February 5, 2012

Posts Comments

Prescription Medications Most Commonly Abused

Vicodin tablets 

Image via Wikipedia

Addictions come in many forms and include many substances, yet addictions to prescription drugs are steadily on the rise. Whether it begins with young people finding and taking prescriptions drugs from their parents medicine cabinets, or the accidental addiction that may occur after being prescribed pain medications after a legitimate injury, addictions to prescription pain medications are increasing by leaps and bounds.

Two commonly prescribed pain medications tend to be the most commonly abused. One is called Oxycontin. Oxycontin is quite strong and is commonly prescribed for individuals that have had to take multiple pain medications for an injury, ailment or disease. By using Oxycontin, the patient can take one pill instead of several. When used as prescribed, this medication can be quite useful in controlling many different types of pain. Unfortunately, those with addictive personalities may use the medication in ways other then for its intended purpose. It can be crushed and inhaled, or crushed and added to a liquid which can be injected in the same manner as Heroin.  Because Oxycontin in its original form is a slow release medication, those misusing it by snorting or injecting it, have a higher chance of overdose, because the medication enters the blood stream too quickly.
Another prescription pain medication that is commonly abused is called Vicodin. The generic name for this medication is Hydrocodone. It is a very potent pain medication that is normally prescribed for short-term use after surgery or an injury. The effects of Vicodin can mimic those of heroin. Persons taking Vicodin may need to gradually stop taking it to avoid unpleasant side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

 

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , ,

Why do People Take Drugs?

A drug is usually taken for the first time, by choice, because a person is looking to experience pleasure or to relieve pain. It feels good, so the person takes more. Some people are fine with taking a drug or drinking an alcoholic drink once in a while, which usually does not cause harm or will not mean that the person is addicted. Most people do not take a drug with the anticipation to become addicted.

Most of the time, a person first uses a drug for experimentation. They want to see what it feels like to take the drug. They may take it because their friends are doing it. For many, it’s a social thing. They will take drugs at a party or concert or other social event, just like someone would smoke a cigarette or drink an alcoholic beverage at a special event. This person will take drugs for the sheer pleasure of it. The problem with this is that everyone reacts differently to drugs and you could die the first time you take a drug.

Then, there are those that take drugs to take away pain. It may be physical pain or emotional pain. At first, it’s also an innocent event. But, whatever the pain is that the person is trying to take away will become tolerant of the drug and the person will have to keep increasing the amount of the drug to achieve the desired pain free feeling. This could be prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or alcohol.

Many people, especially young people, think that if a drug is sold in a store, then it must be okay to take, which is usually the case, as long as it’s not abused. Some people think taking drugs will reduce their levels of stress, which can happen, as long as it’s not abused. And some think it will make them cool, which is simply not the case. Some people will take drugs, like steroids, because they think it will make their body look better, but they cause acne, increased body hair, baldness, stunts growth, and more.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , ,

Keeping Teens Off Prescription Drugs

Non-U.S.A. 10mg Valium.
Image via Wikipedia

Teenage prescription drug abuse becomes a bigger problem by the day. Recent statistics show that teens are abusing common prescription drugs more frequently than all other illegal drugs combined, with the exception of marijuana. Because these drugs, commonly used legitimately as medicine, are so readily available, the problem only continues to grow.

Prescription drugs are available not only in the pharmacy, but in a growing number of online drug stores. These sites charge a premium for their products, but the majority of them do not require a prescription or any type of identification, making it all too easy for a teen, or anyone, to access these drugs for recreational use.

The most often abused drugs include the opium-based painkillers, like Oxycontin and Vicodin; the relaxants, like Xanax and Valium; and the stimulants, like Ritalin. Besides ordering them online, the pills are easy enough to find in the home medicine cabinet, and are easily resold in school hallways and playgrounds.

A growing number of teens who wouldn’t use illicit drugs have a different attitude about prescription medicines, thinking that they must be safe because they are prescribed by a doctor, and everyone takes them. This mindset is dangerous; the reality is that when these medicines are not needed, they can be very dangerous. Every day, more than fifty people in the U.S. alone die from unintentional drug overdoses. A large percentage of these are from using prescription drugs.

Parents can ensure that their kids stay away from these drugs by talking with them about the real dangers of using medicines inappropriately. Learn more about these and other drugs on informative sites like Rehab-International.org. Keep all prescriptions out of reach, and properly dispose of unused medications. Maintaining an updated inventory of all drugs in the house, even over-the-counter medicines, can also help. Staying engaged and in touch with children and teens perhaps makes the biggest difference.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , ,

Recovering From a Substance Abuse Problem

Some people are more susceptible to problems like substance abuse. Others can seemingly do anything and not become addicted. With that in mind, though, it’s important that you’re careful with things like drugs and alcohol. Even legal, prescription drugs can cause a problem if you take too many of them or take them when they aren’t supposed to be used. People can overdose on things like anti-anxiety medications, painkillers, and other types of medications. There is also a ‘black market’ where legal medications are illegally sold to people who don’t have prescriptions for them. If you’ve become addicted to some kind of substance, help is out there for you.

Don’t despair, because there are plenty of organizations out there that can help you succeed in getting clean and sober. You’ll have to do the work, but you’ll have help from people who care about you and who want to see you get better. You’ll also have help from trained professionals who know what to do to bring about recovery. Don’t give up, and don’t assume that you’re the one person that can’t get clean. Most addicts feel like that, but they find that it isn’t true once they get started on the road to recovery.

Even if you feel like everything and everyone is coming against you, that’s no reason to quit. It just means that you should fight a little bit harder so you can get clean. You can prove to yourself that you can do what you need to do in order to live a sober life. It might not be easy at first, but nothing worth doing is ever that easy. The valuable things in life require work, but they’re well worth it in the end. Getting (and staying) clean and sober is like that – it takes effort, but the rewards are great.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Substance Abuse Recovery Tagged With: , ,

Prescription Drug Rehab Grows

Logo of the United States National Institute o...
Image via Wikipedia

Ten years ago if someone entered a rehabilitation center for substance abuse it was for one of two things. They were either abusing alcohol or street drugs. Those were the two common substance abuse issues that people entered rehab in hopes of overcoming.

Although alcohol abuse and street drug abuse is still a huge problem across America, another problem has slowly started to creep up. This problem isn’t something that is illegal or as taboo as the other addictions. In fact, many people suffer from this type of substance abuse and don’t even know it because they believe what they are doing isn’t wrong. The type of abuse that is being referred to here is that of prescription drug abuse.

Prescription drug abuse has reached new levels over the past 10 years. While prescription drug abuse is probably not a new concept and has been going on for many years, it has recently gained public attention and people are starting to take notice. One of the first steps in helping tackle the problem of prescription drug abuse was to designate a specific help center for those who are suffering from this addiction can go to. Prescription drug rehab centers have started to be built all over the place. As a center that focuses on prescription drug abuse, they focus on weening the addict off of the prescription drug, individual and group counseling and how to deal with pain.

Learning to deal with pain is one of the most important elements of prescription drug rehab centers. Due to the availability of prescription drugs in a number of states, these drugs can be easily brought and used by the addict and it wouldn’t even be considered illegal. Learning how to deal with chronic pain so that there isn’t a need to be on heavy prescription drugs can be one of the first steps to helping defeat the addiction.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Substance Abuse Treatment Tagged With: , , , , , , ,