Medical Addiction
Medical Addiction is a serious problem among youth as well as adults.
Prescription drug abuse is not only a growing concern, it has become a dangerous addiction for thousands of people regardless of age, gender and cultural background. Abusing medical drugs can lead to addiction and some of the more common addictions are to narcotic painkillers, stimulants, sedatives and tranquilizers.
Experts at the National Institutes of Health can’t say exactly why 20% of Americans have been using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. They do suspect that online pharmacies make it easy to obtain medical drugs without a prescription, even for youth.
Some examples of prescription stimulants are Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Concerta. These drugs increase the heart rate and blood pressure and produce speed-like effects including wakefulness, loss of appetite, increased concentration and for some, euphoria. Side effects can include: insomnia, anorexia, weight loss, irritability, headaches and abdominal pain.
Medical addictions to painkillers has been a common problem for decades.
Common painkiller addictions include: OxyContin, Percocet, Demerol, Vicodin and any prescription drug that contains codeine. Side effects of painkillers have a large range. They can cause constipation, feeling ill, dry mouth, itchy skin, blurred vision, difficulty in passing urine, and there is an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Sedatives sedate and there are many prescription drugs that are often prescribed such as: Valium, Librium, Serax and Halcion. These have a high addiction potential because they’re short-acting and more often than not a person builds up a tolerance to them meaning eventually they need more drug to get the same effect. These drugs also have side effects that are unpleasant. Dizziness (which is dangerous for elderly individuals whose balance is not steady), loss of balance and falling are common side effects.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2007), estimated that 6.9 million people across the United States, 12 years of age and older, have been using prescribed psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medicinal reasons. These included pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives. Over half of the people surveyed stated that they get the drug they use from someone they know. 18% claimed to have obtained the drugs they wanted from a doctor, 4% purchased pain relievers from a drug dealer or other stranger and .5% reported purchasing drugs on the Internet.
It’s important that patients be fully educated about the prescription drugs that are prescribed to them. Just as important, is to be educated on the detrimental side effects and long term damages medical drugs have for those who take them for recreational purposes. Take only what is prescribed and exactly per the medical instructions.
