Am I Misusing My Prescription Medication: Self Test
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According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 16.1 million people have reported misusing psychotherapeutic drugs in the last twelve months. This massive number shows how high the misuse of drugs is in society.
If you’re on drugs or have someone taking prescription drugs, you may ask if they or am I practicing prescription drug abuse? While you may unknowingly contribute to the practice, staying vigilant is essential.
In this post, you will learn about abusing prescriptions, how to stay away from the practice, and other vital drug abuse aspects. We also have a drug addiction quiz to help you know if you or your loved one is abusing prescription drugs.
What is Prescription Drug Abuse?
According to MedlinePlus, this is the use of prescription drugs alternate from the intended one. Drug abuse takes various forms, and they include;
- Taking drugs to get high
- Exceeding the prescribed dosage
- Using someone else’s prescription
- Using drugs in another form other than the intended one, like crushing tablets and snorting them.
While the primary source for these drugs is the doctors, they usually consider the adverse effects. And with this, they ensure to prescribe the medications well, but some individuals don’t take the consequences into account.
This results in drug addiction and fatal consequences.
Why Prescription Drug Misuse is Rising
Unlike banned drugs, most abused prescription drugs are available. Anyone can buy these drugs, whether in physical pharmacies or online.
Many teens and adults think their usage is safe since doctors prescribe them. However, lack of knowledge about these drugs’ harmful effects leads to overdose, addiction, and worse loss of life.
Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
When talking about drug addiction, most people will attribute this to street drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and others. However, it’s essential to note that over-the-counter drugs have become a common issue in the country.
Below are commonly abused prescription drugs.
Stimulants
These are prescription drugs usually prescribed to treat sleep disorders, ADHD, and boost antidepressants. Excellent examples of stimulants are Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Adderall.
They are usually taken orally, but some will dissolve the pills in water and inject themselves. Problems arising from stimulant abuse are primarily attributed to one’s cardiovascular system.
These problems include heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. It’s also essential to note that these drugs pose high risks when mixed with over-the-counter medicines like certain antidepressants.
Dextromethorphan (DXM)
This is a commonly abused prescription drug usually sold over the counter. It’s usually found in cough syrups and specific caplets.
Statistics show it has overtaken codeine in usage due to its efficacy, availability, and safety profile when taken as directed. When taken, it affects specific brain regions causing mind-altering effects.
However, an excessive amount of dosage gets needed for it to be effective. It causes increased heart rates, impaired motor function, nausea, and high blood pressure.
Opioids
These prescription drugs are usually prescribed for pain relief. When used as directed, they prove safe and effective for after-surgery patients and injured ones.
They are usually intended for oral usage and have time-release properties. This implies that they get designed to release their active strength properties over a specified time frame.
However, when these painkillers get crushed to get snorted or injected, they release their strength faster. This leads to opioid addiction and can lead to an overdose or death.
It’s also vital to note that mixing opioids with other drugs leads to life-threatening effects. Substances in question include barbiturates, alcohol, benzodiazepines, among others.
Depressants
These prescription drugs usually come in multi-colored pills, liquids, and capsules. They get attributed to affecting one’s Central Nervous System.
They are usually taken orally and interact with GABA, a natural brain’s neurotransmitter. While naturally occurring GABA benefits sleep and stress curbing, its excessive artificial form is dangerous.
Problems arising from depressant misuse depend on dose and strength. And these problems are confusion, low blood pressure, and addiction.
Barbiturates, otherwise known as downers, cause relaxation and euphoria when taken in small doses.
Ethyl Alcohol is the typical legal alcohol. According to the CDC, one out of six individuals confesses to binge drinking four times monthly.
Benzodiazepines are safe for short usage. But, with long-term use comes tolerance, dependency, and withdrawal symptoms on stoppage.
Factors Contributing to Drug Abuse
While some people practice abusing drugs unknowingly, some are aware of their doings. Several factors can also contribute to these harmful practices.
Signs of Drug Abuse
If you have been on prescription drugs, asking yourself the question, “am I abusing?” is inevitable. While this question can also reflect when dealing with a loved one, knowing the signs is essential.
Opioids
With prolonged prescription drugs use, your personality and traits may change. However, you may fail to notice the changes hence become unaware.
