A prototype of a drug addict would probably be someone seen in the corner of the streets. They are for all time looking cautiously around, doing anxiety-related behaviors, yet very discrete with these behaviors. These individuals are most of the time being avoided by people passing by. They are also being seen as an outcast in the society they belong. These addicts secretly acquire the drugs from a dealer in a rendezvous.
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 buy prescribed drugs in pharmacies. Yes. Prescription drugs could be as dangerous as any banned drugs. People who buy drugs at the pharmacy might 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 function when it is prescribed by the doctor to the patient in order to take care of any health-related problems. Other than that, what we did not see coming was that these prescription drugs have the probability to be a reason of dependency and addiction. In 2007, about 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs. In addition, it has been known that prescription drug addiction do not only exist in America but also in other parts of the world.
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 should distinguish that if taken 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.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are three types of commonly abused prescription drugs. These are opioids, depressants, and stimulants.
Opioids are prescribed to relieve sever pain usually after surgery. But besides alleviating pain, these drugs could also cause feelings of euphoria. This substance works by binding to opioid receptors found in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract.
Central nervous system depressants are used to take care 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 achieve the “relaxing” feeling being brought by the drug. Consequently, this could lead to addiction.
Stimulants, on the other hand, do the opposite of depressants. These drugs enhance brain activities, augmenting 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. This leads the patient to addiction. Usually, elder people are the ones vulnerable to prescription drug abuse. They did not will it. Regrettably, they just tend to be prescribed with added medications than the younger ones. The main cause of the increase in the incidence of prescription drug abuse is still not known. However, it can never be denied that accessibility of the drug could be a causative factor.
Top treat prescription drug addiction will depend upon the substance being addicted to The needs of the individual should also be taken into account. Behavioral and pharmacological are the two main courses of drug addiction. 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 guide and follow up the patient for any development. Medication could also be of great help most especially with opioid addiction.
There is no drug that is free from addiction. A combination of behavioral and pharmacological treatment is a good approach to treat prescription addiction.
