Prescription Drugs Addiction Causes & Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse depend on the specific drug. The most commonly abused prescription drugs are:

Opioids – Often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. For example, medications containing oxycodone, such as OxyContin, and Percocet, and those containing hydrocodone, such as Norco.

Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. However, using them can lead to dependency and substance use disorder. Like alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium), hypnotics like zolpidem (Ambien) help with anxiety and sleep issues. It is important to follow a Medicare prescription drug plan for safe use.

Stimulants are drugs that increase activity in the body. They mainly affect the brain and central nervous system. Stimulants make you feel more alert and happy. They help you stay awake and talk more. They also reduce your appetite. Some examples are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), dextroamphetamine, and amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis). These drugs are used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and some sleep disorders.

Some users misuse these drugs to feel good or get high. They may want to relax or relieve stress. Others use them to reduce appetite or feel more alert. Some experiment with the drug’s mental effects. Others may want to maintain an addiction and avoid withdrawal. Some seek acceptance from friends or want to be social. Finally, some hope to improve their focus and performance at school or work. Even when taking medications under a Medicare prescription drug plan, misuse can occur. These causes imply that all addicts want to avoid their fears and problems.

It is not cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines that are the fastest-growing drugs in the US. Teenagers’ lives are being severely impacted by prescription medicines.

Prescription drug misuse and abuse happen when someone uses a medication incorrectly. This can include using it without a prescription, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) DrugFacts. Unfortunately, youth prescription drug usage and abuse are serious issue. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on teenagers and young adults show that, in 2014, more than 5,700 youth reported using prescription painkillers for the first time without a doctor’s prescription.

America’s history of prescription drug addiction goes back over a hundred years. It started with the misuse of laudanum, a mix of opium and alcohol. This was a traditional treatment for diarrhea, coughing, discomfort, anxiety, and insomnia. In the 1800s, physicians all over the nation utilized laudanum. However, it was really addictive.

Additionally, it formed a fascinating division of addiction for those who lived in the 1800s. A woman of Caucasian descent was the typical laudanum user. Alcohol was the drug of addiction for men. Women were not expected to go to bars or saloons. They were not supposed to be seen drinking. Instead, they could visit their doctors for their addictive medications. And many did, whether it was for mental issues, menstrual cramps, pregnancy, or birthing issues.

If you are wondering how to report someone abusing these kinds of drugs, call your local authorities. Do this if you see any illegal drug activities.

In 2020, 5.8% of people aged 12 and older misused prescription therapy drugs. This is about 16.1 million people. (Source: National Institute On Drug Abuse)
In 2021, 4.4% of 12th-grade students reported misusing prescription medication in the past year. (Source: National Institute On Drug Abuse)
In 2020, about 758,000 people, or 0.3% of those 12 and older, were expected to have a prescription stimulant use disorder. (Source: 2020 National Survey On Drug Use And Health)

Prescription medication addiction carries substantial concerns for a person’s health, just like all drug usage. Abusing this can lead to nausea, mood swings, and problems with thinking. It can also cause breathing issues, coma, or even death.

There are numerous ways you can report someone who is abusing prescription medications. According to HealthDay, there are about seven million prescription drug abusers in the United States. This figure is far higher than the sum of heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine abusers. Many people consider addiction, but don’t want to connect with it. They don’t believe it will ever occur to a loved one. Never would their friends or family put them in that predicament. It isn’t a choice, that’s the thing. An illness, addiction is. For instance, following surgery, a person can be given a prescription for painkillers. They might start to rely on them. Then, as their tolerance grows, they start abusing the drugs that are supposed to be helping them.

Prescription painkillers and ADHD meds are two examples of drugs that are more addictive than others. Only the person who has been prescribed these medications should take them. This applies even under a medicare prescription drug plan. They should also take the right dosage. However, this doesn’t always happen. Abusing prescribed medications is typically not someone’s intention. But it does take place.

Do you know someone abusing prescription medications? Do you desire their assistance? There are various methods for doing this. Reporting a loved one can feel scary. You may think you are betraying them, but it could be the right choice. Most people will deny having an addiction or become hostile if you bring it up to them. Even if they take medications under a Medicare plan, reporting them can help you assist them. Their life might be saved thanks to it.

Prescription medication addiction carries substantial concerns for a person’s health, just like all drug usage. Using this incorrectly can lead to nausea, mood swings, and trouble thinking. This is true even if the drugs are prescribed under a medicare prescription drug plan. It can also cause breathing issues, coma, or even death.

