prescription medication addiction

Prescription Medication Addiction

Introduction

Medicine which cannot be taken without the written authorization and prescription of the doctor is called as a prescription medicine. The prescriptions of a doctor have information about the type of medicine and dose of medicine which is advised by a doctor. The medications produce their positive effect when they are used in an efficient way (Parks & Knutson, 2013)

The abuse of the prescription drugs is the use of a drug apart from the way it is prescribed by the physician. According to a survey that are conducted nationally or internationally it is reported that the prescription medications are being abused, and their main purpose is to treat pain, stress, deficiency disorders etc. The abuse of prescription drugs is rated on the second number after the use of marijuana. The outcomes of the drug abuse are very worse in a way that the abuse of these drugs has resulted in an increased number of emergency room visits, overdose deaths and treatment admissions (NIDA, 2011).

Discussion

Commonly abused prescription drugs There are many medications that can be used for addiction but the three groups of drugs are commonly abused and they are

Opioids: These drugs are prescribed for pain treatment.

CNS (central nervous system) depressants: These drugs are used for the treatment of sleep disorders and anxiety.Stimulants: These drugs are prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Opioids and their effects Opioids are those drugs that are used for the treatment of pain, and the intensity of pain signals that are reaching the brain is reduced. Opioids affect the areas of brain that control emotions they are responsible to reduce the effects of the stimulus of pain. The medicines which are included in the category of opioids are codeine, morphine (e.g., Kadian, Avinza), hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin), oxycodone (e.g., OxyContin, Percocet) and other drugs. The products of hydrocodone are prescribed for pain like the injury pain and dental pain. Morphine is prescribed by the doctors after the surgical procedures so that the pain can be reduced whereas; Codeine is given in less pain (NIDA, 2011). Opioids produce their effect by binding to the opioid receptors of the brain, gastrointestinal tract, spinal cord and many other organs of the body. These drugs help in reducing the pain after binding to the receptors. Many other effects that are produced by the drugs are mental confusion, drowsiness, constipation, nausea and depression in respiration. These drugs can also produce the euphoric effects because they affect the regions of the brain that are responsible for reward. The people who are addicted to the opioid drugs use to improve the experience that is received by the use of the drug. For instance, OxyContin is an oral medication, and it slowly releases the opioid and helps in relieving the severe or mild pain (NIDA, 2011). Treatment There are various methods for the treatment of addiction of opioids and methods of treatment are taken from the methods of treatment of heroin addiction and by treatment ...