Prescription Drug Abuse in Elizabeth NJ
Prescription drug abuse affects millions of Americans each year, many of who seek help and support from specialized drug treatment centers. Prescription drug abuse involves the over use or misuse of various prescription medications, including opioids, sedatives, and stimulants. From the early stages of intervention and detox through to the later stages of psychotherapy and relapse prevention, drug treatment centers can manage every aspect of detoxification and recovery.
If you or anyone you know is living with prescription drug abuse, it's important to seek help as soon as possible. Call Drug Treatment Centers Elizabeth at (877) 804-1531 for help finding drug rehab centers today.
What is Prescription Drug Abuse?
There are many ways to abuse legitimate medications, with some people slowly developing dependence over time and others abusing prescription drugs especially for recreational purposes. Common ways to misuse medications include:
- Taking larger doses than prescribed
- Taking medication prescribed for another person
- Combining medications
- Purchasing medications or prescriptions from illegitimate sources
- Using a different method of administration than intended
In general, substance abuse is defined by particular use patterns that cause harm to the user and others. While it is possible to abuse a wide range of prescription medications, the vast majority fall into just three categories: opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants.
Legal Drug Misuse
Contrary to popular belief, legal drugs are not necessarily safer than illegal drugs. Alcohol and prescription medications cause a wide range of health and social problems, with alcohol widely recognized as the most dangerous substance in terms of harm to self and harm to others.
While prescription drugs do not receive the same kind of negative media attention as substances like heroin and methamphetamine, adverse health and social problems do develop from long-term use. Prescription opioids can cause tolerance and dependence, as can benzodiazepine drugs like Valium and Xanax.
While stimulants are not physically addictive, they can also create physical and psychological problems. In order to break the bonds of addiction, formal detox and drug treatment programs are often required.
Prescription Opioid Abuse
Opioid painkillers are the most widely abused class of legal medication. Commonly abused opioids include morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone and buprenorphine. These drugs are sold in the United States under a variety of trade names, including Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin, Dilaudid, Exalgo, Demerol, Dolophine, Methadose, Avinza, Kadian, OxyContin, Oxyfast, Percocet and Roxicodone.
While some of these medications only include opioids, other formulations may also include Paracetamol and other secondary ingredients. Opioids are widely abused for their euphoric qualities, with users taking larger doses than prescribed or administering drugs in a different way than intended. Prescription opioids are increasingly available on the black market, where they are sold as an alternative to heroin.
Prescription Sedative Abuse
Sedatives, also known as CNS depressants or tranquilizers, are the second most widely abused class of prescription drugs. Benzodiazepines are the biggest sub-class of drugs in this group, with common examples including Valium, Xanax and Serax. Benzodiazepines are taken medically to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, and abused recreationally for their sedative and hypnotic qualities.
While benzodiazepine use is largely deemed to be safe on a short-term basis, long-term use is controversial due to the high risk of tolerance and physical dependency. Barbiturates are also CNS depressants, with these drugs rarely prescribed in the modern age but still taken for recreational reasons.
Stimulant Abuse
Stimulants are the third most commonly abused class of prescription drugs, with amphetamines taken for their stimulant and euphoric qualities. This class of drugs includes Ritalin and Adderall, which can be prescribed for attention disorders like ADHD, or Paxil and Celexa, which are prescribed for sleep disorders like narcolepsy.
If you or a loved one are struggling with prescription drug abuse, call Drug Treatment Centers Elizabeth at (877) 804-1531 to hear more about your options and help searching for rehab facilities.