Prescription Drug Addiction

Commonly abused Prescription Drugs

While treating medical conditions or mental health disorders, it is very likely that if misused, prescription drug addictions can develop. Although this may seem difficult for some people to grasp, anyone can develop an addiction, especially when prescriptions continue to help alleviate pain or offer a euphoric feeling. Once withdrawal symptoms in between doses arise, greater doses are likely to take place, kickstarting addictive behaviours.

Common Prescription drug addictions:

• Benzodiazepine Addiction
• Temazepam Addiction
• Buprenorphine Addiction
• Diazepam Addiction
• Dihydrocodeine Addiction
• Etizolam Addiction

Here are the types of prescription drugs most commonly abused:

Stimulants

Stimulant drugs are commonly prescribed for individuals who are experiencing behavioural issues, such as ADHD. Used to control behaviour, the stimulation of energy and a buzzing feeling can become addictive. Once a general prescribed dose has been consumed for some time, it is likely that the stimulant will wear off. This is where the dangerous cycle of addiction can begin, if drug doses aren’t controlled.

Those who abuse stimulant prescription drugs are also identified to turn to harder drugs, such as cocaine, with the hope to achieve the same results.

Opioids

Opioid prescription painkillers are commonly prescribed by doctors to alleviate temporary and chronic pain. Opioid drugs carry highly addictive characteristics, increasing the risk of developing a dependence if misused. This is exactly why prescriptions are usually only offered for a short period of time and commonly re-evaluated.

The likes of morphine and methadone fall into the prescription opioid category. Through their effects, many individuals will turn to their illegal counterpart in order to achieve similar highs if prescriptions are stopped or reduced. However, many individuals can experience a long-term prescription drug addiction to opioids, if control isn’t present.

Central nervous system depressants

Central nervous system depressants are commonly prescribed for individuals who are experiencing mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Down to their calming effects, many individuals do misuse CNS depressants, with the aim to maintain psychological side effects.

Great risk is present for those who are abusing CNS depressants as underlying mental health conditions are existing. When combining existing psychological impairment and drug abuse, a dual diagnosis can form where both illnesses advance one another. With this in mind, prescription drug addiction is more likely for those suffering with mental health issues, along with the risk of developing further dependencies.

If you are abusing any type of painkiller or medication, we highly recommend sourcing prescription drug addiction treatment as soon as possible. There are many underlying dangers of continuous misuse of prescription drugs.

Addiction treatment available to overcome prescription drug abuse

If you’re hoping to recover from a prescription drug addiction, we have a range of available treatment options in place to break the cycle. By starting your own rehab journey, we will assess your current health history, your reliance on prescription drugs and your mental health state. From here, suitable addiction treatments will be recommended to slowly alleviate prescription drug abuse.

Common treatment options completed through rehab include a prescription drug detox programme, cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling and group therapy. Firstly, by gauging the addictive characteristics you’ve been drawn to, our medical team will work to detox your body from those substances. However, this will be completed through a careful approach, ensuring that optimal health can be maintained.

Alongside medical treatment options, psychological intervention will be required to work through your habitual behaviours, while also promoting mental health recovery. This combination is very important to understand the underlying trigger advancing addiction.