high)
While prescription drugs are given to solve a problem, misuse is dangerous and can lead to bigger problems. That’s why it’s important to follow your prescribing physician’s instructions to the “T.”
Steps to Take to Become Free of Prescription Drugs
Are you or a loved one addicted to prescription drugs? Prescription drug addiction is as dangerous as being addicted to illicit (hardcore) drugs. That’s why you must get help for yourself or your loved one. The first step to breaking free is to seek help from a professional, dedicated rehab center. For more information on how to beat prescription drug addiction, check out our article on prescription drug abuse.
We are dedicated to helping you find your path to recovery, and helping you each step of the way through individualized emotional, spiritual and physical healing. To learn more about how addicted to prescription drugs, contact Oak Forest Recovery at 1-888-597-6257 or submit the form below to begin your journey.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html
https://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/hypoxia-hypoxemia
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