Prescription drug addiction affects over four million American families.
People trapped in prescription drug abuse don't look anything like the stereotype of, say, a heroin addict. The typical candidate for prescription drug abuse rehab is often addicted to just one drug, the medication requiring prescription drug abuse treatment. People who are trapped in prescription drug addiction use less drugs than other addicts, are less likely to have had trouble with the law, aren't likely to "shoot up," and often have fully functional families. But the lives of the people whose answer is prescription drug addiction rehab revolve around their search for one of the following five common prescription drugs:
Vicodin
Vicodin (hydrocodone with acetaminophen) is an effective and inexpensive painkiller. Problems arise when people discover that it triggers some of the same receptors in the brain that are activated by sugar and alcohol. Vicodin doesn't just stop the pain. It can also make you feel euphoric, like you were a child eating ice cream. But when you try to stop Vicodin, you may experience extreme anxiety along with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, sweating, and chills.
Oxycontin
Oxycontin (oxycodone) is an extremely common prescription drug addictionin the Appalachian regions of the United States, where it is sometimes known as "hillbilly heroin." Used in a physician-monitored setting, it is 1.5 times more effective than morphine for relieving pain after surgery. This drug has been reformulated as Oxecta so it is harder to inject, snort, chew, or crush, but it is still frequently taken orally to create a euphoric high that lasts several hours. Unsupervised attempts to come off Oxycontin often result in extreme anxiety.
Demerol
Demerol (pethidine or meperidine) is another highly effective opioid painkiller. It can be taken by mouth or injected into a muscle or a vein to relieve chronic pain. It's a drug some people first encounter when they are in the hospital with gallbladder pain. Unlike other opioid drugs, Demerol can cause a complication called serotonin syndrome. In some people, serotonin syndrome results in raised blood pressure and severe headache. In others, it is a little like the manic phase of bipolar disorder. People take poorly considered actions and then crash when they have to deal with the results. People who are addicted to Demerol have issues with both the drug and, more than most other prescription drug addicts, complicated issues in their lives.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines can keep you awake. They operate on some of the same processes in the brain as coffee, only in a super-charged way. A common pattern of amphetamine addiction is needing something to work longer hours to earn money the family needs, only to find you are addicted to the drug that keeps you working.
Ritalin
Drugs for attention deficit disorder such as Ritalin (methylphenidate) are commonly prescribed to children, teens, and adults. These medications in the same class as amphetamine can give the brain just enough of a boost that it can maintain focus. Or they can be abused to create sensations similar to using cocaine. People hooked on Ritalin usually also have social issues and financial issues that become explosive if they try to come off the drug on their own.
The good news for people trapped in prescription drug addiction is that there is help. Another of the ways people struggling with prescription drug abuse effects are different from the stereotype of the addicted drug user is that they tend not to need drugs to stay off drugs. They benefit from in-house rehab and counseling. With the right rehabilitation program, they are able to move away from the addicted life permanently.
Get Help at Renaissance Ranch Ogden
At Renaissance Ranch Ogden. we don't just help individuals struggling with addiction. We help families struggling with addiction. Contact Renaissance Ranch Ogden online to request an assessment or call us at 385-222-3737 to connect with our therapeutic team to get started on your path to recovery.
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