Prescription Drug Abuse in Worcester, MA

In the United States today, prescription drug abuse and addiction are major problems. However, many people do not fully understand just how problematic prescription drug abuse can be. The reality of the matter is that almost half of all students in high school today are under the impression that using prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons is safer than using street drugs for any reason. And a third of their parents share in that misguided belief.

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

The severity of the prescription drug abuse problem in the United States can be seen in the fact that prescription drug overdoses cause 45 percent of all drug overdose deaths in the country. In contrast, cocaine, heroin, and meth combined cause 39 percent of overdose deaths. Prescription opioids alone accounted for 14,000 deaths due to drug overdose in the year 2014, and the prescription opioid overdose issue has only grown worse since then.

Defining Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drug abuse can be defined as any use of a prescription drug that does not precisely follow the instructions of the prescribing physician. This can include taking large doses of a medication, taking it more frequently, or changing the methodology that you use to consume it (like melting down solid medications so they can be smoked or injected. Abusing prescription drugs in these ways can quickly lead a person to develop a chemical dependence and addiction to the abused drugs.

Prescription Drug Addiction and Dependence

When a person chronically abuses a prescription drug, they can develop an addiction to that drug. A prescription drug addiction is an inability to stop consuming the substance despite the presence of clear and obvious negative consequences to a person’s health, finances, legal situation, and personal relationships. Of course, along with a prescription drug addiction comes chemical dependence. A chemical dependence occurs when the brain and body developing a higher and higher tolerance to the drug and come to rely on the drug to function normally.

Some of the primary signs that a person is abusing prescription drugs and has developed an addiction are:

  • Sudden mood swings
  • Stealing prescriptions or trying to forge them
  • Seeking out prescriptions from multiple doctors
  • Consuming prescription drugs for reasons other than medical condition
  • Seeming overly sedated or amped up and hyper
  • Extreme changes in personality
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Agitation when cannot consume the drug
  • Increased tolerance

Seeking Treatment is Essential

Prescription drug abuse and addiction are difficult to overcome without the help of a professional treatment program. When a person develops a chemical dependence on a prescription drug, it means that their brain has literally changed in shape and function. If a person attempts to stop using that drug on their own, the withdrawal symptoms may be so intense that they run back to substance abuse just to alleviate the discomfort they feel.

Medical detox, though, is supervised by doctors and other medical professionals. This ensures that a person gets the care and assistance they need to successfully break that dependence. Treatment also ensures that a person gets intensive therapies that can help them learn their triggers, treatment mental illness, change the way they think about themselves and others, and develop skills, strategies, and techniques to cope with potential triggers and avoid prescription drug abuse in the future.

Your prescription drug abuse problem is not unbeatable. All you need is to get help from the wonderful treatment programs available to you through Worcester Drug Treatment Centers. Just dial (774) 221-6005 to speak with one of our caring recovery advocates.