Using prescription medications in ways not advised by a doctor can be riskier than people think. It is actually drug misuse. Like using illegal narcotics, it is also illegal.

Prescription medication addiction carries substantial concerns for a person’s health, just like all drug usage. Abuse can lead to nausea, mood swings, and problems with thinking. It can also cause breathing issues, coma, or even death.

In 2020, 5.8% of people aged 12 and older misused prescription therapy drugs. This is about 16.1 million people.

(Source: National Institute On Drug Abuse)

The effects of prescription medications can vary a lot. This depends on the type of medication, the dosage, the person using it, and how long it has been used.

According to the general kind of substance, the following are some indications of prescription drug abuse:

Opioid painkillers: One of the biggest drug problems in the United States is the overuse of opioids. Constipation, slowing breathing, a feeling of disorientation, lack of coordination, and nausea are a few examples of physical symptoms. Also possible is drowsiness. The more opioids a person uses, the more likely they are to feel the pain that opioids are meant to relieve. There are withdrawal symptoms associated with opioids that can reveal drug use. Opioid withdrawal symptoms can include uncontrollable jerks, vomiting, diarrhea, discomfort, restlessness, cold flashes, and seizures.
Sedatives, especially prescription anti-anxiety drugs, can cause physical symptoms. These include tiredness, slurred speech, and trouble focusing. You may also have memory issues, slower breathing, difficulty walking, and dizziness. Both poor judgment and uncontrollable tics or motions could happen.
Stimulants: Anxiety, jitteriness, or agitation are possible early indications that someone is using stimulants. Stimulants, like amphetamines, have noticeable signs. These signs include loss of appetite, increased body temperature, and an irregular heartbeat. People who abuse stimulants frequently endure unexplained weight loss and may even have seizures.

To stop prescription drug abuse, we need to take several steps.
1. We should strengthen and better enforce laws.
2. Medical practices for prescribing opioids need to be improved.
3. Prescribers must be educated about the risks and benefits of high-dose opioids.
4. We should add prevention measures to improve access to substance abuse services and programs that reduce overdose harm.

If you have prescription medications without permission, you could face serious legal consequences. These may include jail time, a criminal record, and fines.

Opioids are often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. For example, medications containing oxycodone, such as OxyContin and Percocet, and those containing hydrocodone, such as Norco.

Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. However, using them can lead to dependency and substance use disorder. Alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium) are used to treat anxiety. Hypnotics like zolpidem (Ambien) help with sleep disorders.

Stimulants are drugs that increase activity in the body. They mainly affect the brain and central nervous system. Stimulants induce alertness, elevated mood, wakefulness, increased speech, and motor activity, and decrease appetite, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others), dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis), and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and certain sleep disorders.

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse depend on the specific drug.

–Opioids – Often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. For example, medications containing oxycodone, such as OxyContin and Percocet, and those containing hydrocodone, such as Norco.

–Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. However, using them can lead to dependency and substance use disorder. Alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium) are used to treat anxiety. Hypnotics like zolpidem (Ambien) help with sleep disorders.

–Stimulants are drugs that excite the body. They mainly affect the brain and central nervous system. Stimulants make you feel more alert and happy. They help you stay awake and talk more. They also reduce your appetite. Some examples are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), dextroamphetamine, and amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis). These drugs are used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and some sleep disorders.

–Opioids – Often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. For example, medications containing oxycodone, such as OxyContin and Percocet, and those containing hydrocodone, such as Norco.

–Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. However, using them can lead to dependency and substance use disorder. Alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium) are used to treat anxiety. Hypnotics like zolpidem (Ambien) help with sleep disorders.

–Stimulants are drugs that excite the body. They mainly affect the brain and central nervous system. Stimulants make you more alert and improve your mood. They help you stay awake and talk more. They also reduce your appetite. Some examples are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), dextroamphetamine, and amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis). These drugs treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and some sleep disorders.

It is not cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines that are the fastest-growing drugs in the US. Teenagers’ lives are being severely impacted by prescription medicines.

Prescription drug misuse and abuse happen when someone uses a medication incorrectly. This can include using it without a prescription, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) DrugFacts. Unfortunately, youth prescription drug usage and abuse are serious issue. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on teenagers and young adults show that, in 2014, more than 5,700 youth reported using prescription painkillers for the first time without a doctor’s prescription.