Prescription drug abuse is a nationwide epidemic that can have catastrophic results. Abusing these medications meant to help can lead to addiction and behaviors that a person normally wouldn’t partake in. It can be life-changing, and result in broken relationships, broken trust, and health concerns that could potentially be life-threatening. Ending prescription drug abuse can be vital to ensuring these complications don’t occur.
How Prescription Drug Abuse Occurs
Prescription drugs are labeled with instructions that tell a person how many to take and how often to take them. When this is ignored, and a person takes more than prescribed or takes them in a manner not prescribed, this is considered prescription drug abuse. A person using their friend’s prescription medication is also considered an abuse of medications. Medications that are not prescribed or taken as prescribed can be dangerous and can result in devastating consequences.
Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse
There are some signs that loved ones can look out for that can be indicative of prescription drug abuse. Being vigilant and watching out for these signs can be life-saving. The signs of potential prescription drug abuse can include:
- Using more than prescribed
- Running out of medication before a refill
- Missing prescription medications from the home
- Changes in finances
- Mood changes
- Isolation
- Decreased personal hygiene
- Fatigue, confusion, weight loss, and slurred speech
Watching for these signs can identify if someone is struggling, and then in turn they can be encouraged to receive help and begin healing in order to recover from prescription drug abuse.
Prescription Opioid Abuse
Opioids are painkillers that help to treat or manage chronic pain. Mainly given after surgery or when someone experiences chronic, ongoing pain, opioids can be highly addictive and can affect a person’s physical and emotional well-being. Prescription drug abuse involving opioids can be dangerous and results can be fatal. Getting help as soon as possible can ensure the best possible outcome for those struggling with prescription opioid abuse.
Because these medications can build tolerance in users, it can result in needing more and more of the drug in order to achieve the desired effects, and this can lead to opioid dependence and addiction to these harmful substances. It can be life-altering, and cause changes in a person that can be extremely drastic and uncharacteristic.
Prescription Drugs and Alcohol
Mixing prescription drugs with alcohol can be extremely dangerous. Prescription medications generally come with labels stating not to drink alcohol while using them. This is due to how alcohol can alter the effects of the medication a person may be taking.
Abusing prescriptions can also include mixing alcohol with these medications. Alcohol is a depressant, so mixing alcohol with other depressants can result in severe complications, and lead to life-altering results. The risks associated with alcohol and prescription drug abuse can include things like upset stomach, drowsiness or fatigue, dizziness, headaches, heart damage, blood pressure changes, behavioral or emotional changes, and loss of coordination.
These symptoms can be dangerous and getting proper support to end prescription drug abuse is crucial to ensuring safety.
Prescription Drugs and Synthetic Opioids
Synthetic opioids can be just as dangerous as opioids. They can result in the same fatal results. Mixing synthetic opioids with other prescription drugs can be a dangerous risk to take. The drugs could interact in ways a person cannot predict, and this can result in devastating results. Struggling with prescription drug and synthetic opioid addiction can be fatal. It is crucial to end abuse of these substances as soon as possible to ensure physical and emotional safety and well-being. Help is available for those who are struggling.
Doctor Shopping and Prescription Drugs Abuse
Prescription drugs are given by medical doctors. Going to different doctors to obtain the same prescriptions can be considered to be doctor shopping. Getting multiple different prescriptions can be dangerous. Having an abundance of medications to continue prescription drug abuse can lead to devastating results. Taking more than intended can result in an overdose. These prescription drug overdoses can have fatal results, or they can result in life-altering health concerns. Doctor shopping is deceptive and manipulative as the medical professionals aren’t told the true extent of the drug abuse, nor are the previous prescriptions generally divulged.
The dangers of prescription drug abuse can have dangerous and life-changing results. Help is available and receiving proper care and support as soon as possible is crucial to surviving this challenge. Someone struggling with these drugs does not need to continue suffering alone. Reaching out for help is the first step.
Begin Healing
Struggling with prescription drug abuse can result in some severe consequences. The results can be devastating and lead to life-altering changes that can be difficult to change. There is help though. If you or a loved one are struggling, we at Louisville Addiction Center can help. We offer comprehensive proven care so that healing can begin and an individual can begin learning to live life normally again.
Contact us today and begin your journey of healing.
502-586-4554
