The abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise. It’s considered one of the fastest-growing drug abuse problems in this country. An estimated eighteen million people countrywide have at one time misused prescription medication.
Addiction and abuse of prescription drugs are just as dangerous as what you find on the street, like heroin or crack cocaine, even though they originally came from a doctor. A person can become dependent on a prescription drug just as quickly, too.
People abuse prescription drugs in all categories, from pain relievers to stimulants. At TruHealing Centers, we can provide drug rehab services for all types of prescription drug addiction. If you are struggling with prescription drug addiction, we can help.
What Is Prescription Drug Abuse?
Abusing a medication means you use it in a way that was not what the prescriber intended. Abuse comes at all levels. For example, taking someone else’s pain medication for your back is a form of abuse. Adolescents and young adults tend to abuse medications like opioid painkillers by using them for nonmedical purposes. Young people who abuse prescription drugs have a greater risk of using other drugs such as Molly or marijuana.
3 Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
Typically, we look at drugs in categories. There are three categories of prescription drugs you’ll find are often abused: opioid, stimulants, and depressives.
1. Opioids
An opioid is for pain relief and can include medications such as:
- Hydrocodone
- Oxycodone
- Morphine
- Fentanyl
- Codeine
The abuse of opioids can have life-threatening consequences and often lead to overdose. Opioid potency can increase when mixed with other substances as well, such as alcohol. Crushing the pills to make a powder to snort or inject also leads to the medication’s rapid release and a more potent high.
2. Stimulants
Stimulants are for the treatment of conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Commonly abused drugs in this category include:
- Adderall
- Dexedrine
- Ritalin.
This type of drug abuse provides energy and makes sleep less of a necessity, making them popular among students. Stimulants also have severe physical side effects when abuse, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and heart muscle damage. These drugs are usually consumed in pill form, but some people break them up into a powder, then dissolve it in water to create an injectable fluid.
3. Depressants
Depressants are the opposite of stimulants and come in two groups: barbiturates such as Nembutal or benzodiazepines like Valium. These drugs have a sedative effect that can lead to unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, and death when abused.
Are Prescription Drugs Addictive?
Prescription drugs, abused or not, can be addictive. In fact, opioid painkillers are highly addictive and can easily lead to drug abuse. Opioids are made from a natural or synthetic form of opium, which people have been abusing for centuries. It is the same chemical found in street drugs like heroin.
Getting Treatment for Prescription Drugs
Someone with an addiction to opioids or other prescription drugs will likely need professional treatment in a drug rehab like TruHealing Centers. The specialists on staff at TruHealing Centers have years of experience working with those who develop an addiction to prescription medication.
TruHealing Centers is one of the country’s leading treatment programs, with locations in states like Florida, Ohio, and Georgia. We offer a continuum of care that includes services such as:
- Detox
- Residential treatment
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Outpatient services
- Community housing
TruHealing Centers provide individualized care plans to ensure you get the right treatment to meet your needs, including offering dual diagnosis services.
Take the First Step to End Your Prescription Drug Abuse Today
If you or someone you love is abusing prescription drugs, now is the time to get help. Our team can provide compassionate and comprehensive treatment for addiction to prescription drugs. Give us a call at [Direct] today or fill out the TruHealing Centers’ contact form for more information.