Prescription Drug Addiction
New Study Seeks to Understand Heroin Use Among Young Suburbanites
The growing trend of younger initiates into heroin use among suburbanites captured the attention of researchers at the Robert Crown Center for Health Education in Hinsdale, Illinois. In a 10-month study, “Understanding Suburban Heroin Use,” for the Reed Hruby Heroin Prevention Project, researchers found that Chicago area suburban heroin users have little knowledge of heroin and its effects when they first use it, and they often substitute heroin after becoming addicted to prescription painkillers.
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Prescription Drug Abuse: A Growing Problem
It is easy to assume that a drug problem is only possible if a person were to take illegal drugs and become addicted. The problem with this assumption is it ignores the growing problem of abuse in terms of prescription drugs.
The Reading Eagle recently posted a piece that highlights the ease in which “normal” individuals become addicted to drugs. For Brandi B., an illegal drug never entered her system. It was a prescription for Dilaudid to ease the pain of ulcerative colitis that led to an addiction that eventually ruined her life.
Medications Linked to Increased Risk of Falls for Elderly
It isn’t uncommon for the elderly to have a fall that can break bones or even leave the individual incapacitated. Now, new research suggests that these falls are easily associated with specific medications the individual may be taking.
This research was summarized in a Science Daily release and found that several classes of drugs were associated with falls, including sedatives prescribed as sleep aids and medications that are used to treat mood disorders.
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When Dentists Act as Drug Dealers
Kenny Morrison was a top chef at a trendy Los Angeles restaurant, often serving dinner to Hollywood stars. He lived in a beachfront home and generally loved life. But after he became addicted to pain medication after getting dental work in 2003, he lost everything. He began using Vicodin, OxyContin, and codeine to get through the day. At one point, he even had a tooth removed unnecessarily because he needed a prescription for more pain medication.
“At the height, I was taking probably 20, 25 a day,” Morrison told CNN. “It got to the point where I lost the wife, the house, and I was living in a bad part of LA in my truck. And I went from taking a couple of codeine all the way to taking OxyContin.”
Promises Drug Treatment Centers See a Troubling Rise in Opiate Addiction
Addiction Psychiatrist Dr. David Sack recommends an integrated approach to opiate addiction treatment to reduce the risk of relapse.
(Vocus) July 1, 2009 — Speculation around the cause of Michael Jackson’s death has brought to the public eye what Promises Treatment Centers has long recognized as a growing problem: opiate prescription drug addiction. Very few people outside Michael Jackson’s inner circle know the extent of his addiction to prescription pain killers and other drugs, but when the news broke that he had received a Demerol injection before collapsing, suggestions that Jackson had a history of drug abuse filled the online gossip magazines and celebrity websites. Soon after, it was learned that Jackson had been warned by family members and friends about his drug use; some had tried unsuccessfully to get him into a drug rehab facility. It appears Jackson may have joined an infamous group of musicians and other celebrities who have lost their lives to drug overdoses.
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Study Finds Doctors Abusing Prescription Drugs
When endless debates surround the issue of solving the drug problem, rarely is the discussion targeted at doctors. According to Central Ohio News, there are hundreds of doctors in Ohio alone dealing with drug and alcohol addictions. What’s worse, the report notes that they are still in practice.
The Harvard Review of Psychiatry published a study in 2008 that found rates of prescription misuse five times higher among physicians than the general public. As a result of this study, more doctors are turning to the Ohio’s Physicians Health Program, which was formed in 1972 to provide these doctors help with their addictions.
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Abuse of Prescription Drugs Rising among Teens
Prescription drugs continue to be attractive to teens as they are often more easily acquired. These drugs are being abused by teens as they often deliver the same euphoria as illegal drugs without the cost. Now, studies show that roughly one in five teens are intentionally abusing prescription drugs and about one in 10 report using cough medicine to get high.
The Statesman Journal highlights the fact that teens are not just making an error in medication or dose – this use is intentional. The drugs are not only available in home medicine cabinets, they can also be easily purchased on the Internet.
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Illegal Adderall Use Increasing as “Study Drug”
While Adderall is routinely used to treat those suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), more and more people are finding that it also works to help boost endurance during tough days.
A prescription amphetamine, most people who are using Adderall for its ability to stimulate are doing so without a prescription. According to a recent report in the Colorado Daily News, the use of prescription stimulants is on the rise – especially on college campuses.
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OxyContin Addiction & the Law
Each type of substance abuse and addiction offers its own set of legal risks. Alcoholics run the risk of a DUI, which could lead to criminal charges or a costly personal injury suit. Illegal substance abusers, such as cocaine or heroin addicts, must always be vigilant for undercover drug enforcement agents when buying from a dealer. However, what are the legal ramifications for someone addicted to a prescription drug, such as OxyContin, the brand name of time-release oxycodone?
Prescription Drug Abuse on the Rise in Senior Citizens
Over the past three decades, adults and children have been increasingly exposed to regular prescription drug use. Medications are routinely prescribed for ailments that range from minor to serious and everything in between. Unfortunately, many of these drugs have the potential to create a chemical or psychological dependency within their users.
Though problems are also on the rise with teenagers and young adults, it is the adult population over the age of 65 who have developed the most serious problem with prescription drug abuse. Pain killers, tranquilizers, and medications that treat depression are the most commonly used, and abused, by the senior population.
With so many prescription drugs available on the market to treat chronic pain symptoms, stress, and anxiety, it is no wonder that so many older adults have developed serious addictions to them.
One school of thought regarding this problem is that medical practitioners need to begin a regular practice of treating people beyond the surface. In other words, rather than simply treating the obvious symptom (pain, stress, etc.) patients would be better served if they were treated in a more thoughtful manner. For instance, if people were sent through a long-term regimen of physical therapy, counseling, or pain management they might develop the skills and abilities that are necessary to be able to handle their physical ailments without the continuous use of pills.
It is particularly important that older adults do not attempt to stop their regular use of any medication without first consulting their physician. With some medications, it is simply too dangerous to suddenly stop using them. Of course, the smart way to stop using any type of prescription drug is to seek the assistance of a trained substance abuse professional.
Sources Used
1. Greider, Katharine. AARP Bulletin Today. “Prescription Drug Addiction on the Rise.” http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/medications/articles/
prescription_drug_addiction_on_the_rise.html. Accessed 18 April 2009.
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