While many don’t realize it, addiction to prescription drugs is just as prevalent and common as illegal drugs. Most are under the incorrect impression that prescription drugs are safer for use than illegal drugs when used recreationally as they have been prescribed by a medical professional. This is in fact, wrong, and prescription drugs are just as harmful as illegal drugs when used incorrectly. Both types of drugs are often abused due to the feeling of pleasure and relaxation they can induce, yet when misused, they can have devastating consequences. Some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs include:
- Painkillers – Codeine and Morphine are just some of the most common types of painkiller drugs that are abused. These drugs are most commonly prescribed to reduce pain, but if you take too much of them can cause feelings of euphoria that make them addictive.
- Sleep Medicines – Sleep medicines include Zaleplon, Eszopiclone, and Zolpidem, and are prescribed to help you out if you can’t sleep at night. Unfortunately, one of the side effects is that if you use them for too long you can become dependent on them and need professional help.
- Anti-Anxiety medication – There is a range of anti-anxiety drugs out there such as Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin which can help with everything from panic attacks and anxiety to sleep issues. Overusing they can lead to dependence and addiction and if you suddenly stop taking them can be dangerous.
If you find yourself becoming addicted or too dependent on a drug, it is important you get help somewhere such as our Ohio-based Prescription Drug Detox Center. The sooner you seek help, the sooner your prescription drug addiction can be successfully treated and the sooner your life can get back on track.
How Is Prescription Drug Addiction Treated?
When at a specialist prescription drug detox center, you will be given your own comprehensive rehab plan to help curb your addiction. This will include psychiatric help, certain medical treatment, and a variety of complementary therapies. Drug detox is dangerous when you are left to do it alone and it may not be safe, might not work, and could be a lot less comfortable and effective than done under the watch of a professional.
The goal of any detox program is to heal you psychologically from the addiction you have been experiencing, first through getting your body stabilized, and then detoxifying you. You will first need to get rid of any traces of the drugs in the body -which is often accompanied by unpleasant side effects – and then deal with training yourself to no longer want the drug. A detox is not a whole treatment for addiction, instead, it is a process to rid the body of the substance safely and get you in the right mental and physical place for further treatment. As addiction can be deep-rooted mentally, you will likely need psychological help on a long-term plan to stop a relapse.
Withdrawal from addictive substances can be unpleasant and you can suffer from a variety of symptoms.
Mild Prescription Drug Addiction Symptoms
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Excessive Yawning
- Muscle Aching
- Watering Eyes
- Insomnia
More Severe Prescription Drug Addiction Symptoms
- Violence
- Psychosis
- Injury
- Medical Illness or pain
- Severe Depression
- Hallucinations
There are many aspects that can affect you in your withdrawal from prescription drugs and many factors which can play a part in the symptoms you experience. These can include the length of addition, the combination of drugs used, if you have any pre-existing conditions, the life cycle of the drug, and how strong the drug is. The detox process can also differ greatly in time before you feel back to yourself again, but the most common period of time is 5-10 days.
Different detox approaches include short-term medicated detox, long-term medicated detox, and cold-turkey detox. Each is decided on based on a case-by-case basis and will depend on what the medical professional thinks is best for the patient. Cold turkey means completely stopping any drugs or substances with medical supervision in case the withdrawal symptoms are really bad. Short and long-term medical detox means they stop taking all substances, however as withdrawal symptoms kick in, they can take a short-term medication to make the symptoms more comfortable.
By being overseen by a medical professional you can remain rest assured that if anything does happen during the withdrawal process they are on hand to help. It is a tricky journey to embark on, but a detox center is the best place to start you on your journey to becoming a happier, healthier, and more stable you.
