Prescription Drug Abuse and How to Detect It
Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem that affects all walks of life. It is in fact, the single most overlooked form of drug addiction in the United States and in this time of financial turmoil it’s on the rise.
What is the Problem?
The reason that this form of drug abuse is so prevalent may stem from the misconception that because these drugs are prescribed they will be less harmful. The truth is very different. When a drug is prescribed the doctor is aware of the patient’s health conditions and gives the prescript for the proper dose based on that condition.
When the drug is taken by a person that doesn’t need it; taken in larger quantities than intended or for a longer period than it is needed, it can cause risks to that user that would otherwise be minimal or non-existent.
Prescription drugs are also much easier to get. Often it’s as simple as opening the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.
Who Uses Prescriptions Like This?
The truth is that this form of drug abuse is an all-encompassing problem. While it’s most well known and studied among teens, it is also a problem among the elderly and the middle class; sometimes it even happens on accident. Patients taking meds for chronic pain or anxiety are at an equally high risk for abusing them.
How Do I Know If Someone I Know is an Abuser?
Look for These Symptoms:
• Sudden Changes in Behavior: If there are clear changes in the way they act either to you or others there may be a reason to suspect.
• Sleep Pattern Changes: Some medications inhibit sleep while others may make the user more tired. Watch for a change in the periods of rest your loved one takes and note them.
• Seeing a Lot of Doctors or Suffering Lingering Medical Conditions: If they seem to take longer to heal than expected or see several doctors at once there may be a problem.
How Do I Keep This From Being a Problem?
• Monitor Use: Keep track of all the medications in your home. Count the pills and keep track of when they’re refilled. It doesn’t matter if they are your own or another member of the household’s. You’re monitoring your own use and whether or not any of them may be being stolen.
• Follow Dosing: Make no changes from the original dosage without a doctor’s consent.
• Conceal or Throw Out Old Meds: Never leave them where they can be a temptation, better yet, if you’re done pitch them. When disposing of meds be sure to throw them out with refuse like used kitty litter or coffee grounds to discourage digging them out. NEVER flush prescriptions! Doing this will pollute the water supply.
• Tell a Friend: Speak to your friends and neighbors about the risks involved with leaving meds out and tell them how well these changes have helped you. This is especially important at homes where your loved one may visit.
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October 12th, 2009 at 8:59 am
[...] with their labeling, if the prescriptions are genuinely written for that person by their doctor. Prescription drug abuse is also one of the most embarrassing addictions, but one that thankfully is also the easiest to [...]