With millions of prescriptions handed out by doctors each year, American patients are now a part of a historic epidemic. Back pain, tooth pain, joint pain, mental pain—no matter the pain, there’s a pill for that. Doctors happily hand these pills out to their patients, making profits by the billions each year, with seemingly no consideration for the potential risks. Chances are, you see illicit prescription drug abuse exploding in your state, community and maybe even your home. The first step to resolving anything is to become knowledgeable about it. Read on for further information about this devastating national issue.
Why Are Prescription Drugs Abused
Prescription drugs come in all sizes and forms—stimulants, sedatives, tranquilizers, pain relievers, etc., etc. The purpose of medications like this is not to cure or resolve chronic conditions, but to treat and manage symptoms. This keeps patients returning for more of these highly addictive “wonder drugs.”
Adderall, Vicodin, Oxycontin and Xanax are just a few examples of name brand medications designed to provide temporary relief or heightened energy, mood or concentration in some way. While we suffer from the practice of “results NOW” in many aspects of our culture (with everything from instant weight loss, fast food to get rich quick schemes), there is perhaps nothing more dangerous to our society than prescription drug abuse.
The science behind abuse and addiction can help you to understand the underlying causes for illicit prescription drug abuse exploding in the United States. Physically, the body becomes tolerant of drugs—no matter what they are. This can lead to simple dependency, or addiction. Viral suppressant medication may be something you are physically dependent on, for example, but not “addicted” to.
A powerful pain drug like Percocet, though, is highly addictive. This means that the body begins to require higher and higher doses of the drug for the same effect to be produced on the body. Over prolonged use, addiction (both mentally and physically) develops. Abstinence from a drug like Percocet will actually produce withdrawal symptoms, further driving the dependency.
Popular Prescription Drugs
About 5 million Americans abuse tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives each year, but another 5 million (or more) abuse just prescription pain relievers alone. Abusers include American adults, but also a great deal of high school teens as well. 1 in 12 high school seniors report the non-medical use of a prescription pain drug (like Vicodin or Oxycontin) without a doctor’s consent.
Other popular prescription drugs for abuse are Adderall (a stimulant, often used as a “study drug”), cough medicine and Xanax (a drug used to treat anxiety.)
Where Do Abusers Get Their Drugs
The medical community prescribed over 210 million prescription painkillers last year, not to mention the 45 million stimulant drugs that were handed out, etc. These drugs ultimately originate with a legitimate prescription. A majority of teens who are abusing prescription drugs obtain them from a family member or a friend.
Do your part to become aware and active in stopping this national problem. Avoid the use of prescription drugs except where strictly medically necessary, keep pills out of the wrong hands by responsibly storing and disposing of your pills, and get help if you notice a loved one appears to be struggling with prescription drug dependency.
Help Through Narconon Objectives
Even though illicit prescription abuse is a major problem there is help that does for work those addicted to prescriptions. This is through Narconon Objectives which are processes used through the Narconon drug rehab program.
These exercises achieve results with addicts by unsticking their attention on the past and helping to get them into present time.
For more information on Narconon Objectives contact us today.