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Even though prescription drugs require a doctor’s approval, many medications have become easy to obtain without a prescription. This accessibility has led to a growing problem in the United States: prescription drug addiction. Although prescription drugs were designed to help relieve pain, manage health complications, and alleviate symptoms, misusing these medications can have dangerous effects.
Misusing and abusing prescription drugs can cause hallucinations, seizures, breathing problems, heart complications, tremors, irregular body temperature, extremely high or low blood pressure, or coma. Prescription drug abuse can also lead to addiction, which can negatively affect every aspect of an individual’s life. The good news is that professional rehabilitation programs can help individuals recover from prescription drug addiction.
The term “prescription drugs” refers to any pharmaceutical medications that require a prescription from a licensed physician or doctor. Even though prescription drugs are stronger and more potent than over-the-counter medications, some prescription drugs are more powerful and more addictive than others. Opioids, for example, are some of the most addictive prescription drugs, but they aren’t the only misused prescription medication.
The most commonly misused medications fall into one of three categories:
Although less common, some people also misuse antipsychotics. As the name suggests, antipsychotics are prescription drugs that doctors prescribe to treat psychological disorders such as schizophrenia, anorexia, bulimia nervosa, depression, and bipolar disorder.
Even though opioids, depressants, stimulants, and antipsychotics are all prescription drugs, each category of medication works and affects the body differently.
Opioids are powerful pain-relieving drugs. Doctors use these drugs, which can be manufactured as tablets, capsules, or liquids, to help relieve acute and chronic pain. Some doctors use opioids to manage pain from sports or accident-related injuries, while others use opioids for pain that occurs after surgery. Opioids are also prescribed to help manage cancer-related pain.
Regardless of why they’re prescribed, all opioids work by binding with opioid receptors in the brain. When this happens, cells in the brain release signals that decrease the perception of pain. At the same time, opioids flood the brain with dopamine, a chemical messenger responsible for producing pleasurable feelings. By doing this, opioids relieve pain and help users feel relaxed. These euphoric effects can also cause users to temporarily feel “high.”
Some of the most commonly misused opioids include:
Prescription stimulants “stimulate” the central nervous system. Because of this, these medications increase energy and alertness. That’s why doctors prescribe this type of medication to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). When individuals with ADHD take stimulant medication, the amount of dopamine in their brains increases. Dopamine helps regulate attention and motivation. As dopamine levels increase, individuals can concentrate and focus better, which helps combat the hyperactive and impulsive behaviors associated with ADHD.
Doctors also prescribe stimulant medication to help treat narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder that causes severe daytime drowsiness, sleep paralysis, insomnia, and hallucinations. Stimulant medications work by boosting levels of norepinephrine, a brain chemical that energizes the body. This surge of norepinephrine helps combat symptoms of narcolepsy and promote wakefulness.
Even though most stimulants are pills, some come in liquid and skin patch forms. Stimulants can differ on how long they remain effective. Depending on the type of ailment they help to remedy, stimulants can be short, intermediate, or long-acting.
Unlike stimulants, depressants slow down activity in the brain. They do this by encouraging the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical that suppresses activity in the brain. As GABA levels increase, the brain calms down. That’s why doctors prescribe depressants to help treat:
The most commonly prescribed depressants include:
Prescription drugs can be highly effective. Unfortunately, these medications can also be misused. Some of the most common ways people misuse prescription drugs include:
Even though misusing prescription drugs doesn’t always cause immediate adverse effects, this type of behavior is unsafe and can ultimately lead to dependence, addiction, and overdose.
Despite what most people might think, prescription drugs do have some risks. That’s why doctors need to approve these medications before individuals take them. Before approving and writing a prescription, doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, and other medical personnel carefully consider the benefits and risks to each individual. This process takes into account several different factors, including:
When individuals misuse prescription drugs, they disregard these carefully considered factors. Doing this can have devastating effects. In fact, when prescription drugs are misused, they can be just as dangerous as illegal recreational drugs. Here’s why.
In addition to these general risks, there are specific dangers associated with each type of prescription drug misuse.
Misusing opioids, for example, can cause:
The risk for these effects increases when individuals mix opioids with alcohol, antihistamines, and prescription depressants.
Misusing stimulant drugs can cause:
Misusing depressants can lead to:
Mixing prescription depressants with painkillers, over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines, or alcohol can dramatically decrease an individual’s heartbeat and breathing. Deciding to reduce the dosage or quit prescription depressants without professional guidance can lead to seizures.
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of prescription drug misuse is that it can pave the way to addiction.
When individuals become addicted to prescription drugs, their brain has been tricked into thinking that they can’t live without the medication in their brain and body. Their lives become preoccupied with satisfying irresistible cravings and they compulsively use prescription drugs despite repeated, harmful consequences. As devastating as addiction is, it doesn’t happen overnight. The truth is addiction happens in stages.
