Overcoming prescription drug addiction is one of the most difficult things a person can do. For this reason, it is important to have a team of professionals helping along the way. Prescription drug addiction can negatively affect all aspects of a person’s life, from the ability to hold a job to the ability to maintain healthy relationships. People become addicted to prescription drugs for a wide variety of reasons, such as obtaining the drugs from their own doctor or taking the drugs without a prescription. Regardless of what started the addiction, those who find themselves addicted to prescription drugs should trust professionals to help.
While there are a wide variety of prescription drugs that people abuse, the most common include opiates, stimulants, and sedatives. Oftentimes, there are signs that a person is on the path to addiction, such as, “losing” prescriptions or asking for refills early, visiting multiple doctors, mood swings, and irritability when drugs are not available to name a few. Addiction to different prescription drugs causes different symptoms in the patient. For example, stimulant abuse can manifest as high blood pressure, hostility, and irregular heartbeat. Sedative abuse can manifest as confusion or memory problems. Opiate abuse manifests as low blood pressure, depression, or gastrointestinal problems.
Left untreated, prescription abuse can lead to mental and emotional health problems, issues with keeping a job or with the law, and in the worst cases, prescription addiction can lead to death. While some people take prescription drugs that are not prescribed to them, the majority of prescription drug addicts began taking the medication in the direction of their doctor. Addiction has been shown to have a genetic component. Therefore, some people are more predisposed to addiction than others. It is difficult to know for sure who these people are prior to prescribing them medications. Many of these medications are prescribed after surgery, or to treat pain. Experiencing the “good feelings” that come with the drugs in addition to the bodybuilding up tolerance to the drug, can lead people to take higher and higher doses over time. Thus, leading to drug addiction. In short, most people do not set out to become addicted to prescription drugs. It is a by-product of them following their doctors’ instructions.
Prescription drug abuse is not just a problem in adults, it is a problem in teens as well. People who start abusing prescription drugs as teens are more likely to use other substances as well. Prescription drug abuse is very difficult for a person to overcome on his or her own. Pacific Bay Recovery utilizes a variety of approaches, including a support team, to help people overcome their addiction. Those who choose to seek help at Pacific Bay Recovery will benefit from the support team, along with various medications to help with withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.
Those who are interested in getting help for their prescription drug addiction should contact Pacific Bay Recovery at (858) 263-9700. Complimentary and confidential evaluations are always offered so patients can understand the methods Pacific Bay Recovery utilizes to help those addicted to prescription drugs.
