Addressing the Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic

“In 2012, of the 41,502 drug overdose deaths in the United States, 22,114 (53%) were related to pharmaceuticals.”

Many prescription drug abusers falsely believe that medications such as OxyContin and Xanax are less harmful than their illegal counterparts because these medications are legally prescribed. Unfortunately, prescription medications have the same adverse effects on the brain as “illegal” drugs if used other than as prescribed or for an extended period of time. The brain becomes conditioned to the medication of abuse, resulting in both physical and psychological addiction.

Treatment for prescription drug addiction is vitally important, especially because prescription overdoses account for more than half of all drug-related deaths.

Even those who have never struggled with substance abuse issues may suddenly develop a prescription drug addiction if prescribed narcotics. Health circumstances arise at some point in most people’s lives that make the use of narcotic medications unavoidable. Physical tolerance to prescribed narcotic medications quickly develops and many people require increasingly higher doses of the medication. Psychological dependence often follows, trapping people in an escalating cycle of addiction.

Addiction and how it Affects Family

Prescription drug abuse not only negatively impacts the person who becomes addicted, but also the lives of everyone around them. You have the power to stop letting it. The sooner the problem is acknowledged, the sooner your family will heal.

You (or your loved-one) may require prescription drug abuse treatment if you:

• take higher doses than prescribed
• take the medication more often than prescribed
• want to, or have attempted to, stop using the medication(s) but have not yet stopped
• will have withdrawals if you stop taking the medications
• steal, forge, or sell prescriptions
• experience dramatic mood swings or hostility
• sleep too much or too little
• make frequent “bad” decisions
• appear to be “high”, unusually energetic, or your speech is slurring
• frequently “lose” prescriptions, so more must be written
• see more than one physician to treat the same problem (seeking prescriptions from more than one doctor)

Early intervention can save you from the physical, emotional, and social problems that can arise from long-term prescription drug abuse. We’ll target your treatment to the specific medication(s) you’re struggling with while focusing on the psychological and physical root factors underlying your addiction.

Finally, if you’re concerned that you’ve developed a dependence on, or addiction to, prescription medication, please Contact Us. An Admissions Expert will listen to your concerns and educate you on how we can help.

Medications most commonly abused: