Prescription drug abuse occurs when a prescription medication is acquired and taken without a doctor’s approval. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, this form of substance abuse is so common that it is second only to marijuana in popularity among illicit drug users. Pain medications, anxiolytics, and amphetamines are common medications targeted for nonmedical use and are causing an increasingly serious problem in the United States. Read on to find out just how pervasive this problem is.
Who Is Most at Risk?
In 2010, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that 2.4 million Americans first began using prescription medications for nonmedical use. According to this data, women, teenagers, and older adults seemed to be at the highest risk of addiction. The risk of prescription drug abuse also tends to increase when certain medicines are used in higher doses or frequencies, or when they are taken with other substances, such as alcohol. Opioid medications may also become a problem in some populations of patients when taken long-term for chronic pain.
How Can Addiction Be Treated?
Similar to any other addiction, prescription drug abuse is a problem within the brain, and can be treated with the help of experienced physicians and behavioral health therapists. Treatments can involve pharmacological therapy, behavioral counseling, or both, depending on the patient’s needs. Generally, a multidisciplinary approach supplied in a supportive, low-stress environment seems to be the most effective in helping patients conquer their addiction.
The first step of abolishing an unhealthy addiction from your life is to commit to a bright and healthy future. If you are ready to overcome your substance abuse problem and are looking for a supportive and experienced medical resource, consider contacting the behavioral health experts at Las Encinas Hospital of Pasadena. Our team strives to provide only the highest quality of personalized chemical dependency treatment to adults over 18 years of age. Call today at (888) 348-2165 to learn more about our services.
