A prototype of a drug addict would probably be someone seen in the corner of the streets. These drug addicts are for all time looking cautiously around, doing anxiety-related behaviors, yet very discrete with these behaviors. Usually, these people are avoided by passersby and are looked at by society with judgmental eyes. It is a common fact that the acquiring of drugs are done secretly.
However, if we come to realize, addicts also come from those who normally participates in the cycle of society. These addicts that we so called could be your own babysitter, the newspaperman, the bagel man, or even taxi driver who drives you everyday to work. Like almost everyone, these people are those who pay for prescribed drugs in pharmacies. Yes. Prescription drugs could be as dangerous as any illegal drugs. People who buy drugs at the pharmacy can be as addicted to certain drugs as to those who discretely buy illegal drugs from drug dealers in the corners of every street.
Prescription drug serves its purpose when it is prescribed by the doctor to the patient in order to treat any health-related problems. Other than that, what we did not observe coming was that these prescription drugs have the probability to cause dependency and addiction. In 2007, about 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs. In addition, it is a fact that prescription drug addiction also exists in other parts of the world and not just in America.
It is quite safe to say that nobody is safe from addiction because even those who are being prescribed by professionals can get prescription addiction. On the other hand, we must identify that if used properly, these drugs need not be addictive. It is when we take more than what is prescribed that we are more likely to be a candidate for prescription drug addiction.
Opioids, depressants, and stimulants are the three types of commonly abused prescription drugs. This is according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Opioids are given to individuals who suffer chronic pain. Opiods do not just take away the feelings of pain but they also cause euphoria. Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors found in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract.
Depressants are used to treat anxiety problems, acute stress, and sleep disorders. As depressants, they make the brain to function slowly. With long terms and large doses leading to tolerance, the body would require larger doses to reach the “relaxing” feeling being brought by the drug. Consequently, this could lead to addiction.
On the other hand, stimulants are the opposites of depressants. These drugs improve brain activities, increasing energy, awareness, and alertness, and are used to treat attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and narcolepsy. Stimulants cause the heart rate to increase as well as respiration which can be interpreted by the user as euphoria.
An individual is said to be an addict to the drug when he or she needs larger amount of the drug to attain certain effects. Most likely, when their physicians discontinue prescribing the drug, they go “doctor shopping”, asking friends to get drugs for them. Now, that patient becomes an addict. Most of the time, elder people are the ones vulnerable to prescription drug abuse. They did not will it. Unfortunately, they just have a tendency to be prescribed with added medications than the younger ones. The chief cause of the increase in the occurrence of prescription drug abuse is still not known. However, it cannot be denied that accessibility of the drug could be a contributing factor.
Top treat prescription drug addiction will depend upon the substance being addicted to The needs of the person should also be taken into account. The two main courses of drug addiction treatment are behavioral and pharmacological. Behavioral treatment supports patient to discontinue drug use and educate them how to function normally even without the drug. Counseling should go hand in hand so as to show and follow up the patient for any progress. Medication could also be of great help most especially with opioid addiction.
Any drug is not free from addiction
. A combination of behavioral and pharmacological treatment is a good approach to treat prescription addiction.
