Before prescribing drugs most doctors consider the risks as well as the benefits of prescribing that drug to a patient. When prescribing medication, it is the responsibility of the prescribing doctor to factor in several different aspects including medical issues, history of prescriptions, a person’s weight, and any other drugs the patient is currently on. If someone you know and love is prescription addicted, there are ways to help.
Getting Prescription Drugs
When prescription medication ends up getting abused the drugs are no better than illegal drugs. Prescription drugs have the aim of treating specific issues, but they can impact a person’s body in other ways. When there are changes made to a person’s body or mind from a prescription drug it is referred to as a side effect.
Many prescription drugs have association with several different side effects. Caution and extreme care should always be used when taking prescription drugs. One of the most dangerous prescription drugs are opioids. Today opioids get seen as the most addictive prescription medication.
A person often starts taking a prescription opioid for pain. The problem with this is that so many people that are prescribed painkillers, also known as opioids, become dependent on them physically and mentally. When someone is mentally prescription addicted, they take the drug for the experience that it allows them to have. This is also referred to as a mind-altering effect.
If they are physically dependent on the drug, becoming addicted often occurs as time passes. When people abuse prescription opioid drugs they’re using the drugs in a non-medical and illegal way. It is very sad that many people who are prescribed painkillers for genuine pain often come to find themselves being addicted to their medication.
When Prescribing Drugs Goes Wrong
It is unfortunate to say but there are tons of doctors that have excruciating schedules that limit the time that they have to spend with each patient. When this happens, the doctor doesn’t take adequate time to go over the history of a patient that they’re working with.
Taking this time to go through a person’s history when handing out addictive prescription drugs is extremely important and should not be overlooked. As a result, many doctors will simply write a prescription. Then tell your loved one that is struggling with the pain that the medication will help take away their pain.
While some doctors may not mean harm by this it is certainly unsafe and harmful to a patient. Doctors are supposed to be trusted and reliable. Many patients do not question the integrity of their doctor who is prescribing the medication. Also, people often don’t understand the impact that a medication can have on their life and health. Getting painkillers and becoming prescription addicted is far too common in today’s society.
Alternatives to Addictive Medication
When a person goes to a doctor to get help for something, they’re often vulnerable and desperate. As a result, they will accept and get any kind of help that they can. Unfortunately, there are so many problems that are treatable by other methods. It’s crazy to think about, but even things like eating healthier and improving physical health by exercising can help a person greatly.
Most prescription drugs that have addictive qualities are super potent and work quickly to relieve a person symptoms. By working quickly, the problems a person is going through minimizes significantly or stops altogether after the medication is taken. This can play games with someone’s mind as the prescription drugs then become somewhat of a magic solution to the problem.
Once the discovery occurs of this immediate solution it then becomes the number one choice for managing or alleviating symptoms. This is an issue for a potentially addicted loved one because it indicates a risk of drug dependency and addiction. When a drug is effective it causes individuals to become hooked and to rely on a medication beyond what is needed.
Addicted to Prescription Pills
When people take prescription medications more often than directed, they may develop an addiction. Drug addiction is destructive and often fatal to those affected. Anyone who must cope with and witness an addicted loved one suffers in his or her own way.
Advertisements for prescription drugs make them out to be a pill that will fix all of your problems. This couldn’t be any farther from the truth and many people go through challenges and suffer from this marketed belief. There are so many people who fear to become addicted to prescription drugs that alleviate symptoms from a chronic condition.
Having this fear is healthy and understandable. It’s important to understand that not everyone who takes prescription drugs will become addicted to them. When a person takes medication as it is prescribed, the likeliness of getting addicted to the medication is low.
Now, if a person has a family history of substance addiction or has struggled with the issue in the past, the risk of becoming addicted to a prescription drug is much higher. If it’s absolutely necessary to take an addictive drug, it’s important to get assistance from a doctor while taking the medication.
Help Prescription Addicted Loved Ones
When a person is an addict, nothing else seems to matter. With addiction, individuals will do anything to maintain their substance use and keep the addiction alive. Keeping their addiction going means keeping it a secret.
That person may display different behavior or look strange when they have an addiction. This is because everyone has a lifestyle and personality. Additionally, depending on the type of drug a person is using, the changes will vary. For those who abuse prescription medications, there is a pattern in the behaviors they show. If you know someone with an addiction to prescription drugs you should seek help.
There are many ways to help an addicted loved one stop. Helping someone with an addiction is not easy, and it can often mean many changes to relationships, communication, and living arrangements. It is possible to help the one you love. If you need guidance or resources please reach out to us at (866) 578-7471. We can help.
