Prescription Drug Abuse
The problem of prescription drug abuse has become alarmingly common these days. The irony of the situation is almost comical as a drug that is legally prescribed by a certified doctor to relieve a patient of a problem that he is facing becomes a problem in itself. It is a problem that is dangerous and destructive and has the potential to take a person’s life.
Pros and Cons of Prescription Drugs
Before talking about the pros and cons of prescription drugs let us take a look at what prescription drugs actually include. Commonly abused prescription drugs include stimulants, pain relievers, tranquilizers and sedatives. An abuse of these drugs can be simply defined a situation where a person start consuming these drugs in ways they were not intended for or not recommended for. For example when a person starts taking these drugs without a prescription, with a prescription but inconsistent with the doctor’s instructions or when the drug is taken solely for the feeling of experience it gives to the user. The above mentioned points clearly define the pros and cons of these prescription drugs. The pros obviously include the treatment or relief that these prescription drugs provide to a patient for which they are actually meant for and the major con of these drugs is the addictive nature of narcotic element that they carry which have the potential of taking over a person’s life in the most negative manner possible.
Types of Prescription Drug Abuse
The most common type of prescription drug abuse happens in three types of drugs namely:
Opiates: These drugs are usually prescribed for pain relief. They are available with medical names of Fentanyl, methadone, morphine, codeine and analogs. Usually they are snorted, injected or smoked when they are abused. They provide a person relief from pain mixed with a feeling of euphoria and drowsiness. However their abuse or improper use can cause impaired coordination, confusion, constipation, slowed or arrested breathing and in extreme cases coma or death. Opiate addiction treatment programs can include Suboxone treatment, opiate detox, and sober living programs.
CNS Depressants: They are usually prescribed to patient facing anxiety or sleep problems. They are commonly known as sedatives or tranquilizers. Medically they are available under names of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. When taken they sedate a patient and give them a feeling of well-being with lowered inhibitions. Improper use can cause dizziness, impaired coordination and memory, poor concentration and in extreme cases respiratory distress and even death if it is combined with alcohol.
Stimulants: Usually prescribed for narcolepsy (sleep disorder), ADHD (attention –deficit hyperactivity disorder) and obesity. They are available under medical names of amphetamine and methylphenidate. When consumed they give a feeling exhilaration, mental alertness and increased energy. Improper use can cause increased blood pressure, insomnia, reduced appetite and in severe cases seizure, heart attack and stroke.
Avoiding Prescription Drug Abuse
Prescription drug addiction are meant to treat or relieve a medical condition that a person is facing, therefore there use must be kept limited to their medical use only so as to avoid their dangerous side. This is why it is important to take your medication as prescribed, keep full information on any medication that you are having and ask your doctor about their possible side effects, also listen carefully to all the information your doctor as well as pharmacist provide you about the medication.
Need More Help?
