Despair Like His is one of the Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse.Prescription drug addiction is a big problem in the United States, but sometimes it’s difficult to spot the early signs of prescription drug abuse. Whether you have a loved one who might be abusing the medications or you’re being prescribed the drugs, it’s hard to tell if they’re being taken properly or abused. The mind of someone who is becoming addicted rationalizes and justifies their use. It’s much easier to spot when someone is abusing an illegal substance. When the substance is prescribed by a physician, the signs may be much subtler. At the end of the day, prescription drug addiction is one of the leading causes of overdose in the United States. Therefore, it’s important to know what the signs are.

The First Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription medications have been created by medical science to provide a more manageable life for someone struggling with symptoms of pain. The problem is that many of the medications that are prescribed are narcotics. This means they can become addictive due to the euphoric effect they have on the brain. There are many different medications may be abused. Some of the most common include:

  • Hydrocodone
  • Oxycontin
  • Xanax
  • Adderall
  • Valium

Opiate medications like hydrocodone and oxycontin are prescribed to those who are dealing with pain. Prescription pain medications can be weaker or stronger than illegal opiates like heroin. Xanax and Valium are prescribed to those dealing with an anxiety disorder. However, they can act as a tranquilizer. Those who are prescribed Adderall or sometimes Ritalin are prescribed the medication for symptoms of ADD or ADHD. 

How the Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse Evolve

The person who is showing the signs of prescription drug abuse may start off by taking more than what’s prescribed. A doctor prescribed specific dosages of the medication based on a person’s symptoms, and it can be dangerous to take more than what the doctor prescribes. The mind of someone who is becoming addicted believes they need more in order to feel well. They minimize the warnings of exceeding the dosage. Some people begin their abuse of the medication by mixing it with other substances like alcohol as a way to increase the effect.

There are many ways that doctors and pharmacies try to monitor signs of prescription drug abuse. Someone becoming dependent may begin seeking out other doctors. This is one of the first ways that the disease of addiction progresses. From here, a person may be so reliant on the medication that he or she begins doing things they’d never do otherwise like stealing the medication from friends or family, and eventually the person may seek out drug dealers as a way to buy the medication.

Treating a Prescription Drug Addiction

Beaches Recovery is not only an opiate addiction treatment center, but we can also help you if you’ve become addicted to other medications. There’s often a fear of trying to quit these types of drugs because the mind tells you that you need them in order to feel well. The reality is that there are many other ways to treat symptoms of pain as well as symptoms of mental illness, and we’re here to teach you what those are so you can regain control of your life. Our facility is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and we work with a variety of different insurance providers. Give our addiction specialists a call today at 8666050532. We want to help.