Prescription Drugs Rehab and Addiction Treatment

Addictions We Treat

Oxycodone Addiction

Addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem in the U.S. and worldwide. According to SAMHSA’s Results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 18 million people in the U.S aged 12 and over had misused prescription drugs in the previous year.

There is a wide range of prescription drugs with a high potential for abuse. These drugs generally fall under three categories:

• Opioids
• Benzodiazepines
• Stimulants

One of several causal factors in this growing problem could be a lack of education around the dangers of these drugs. A worrying number of people misuse their prescription drugs. Prescription drugs are issued for a specific reason, and misuse of these drugs means that a person uses them outside of the doctor’s recommendation – either too frequently or in too high a dose.

When people misuse any drug, they place themselves at risk of developing a dependence, according to Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. Dependence means that the body needs the drug to function properly. If dependence is left unresolved, then a person will likely develop an addiction. When this happens, quitting the drug can be monumentally difficult, and depending on the drug, addiction can be fatal.

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Many prescription drugs are opioid-based. According to the Drug and Alcohol Review, opiates have a high potential for abuse and addiction.

Examples of prescription opioids include:

Opioids are not the only prescription drugs that are abused. Rehabilitation centers around the world are seeing clients enter treatment for addiction to prescription benzodiazepines and stimulants. Benzodiazepines, like opioids, are depressant drugs. This means that they slow down activity in the central nervous system (CNS), as explained by The Ochsner Journal.

Common benzodiazepines include:

According to the Journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, opioids and benzodiazepines are particularly dangerous when taken along with other substances, such as alcohol, for example, as this is also a depressant. If a person uses opioids or benzodiazepines along with alcohol, they risk dangerously slowed breathing and a drop in heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to death, according to the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Stimulants are also common prescription drugs that are abused. Prescription stimulants are typically given to adults or children who have ADD or ADHD.

Examples of prescription stimulants include:

There are a wide range of symptoms that accompany prescription drug addiction. Symptoms vary depending on the drug, how much is being used, frequency of use, and the individual’s physiology.

The following are some general signs and symptoms that a person is abusing prescription drugs:

If you notice these signs of abuse in a loved one, please contact us at Excel to seek guidance. We can advise you on how best to approach this challenging situation. Confrontation without tact is rarely the best approach and can cause frustration and anger in your loved one. At Excel, our team of recovery specialists is on hand to help appropriately manage your situation.

The withdrawal symptoms associated with methamphetamine addiction can be tough to manage alone. Professional supervision and assistance must be provided if a client is going to have any real chance of recovery.

As reported in the journal Addiction, common methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms include:

Addiction is already a complicated condition to treat. Treatment becomes more complex when the client is suffering from an underlying or pre-existing disorder.

The journal Social Work in Public Health reports that disorders that often co-occur with substance abuse include:

In addition to positive reinforcement and genetic and environmental factors, an attempt to self-medicate can also cause addiction. Attempts at self-medication may provide some short-term relief from the existing condition but only serve to worsen the condition in the long-term and increase the likelihood of addiction.

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Addictions often develop as a result of ‘positive reinforcement’, claims a report in Neuropsychopharmacology. This is a psychological process whereby a person is driven to take the drug repeatedly to achieve a biological ‘reward’. Positive reinforcement is particularly common among people who already struggle with another condition or disorder. These drugs can give temporary relief and provide an appealing break from the symptoms of the pre-existing condition.

When prescription drugs are misused, users achieve a ‘high’ in the form of relaxation, pleasure, mild euphoria, increased concentration, or significantly reduced anxiety and depression.

According to The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, genetics may also play a role in the onset of addiction. If a person has an immediate relative suffering from substance abuse, then that person is at a higher risk of developing an addiction themselves.

A third common factor in developing an addiction is a person’s environment, according to a report in Military Medicine. If an individual is exposed to substance abuse in their early years, the behavior may become normalized, and the dangers associated with misuse will seem less dangerous. If a person is surrounded by peers who use drugs, they are also more likely to misuse them. In addition, the experience of stressful life events such as sudden loss or trauma can increase a person’s likelihood of substance misuse.

At Excel Treatment Center, we provide every client with an initial mental health screening and assessment before creating an individually tailored treatment program. Identifying other conditions allows us to tailor our recommendations to suit our client’s personal circumstances and give them the best chance of success.