The hidden dangers of prescription drug addiction

When people think about drug addiction they will often conjure up images of heroin users or those who use cocaine.  However, there are other drug addictions that in some ways are more dangerous, that of prescription drug addiction.  An increasing number of individuals are using prescription drugs for purposes other than what they are intended for. 

A BBC news report documents that more than one million people are misusing prescription drugs and that new rules should be introduced to try and protect further people from falling prey to the addiction (BBC News, 2011). 

Prescription drugs pose a danger because people have relatively easier access to the substances as they are not illicit substances, and people have only to convince their doctor they are in need of the medication to continue receiving their 'fix'. 

But as the dangers of prescription drug use is becoming increasingly better understood, and as the withdrawal symptoms can be similar to that of detoxing from heroin, treatment providers have begun offering programs to help people recover from an addiction to prescribed drugs as well as illicit substances. 

Those who are suffering from an addiction to prescribed drugs are now being encouraged to attend an addiction centre to address their problem.  In many instances, people begin to use medications for appropriate reasons, but somewhere down the line become dependent upon the feeling they associate with them.  It is this dependency that is addressed in community and private rehab clinics, as people are often unaware of the issues that lead them to become dependent on prescription drugs.

Addiction to prescribed medication can have an effect that can be as devastating as an addiction to alcohol or illicit substances, and as reports show use is on the rise, addiction centres will need to adapt their approaches to suit the needs of these individuals to help protect them from the damage addiction can have.

BBC News.  (2011).  Life addicted to prescription drugs.  Sourced from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14299501

Published by on 05/03/2020.