Some people become addicted to the prescription medication prescribed to them by their doctors. Most people take their medication as prescribed with no addiction issues, but approximately one-quarter of patients will be become addicted to their prescription medication at some point and will require detox.
Doctors are trained to watch for signs of addiction:
- Running out of medication early
- Repeated claims of medication loss or theft
- Peculiar speech or behavior
- Getting the medication from other doctors
- Constant requests for more medication or higher doses
If your doctor is suspicious that you are abusing your medication, he or she will likely confront you. It’s common for doctors to recommend a prescription drug detox for those patients that need one. In fact, they will likely insist on it. They will probably refuse to continue to prescribe the medication as well.
If you have become addicted to your prescription medication, you need drug detox and treatment. Opioid withdrawal, while not generally life-threatening, will still produce extremely unpleasant and painful symptoms. Drug detox will alleviate most of these symptoms.
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines and barbiturates can be life-threatening. This is mainly due to the risk of seizures and possible lung aspiration of stomach contents. Never, ever attempt to withdraw from these medications on your own. You will require medically-supervised drug detox.
No matter which drug is involved, drug detox must be followed by some form of comprehensive drug rehab in order for the person to remain clean in the long run.
You must understand that it’s illegal for your doctor to continue to prescribe a controlled substance to you if there are any suspicions of misuse or abuse. This would include any question that you may be selling your pills. It’s not your doctor’r fault. He or she must follow the law.
Are You Addicted To Prescription Drugs?
This question has a relatively simple answer. Have you tried to stop your drug on your own, even for a few days, and failed? If you cannot stop, or even reduce your dose, on your own, then you are likely addicted. Do you find yourself preoccupied with your drug? Do you look forward to the time when you can get more? Do you put your drug above family and friends? Have you increased your dose without your doctor’s knowledge? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you are likely addicted.
Prescription drug abuse will cause the same problems in your life as illegal drug abuse does. It will destroy you from the inside out. You could end up getting arrested, lose your job and lose your life. Thousands of people die from prescription drug overdose every year. Don’t think it couldn’t happen to you.
Do You Need Help?
If you don’t get help, you may even find yourself buying pills on the street. Know that average street prices for oxycodone average around a dollar a milligram. That’s $30 for a single 30 milligram tablet. That’s one reason there is such a problem with heroin. People who used to use prescription opioids turn to the much-cheaper heroin when their doctors cut them off.
What is a Prescription Drug Detox?
It’s no different from any drug detox. It makes no difference if you’re addicted to heroin or oxycodone as far as detox is concerned. Both are opioids, and both will be treated by the detox center in much the same way. If you are addicted to a drug such as Adderall, which is an amphetamine, then your drug detox will be that for someone addicted to stimulants.
It’s very important for you to be honest with staff during your drug detox. You must tell them the truth about what you’ve been taking and how much. Be sure to include any alcohol use information. Some people abuse more than one prescription drug at a time. If you do, be honest about it.
Your drug detox will depend upon the drug or drugs you were abusing, the dose and the length of time that you abused them. In general, the detox period lasts around two weeks, although this can vary greatly from person to person. Everyone is different.
Suboxone To Taper Off Prescription Opiates
Suboxone is commonly used to alleviate withdrawal symptoms from opioid abuse. It will work for any opioid, but it doesn’t always work for everyone. Suboxone contains buprenorphine, a synthetic opioid that has milder effects than other prescription opioids like oxycodone. Buprenorphine attaches to the same receptor sites in the brain as other opioids, but it doesn’t affect them in the same exact way. Still, buprenorphine eases withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. During detox, the drug’s dose is gradually reduced, allowing the patient to get through the withdrawal process in relative comfort. Other medications, such as sleep aids, muscle relaxants and beta blockers may also be used.
Suboxone is addictive in itself, but when used for a short time during detox, this isn’t usually a problem. For those patients who cannot abstain from opioid use, Suboxone can be used long-term as a maintenance medication. It will alleviate withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. It has helped countless people addicted to opioids, including heroin, to remain clean and live normal lives.
Addiction To Prescription Stimulants
Withdrawal from prescription stimulants like Adderall can cause severe depression. This is because these drugs cause severe disruptions in the brain’s chemical balance system. When a stimulant like an amphetamine is suddenly withdrawn, the brain is left with a severe shortage of critical neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. These chemical messengers are necessary for normal brain function. If they are depleted, severe depression can result. Medical detox can help those withdrawing from stimulants by giving the patient antidepressants and other medications to help them through the stimulant withdrawal process.
If you need help, we have it. We are trained counselors and we are here 24 hours a day to help you find the best treatment options for you. Just call us anytime at 877-978-3125. We look forward to helping you find a new way of life.