Personality changes include:
- Getting irritated fast when out of prescription
- Anxious about someone knowing your usage traits
- A significant change in socializing
Neglecting personal hygiene
As highlighted, noticing these changes can be challenging if analyzing yourself. But you can quickly note them when dealing with a loved one on drugs.
Increase in Usage
Prolonged usage of prescription drugs like opioids leads to tolerance. This is a stage where your body gets used to the drug in use.
And to achieve the effects you need, you must increase your dosage and strength. Such scenarios lead to overdoses and even death. Increased usage also means having a more dire need to use the drugs even when not needed.
Doctor Shopping
This is the practice of getting your prescriptions from various doctors. While this ensures you have a constant supply of drugs, it may also be harmful.
This sign gets noticed through analyzing how much time you spend getting your prescriptions. If it’s high, you are at the risk of abusing drugs.
A Third Party is Worried
When suffering from substance abuse, it’s usually challenging to tell if you are still on course. However, other people will notice and become worried about your usage.
Signs that your heavy usage is manifesting include;
- People are constantly checking on you
- Doctors advising you on reducing usage
- Your family meets to discuss you
- An employer commenting on your slipping performance
So if you have close people worried, you may be overusing your prescription drugs.
Hiding Prescriptions
Have you recently noted a change in sharing your usage information? Or do you have a batch of drugs hidden in your car’s secret compartment?
This is a sign you are knowingly or unknowingly abusing drugs. You may be at risk of abusing drugs if you are;
- Making secret doctor appointments
- Lying about using
- Downplaying your prescriptions
How to Overcome Prescription Drugs Addiction
Overcoming drug addiction can be life-changing for those who get determined. This is because this procedure is not as easy as it seems.
Be Willing to Change
An excellent way to overcome something you are used to that’s troubling you is to acknowledge it. For many drug users, asserting their entanglement in drug abuse is the hardest step to make.
This is because this step includes being ready to ditch your drug lifestyle, change friends, and other behaviors. And important of all, it involves changing your life’s mentality and attitude.
Join a Sober Support Group
The drug recovery process is overwhelming for many. However, sobriety groups are here to help you, or that loved one overcome their addiction.
These groups consist of individuals holding the same interest, which is to transition successfully. Through these programs, you will interact with people who support your decision.
And they will always be there when in need of help.
Practice Healthy Habits
After a successful treatment program, former drug users return to their everyday lives. These are lifestyles they used to engage in the practice and the people they used these drugs with.
Relapse triggers can be overwhelming to keep away from, thus exercising healthy coping skills is crucial. They are a primary source of relapsing among former drug users.
These relapse triggers can, however, be avoided through common practices such as:
- Exercising and meditation
- Attending wellness meetings
- Enroll in volunteering programs
- Find new friends and hobbies
Get Professional Help
Since drug abuse influences a person’s brain functions, stopping the practice is challenging. This is because your body and mind have developed a complete dependency.
But, with the help of professionals, the body and brain can smoothly lose drug dependency. The search for a reputable drug abuse treatment facility yields many options.
It’s essential to note these institutions differ in practices and addiction types treatment. So be sure to engage with a facility with well-trained experts dedicated to helping you become sober.
Get Help Today With Everlast Recovery
Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in the country. This is due to the ready availability of prescription drugs and their safe attribution.
But, they are only safe when used as intended and worse on misuse. Are you on prescription and wondering if you abuse the drugs?
The above post teaches you about commonly abused drugs, measures to take, among other aspects. Contact us today to change your life, and better yet, we accept most insurance plans.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, December 30). Binge drinking is a serious but preventable problem of excessive alcohol use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm
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- Kelly, C., & McCreadie, R. (2018, January 2). Cigarette smoking and schizophrenia: Advances in psychiatric treatment. Cambridge Core. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/cigarette-smoking-and-schizophrenia/AF9CC53E7777F37A8FF6E27F4336DBEE
- Martinak, B., Bolis, R. A., Black, J. R., Fargason, R. E., & Birur, B. (2017, September 15). Dextromethorphan in cough syrup: The poor man’s psychosis. Psychopharmacology bulletin. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5601090/
- Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2012, November). Doctor shopping: A phenomenon of many themes. Innovations in clinical neuroscience. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3552465/
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, January 26). What is the scope of Prescription Drug Misuse in the United States? National Institutes of Health. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/misuse-prescription-drugs/what-scope-prescription-drug-misuse
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Alcohol and other drugs. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA76/AA76.htm
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