Regular use is the norm for prescription drugs. The prescription itself instructs individuals to use the medication given to them on a regular, controlled basis. That usage can vary and can look differently based on an individual’s weight, medical history, and specific needs. Some common prescription instructions include:
Even though most individuals at this stage are simply following their doctor’s orders, having a regular pattern of use can be problematic for highly addictive drugs. The good news is addiction doesn’t typically happen at this stage. Unfortunately, regular use can cause some people to begin to misuse prescription drugs.
Prescription opioids are meant to be taken a certain way at certain times. When individuals start taking prescription medications for reasons outside of the medical guidelines they’ve been given, they start misusing the substances. This behavior can trigger unintended effects on the brain which can be extremely dangerous.
Misusing opioids, for example, floods the brain with dopamine. As time passes, the brain becomes accustomed to opioids producing dopamine and stops releasing the chemical messenger on its own. When this happens, individuals might experience depression, poor concentration, tremors, short-term memory loss, a lack of motivation, and an inability to feel pleasure. The brain, relying on opioids as a primary source of dopamine, compels individuals to take more of the substance. Misusing stimulants can have similar negative effects.
Misusing prescription depressants overwhelms the brain with GABA. When the brain starts to rely on prescription drugs as the main source of GABA, the natural production of the GABA decreases dramatically. When this happens, individuals can experience extremely low levels of GABA which can cause anxiety, chronic stress, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, muscle pain, headaches, and insomnia. Even though taking more depressants can temporarily increase GABA levels, doing this can also pave the way for the next stage of addiction: abuse.
Individuals start abusing prescription drugs when they use medications to get “high.” At this point, individuals aren’t trying to treat a specific ailment (which generally happens with misuse). Instead, they are mainly looking to experience euphoric effects. Abusing prescription drugs can lead to severe adverse effects.
Abusing opioids, for example, can cause:
Using prescription stimulants for euphoric effects can lead to:
Abusing depressant drugs can cause:
Abusing prescription drugs can also lead to increased tolerance, dependence, and addiction.
When individuals regularly use, misuse, or abuse a prescription drug, the brain becomes accustomed to the substance. When this happens, the substance doesn’t produce the same effects it once did. Individuals have to take a higher dose of the prescribed drug to achieve the same effects they felt when they first used it. At this stage, doctors can increase the dosage, change the regimen, or prescribe a different medication. But rather than consulting a doctor, many people decide to take more prescription drugs on their own. Unfortunately, this often causes individuals to become physically and psychologically dependent on the prescribed drug.
When individuals become dependent on prescription medications, they need a constant supply of the substance to feel “normal.” They feel this way because their brains and bodies have started to rely on prescription drugs as a baseline. When this happens, the brain considers the prescribed substance a physical and psychological need. If the individual abruptly stops taking or lessens the amount of prescription drugs they use, the body will react negatively.
Typically, this adverse reaction includes symptoms of withdrawal. Even though general signs of withdrawal often include nausea, headaches, vomiting, and cravings, each type of prescription drug has different signs of withdrawal.
Signs of opioid withdrawal can include:
Most individuals experiencing stimulant withdrawal have a dysphoric mood which makes them feel unhappy. They may also experience:
Some common symptoms associated with depressant withdrawal include:
In this stage, individuals no longer take prescription drugs to feel “high,” but to keep their bodies from experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Even though dependence isn’t the same as full-blown addiction, this stage can easily lead to addiction if individuals don’t seek professional help.
Individuals who don’t seek help at the dependence stage usually become addicted to prescription drugs. Generally, their addiction will cause them to compulsively use prescription drugs despite negative consequences. Their time and energy will be primarily focused on obtaining and taking prescription drugs. Their personality might change and they will most likely behave in ways they would not have previously.
One of the most telltale signs of addiction is the inability to stop using a substance. Once addiction develops, individuals may have a desire to quit abusing prescription drugs, but without professional help, they will continue to misuse the medication. This happens because addiction changes the brain and hijacks individuals’ reward systems. That’s why many individuals struggling with addiction neglect their hygiene and basic needs. They might:
The good news is that being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of addiction can help individuals get the professional treatment they need to overcome and recover from prescription drug addiction.
Even though most people attempt to hide addictive behaviors, there are several signs and symptoms that indicate an addiction to prescription drugs. Some of the most common include:
Signs and symptoms can also vary depending upon the substance abused.
These symptoms, which can be mood-based, physical, psychological, and behavioral, include:
Symptoms of stimulant addiction can include:
Some warning signs associated with an addiction to depressant medication can include:
Some of the most devastating effects of prescription drug addiction are the changes that occur in the brain and body.
Our brain manages all the thought processes, signals, and instructions that allow us to function on a daily basis. That’s why prescription medication often affects how our brains function. Cough medicine, for example, works by relaxing the cough reflex. Since this reflex is regulated by the brain, chemicals in cough medicine impact the brain in order to produce the desired effect. Prescription drugs work the same way. This means that prescription drugs can — and do — affect the brain.
