Prescription Drug Abuse and Pill Withdrawal
Prescription Drug Abuse, or pill addiction as it is commonly called, and, ultimately, ‘pill withdrawal’ have been with us since doctors began prescribing drugs, but has become more widespread since the advent of the repeat prescription or refill , whereby patients can have a prescription renewed without having to visit their doctor. This can be as simple for many people as visiting a pharmacy and filling out a form giving their name, address and the drug they want. This is then returned to the surgery for the doctor to countersign. The problem is that these can often be signed as routine, rather than consideration being given to the need, and so facilitating prescription
...that someone addicted can t permanently discontinue their use without help. Alcohol and drugs are not the problems; they are what people use to numb the internal pain, thus helping oneself cope. These issues have both physical and psychological components ...
If a certain patient begins to request repeats more often, would this be noticed? Theoretically it should, but in practice it is frequently not. Not, that is, until the next review. Frequently, twelve repeats are allowed before the patient must again speak to the doctor personally to review the treatment. Prescription drug abuse, and resultant pill withdrawal symptoms, are generally overlooked by the medical profession.
The type of prescription drugs which lead to pill addiction are wide and varied, and not just tranquilisers such as diazepam (Vallium) and nitrazepam (Mogadon). Common ones are codeine and codeine-containing painkillers such as cocodamol, and even over-the-counter codeine based painkillers such as Solpadeine which has its
...tissues. Injecting is the act of using a needle to release the drug directly into the bloodstream. Smoking involves inhaling cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where absorption into the bloodstream is as rapid as by injection. "Crack" or ...
People involved in prescription drug abuse show any of a number of symptoms which are common to all patients suffering from pill withdrawal.
The main symptom of pill addiction is an increased tolerance to the drug, so that the user needs an increased amount to get the same effects they were used to. More and more of the drug is required, and four times is not uncommon. This leads to many problems, not the least of which is that it becomes difficult to control the symptom
...in the face of their addictions and that there is a higher power on whom, or which, they rely to help them struggle against their addiction and to forgive them for the harm it has caused. Twelve Step AlternativesFor those ...
Those who suffer from pill addiction have not done so deliberately. Unlike other drug addicts, they have not taken increasing doses simply to get a ‘buzz’. It happens to them gradually, over an extended period of time taking the same drugs to treat their condition. Cocodamol is commonly used in the treatment of arthritis, for example, and prescription drug abuse in such cases is hardly abuse in the real meaning of the word.
The pain-killing effect reduces as the body becomes more and more used to the drug, so the patient must take more or suffer
...Stiglitz, 1987). Some gays, lesbians and bisexuals resort to drug abuse or alcohol abuse as a means to numb the feelings of being different, to relieve emotional pain or to reduce inhibitions about their sexual feelings. Drug abuse or alcohol ...
Prescription drug abuse leads to physical dependence, and the person cannot function normally without a supply of the drug. The body adapts to the presence of the drug and can function while it
...the road to addiction before they have traveled to far down it. Detoxification is the second level of drug addiction rehabilitation; just the opposite of short-term intervention, detoxification treats only the physical nature of addiction. The addict is admitted to ...
The most obvious sign of prescription drug abuse is that the persons affected cannot stop taking them. They will increase the frequency of presentation of repeat prescriptions on a pretext such as needing extra since they are shortly going on holiday, or will
...been significantly decreased consumption of all the types of drugs except the inhalants. Although there has been decreasing trends but they are not at all satisfying as there are still a large number of teenagers specially the 8th graders who ...
Doctors, and in some cases the pharmacists, should be aware of the potential problems of long term use of such drugs, and give advice and help once the time has come to stop them. The dose should be reduced gradually rather than suddenly stopping the supply. Prescription drug abuse and pill withdrawal are becoming a serious problem in otherwise innocent law-abiding people.
...health settings produced equivocal results. From identified results, one can conclude, that while integration of services for treating dual diagnosis clients is a desirable goal; it is not sufficient. This conclusion is further supported by the growing recognition of the ...
Once dependence has been confirmed, or better still, admitted by a patient, steps can be taken to treat the addiction. Kicking prescription pill addiction is not easy, but better than a lifetime habit, and the doctor can help make it easier to achieve by using gradual withdrawal techniques.
Copyright 2006 Peter Nisbet
Peter is a research chemist with a consuming interest in a wide variety of health issues. If you need help or advice on addictions, or just on health topics in general,
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