The Bridge Between Prescription and Addiction

Far too many people are facing addiction issues, and a leading cause of this problem is the over-prescribing of powerful narcotic medications. Many people try to put addicts into a neat demographic and social box. The truth is, addiction doesn’t discriminate. It can happen to anyone at any time. It can affect a college graduate the same way that it can affect a homeless person, and it’s extremely important to remember that. Addiction is a disease that alters the chemical makeup in the brain. People become completely dependent on drugs and alcohol to regulate their neurotransmitters. After a while, the brain will stop doing this for itself. This results in painful and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms as levels of the drug start to fall within the body. For many addicts, this is why they continue to use. There’s also a great deal of social stigma and embarrassment that comes along with admitting to an addiction. Some people believe that they can handle their problem on their own and get in over their heads.





Those who are in the throes of active addiction will often lie, steal, or hide their drug use from friends and family. At this point, it can be very difficult to convince an addict to get help. Understanding the origin of addiction for someone can help to better treat their causes for drug use. There are times when a person suffers from an acute injury or needs to take prescription pain medication for a prolonged period of time. This can lead to a physical dependence. These types of medications often create a sense of euphoria and false confidence. Factors like this contribute to the psychological side of the addiction.

Many members of the geriatric population have suffered from serious addiction as well. Many physicians feel justified in prescribing the elderly stronger narcotics due to their age and infirmary’s. Regardless of age, it’s important to find a New Jersey detox center when making the decision to stop taking any type of narcotic. Going through the process of detoxification alone can be more than uncomfortable, it can be dangerous. There are certain withdrawal symptoms that have a profound physical effect on the body. This can lead to everything from flulike symptoms to seizures, and it’s recommended that detox be overseen by a licensed physician. If you find yourself being prescribed prescription narcotics, these are just a few of the ways that you can avoid the addiction cycle:

Take Only as Prescribed

If you are prescribed a narcotic medication, it’s extremely important to only take it as the doctor directed. If you try to take too much, you can end up with undesired side effects. Some people feel so safe taking medication prescribed by their doctor that they end up taking an additional pill and overdosing by accident.

Don’t Take What You Don’t Need

The label may direct you to take one pill every 4-6 hours for pain. If you’re not experiencing pain, then forego the medication. This doesn’t mean that you should be uncomfortable but taking medication when it isn’t necessary can quickly lead to an unhealthy level of dependence.

Properly Dispose of Unused Medications

We’ve all heard stories of teens and others stealing medications from medicine cabinets. These are usually leftover from unfinished prescriptions. It’s a good idea to simply remove temptation into properly dispose of these medications. Many pharmacies will allow you to take the men and have them destroyed. You can also take them back into the doctor’s office and ask them what you should do with them. It’s not always a good idea to try to flush them or get rid of them yourself.

Report this Page