Prescription opioids activate receptors in the brain that encourage the release of dopamine. This interaction causes temporary feelings of euphoria, elation, and intense pleasure. When individuals become addicted to prescription painkillers, opioids start to harm the brain.
Some short-term neurological effects of opioids include:
In addition to these short-term effects, long-term opioid addiction can damage the parts of the brain that govern behavior, judgment, organization, and reasoning. Opioid addiction can also slow your breathing down so much that your body doesn’t get the oxygen it needs. When this happens, individuals can experience permanent brain damage.
Prescription stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain. Dopamine helps regulate how individuals perceive and experience pleasure, while norepinephrine increases focus and boosts energy levels. At first, abusing prescription stimulants gives individuals a euphoric rush. But being addicted to these types of medications can have a negative impact on the brain.
Research shows that prescription stimulant addiction can cause:
Depressant medication helps to slow down activity in the central nervous system. Although these medications are very effective at increasing relaxation, relieving anxiety, and managing sleep disorders, addiction to these medications can have short and long-term adverse effects on the brain.
When individuals become addicted to prescription depressants, the brain can experience:
Sadly, the brain isn’t the only part of the body negatively impacted by prescription drugs. Addiction also impairs the body.
Even though prescription drugs have been legally approved for medical use, using these drugs compulsively can harm the body. Prescription drugs can be especially damaging to the heart, liver, and immune system.
Prescription drug abuse and addiction can cause severe cardiovascular effects that can be life-threatening. Excessive drug use can cause abnormal heart rates, dangerously high or low blood pressure, vein damage, and other cardiovascular problems. These seemingly minor effects can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, and collapsed veins.
Excessive use of prescription drugs can also damage the liver since it is the organ responsible for digesting substances individuals put into their bodies. When individuals consume prescription drugs, the substances come in direct contact with the liver. High amounts of prescription drugs cause the liver to work excessively, which in turn can cause the organ to break down and not function properly. All of this can lead to liver damage and drug-induced liver disease.
When individuals develop an addiction to prescription drugs, their priorities can change. Many individuals living with addiction don’t get adequate rest or eat balanced meals. This lowers their immune system. Whether individuals abuse painkillers, stimulants, depressants, or any other kind of prescription medicine, fatigue, sleeplessness, inactivity, dehydration, and other common effects of drug addiction can harm their immune system and put them at risk of developing other illnesses.
In addition to these effects, different types of prescription drugs can affect the body in different ways.
Being addicted to opioids, for example, can cause:
Being addicted to prescription stimulants can:
Prescription depressants can cause:
The good news is that an addiction to prescription drugs can be effectively treated.
In order to recover from prescription drug addiction and move towards recovery, individuals must admit that they are unable to control their intake of the prescribed drug and that they need help to recover. This may sound easy, but drug abuse impairs judgment and many individuals grappling with addiction live in denial. If this is the case, professional intervention can help.
Intervention is a powerful tool that can be used to help addicts and their loved ones. During the intervention process, family, friends, and colleagues get together to try and convince individuals struggling with addiction that they need help. The goal is to help individuals stop denying what’s going on, make changes before things get worse, and seek professional treatment.
Here at Meta, we offer intervention services to families across the country. You do not need to be located in the Boston area to take advantage of our intervention services. Our interventions, which can be conducted over the phone, include a multi-step process that culminates in an in-depth, honest conversation with a loved one about their addiction and substance use. Successful interventions are generally followed by detoxification, behavioral therapy, and addiction treatment programs.
Detoxification allows individuals to remove the prescription drugs that have accumulated in their body over time. As the body works to restabilize itself, individuals may experience symptoms of withdrawal. These symptoms can be mild or severe depending on an individual’s substance use history. Medications can be used to help ease withdrawal discomfort, overcome drug cravings, or treat an overdose.
Some medications commonly used to treat an addiction to prescription drugs include:
Once an individual has removed prescription drugs from their body, rehabilitation treatment begins. A key component of rehabilitation is behavioral therapy.
Alongside detoxification and clinical treatment, behavioral therapy is one of the most effective ways to treat prescription drug addiction because it helps individuals combat the emotional, social, and psychological challenges associated with addiction.
There are several types of behavioral therapies used to treat addiction, but here at Meta, we use:
The consequences of prescription drug addiction can be severe and life-threatening. But there’s hope. Intervention, detoxification, behavioral therapy, and other aspects of addiction treatment programs can help you regain control of your life. Here at Meta, we pride ourselves on providing real recovery options for real people. Our flexible, outpatient treatment programs can help you overcome addiction without uprooting every aspect of your life.
Let us help empower you to change your life for the better. Contact us today to speak to one of our recovery experts or to learn more about our treatment programs.