Prescription Drugs Addiction
Prescription drugs addiction is the second part of the drug addiction discussion. While drugs are drugs regardless of legal status, most people believe that taking any type of prescription drug is a legitimate activity. And this may be true for heart medications, or other tablets that keep humans alive, and control their diseases, but prescription drugs addictions are more commonly caused by dependencies on pain medications, as well as other medicinal ingredients that create a state of euphoria. The level to which a prescription drug is considered addicting is determined by its ability to become habit forming.
Undoubtedly, prescription drugs addiction is sometimes harder to identify and treat. Although a person's behavior may change over time, others who are aware of their chronic pain make excuses for their behavior, saying the pain or the drugs caused the behavior. Further, even in cases where others mention that a problem exists, the user does not agree, often citing the fact that a doctor would not prescribe the drugs if there were potential problems. It is more difficult for people to understand that something that was prescribed to make someone well, is actually the root of that person's current issues. Unlike illegal drugs where most people see the damage, the same is not true of prescription drugs addiction because people view the two types of drugs differently. In reality, both contraband and prescription drugs can be detrimental in the wrong hands.
In addition to society accepting prescription drug use as normal, it is difficult to determine who will eventually become addicted to the drugs. For example, just because a drug is classified at the high end of the scale in terms of habit forming, not all patients will become addicts. Some will forgo taking the drugs at all, knowing the implications of long-term use, others will use the drugs for the applied purposes and stop when told to do so, and others yet, will feel no relief from the drugs and stop using them. For individuals that fall into these categories, the propensity to abuse prescription drugs is low and in some cases non-existent. The problem for doctors is not knowing how patients will react to the drugs, and not knowing which individuals are most likely to become addicted and abuse the drugs and the medical system.
Furthermore, according to PharmaClub.net although the medical profession agrees that anyone can become addicted to any type of drug, even those sold as over-the-counter remedies, typically drugs that are most habit forming are placed into three categories including benzodiazepines, opioids and amphetamines. Benzodiazepines are tranquilizers such as Valium and Librium. Opioids are painkillers made from the poppy plant such as Codeine and Morphine. Amphetamines produce the same feeling as the hormone called Adrenalin, and are generally used to supplement dieting by decreasing the appetite, and to force the body to stay awake for longer periods to complete required tasks such a night driving, studying or working.
Similar to street drugs, individuals who suffer from prescription drugs addiction will need therapy or rehabilitation. Some enter facilities, while others choose to approach their addictions by attending weekly sessions with a professional. The choice of inpatient versus outpatient facility will depend on the individual's level of addiction and the damage caused.