Prescription Drug Abuse: Everything You Need to Know

Approximately 52 million people in the United States have taken prescription drugs for a purpose other than its intention at least once in their life. Prescription drug abuse means taking medications in a way that isn't prescribed by a doctor. While there are many ways to abuse prescription drugs, the most common include:

• Taking medication that wasn't prescribed to you
• Taking more than the prescribed dose
• Snorting or injecting crushed tablets instead of taking them by mouth
• Using medication to get high rather than for its prescribed purpose

Just because a doctor prescribes pills, it doesn't make them safe for everyone.

The abuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem among teenagers. After marijuana and alcohol, pills are the third most commonly abused substance in this demographic. In fact, approximately 90 percent of people with a substance abuse problem, whether it's prescription drugs, smoking or drinking alcohol began before they were 18 years old. However, it isn't just teenagers who abuse prescription drugs. Prescription drug abuse is one of the fastest growing drug problems in the country. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there are many Americans in almost all age groups who report using prescription drugs illicitly:

• 3 million users ages 12-17
• 9 million users ages 18-25
• 26 million users ages 26-50
• 13 million users ages 50 and up

There are also plenty of ways these drugs are obtained. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, of those who don't have prescriptions for the drugs that they use, only 2.3 percent of people reported obtaining them from strangers or drug dealers. The  majority of prescription drug users - 55 percent - obtained their pills for free from a family member or friend. Approximately 11.4 percent paid someone they knew for the pills, and 4.2 percent of people said they stole their drugs from someone they knew.

Types of Drugs Commonly Abused

Opioids
Opioids are painkillers typically prescribed to minimize pain after injury, dental procedures or surgeries. When abused, opioids' effects can be similar to heroin's. They're usually only prescribed for a short amount of time in small doses. An overdose of opioids can cause severe respiratory depression. Just one dose that's large enough can cause breathing to slow down so severely, the user could die. When opioids are taken as directed, withdrawal symptoms are rare. However, when they're abused, withdrawals can cause restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes and involuntary leg movements. These are especially dangerous when mixed with alcohol and are most commonly abused by teens. However, many elderly people misuse them as well, though not always intentional. This can be due to cognitive decline and chronic pain. If their pain doesn't go away after one dose, it's likely that they'll take another pill. Common opioid prescriptions include:

• Vicodin , OxyContin, Percocet, Kadian , Avinza

Depressants
Depressants, also known as sedatives or tranquilizers, slow brain activity to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. When abused, the effects of depressants have been compared to club drugs like GHB, causing users to feel calm and sleepy. The body tends to build a tolerance to these drugs fairly quickly, requiring larger doses to feel the effects. Even when depressants are prescribed, they can cause withdrawals when stopped. These withdrawal symptoms can be as minor as insomnia or anxiety or life threatening, like seizures or convulsions. Women are more likely to become hooked on depressants than men. Doctors tend to wean their patients off of them rather than having them stop taking them altogether. Common depressant prescriptions include:

• Valium, Xanax , Halcion , ProSom , Klonopin , Ambien , Lunesta, Sonata

Stimulants
Stimulants are most commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. They increase alertness and energy and also raise blood pressure, heart rate and respiration. These are the most common pills abused by older teens and college students. They tend to use them to focus on their schoolwork and lose weight. A common side effect of stimulant use is feeling paranoid or hostile. If these pills are taken in excess, they can cause irregular heartbeats and a dangerously high body temperature. Abruptly stopping the use of stimulants can cause fatigue and depression. Common stimulant medications include:

• Dexedrine, Adderall, Ritalin , Concerta

The Dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse

Just because these pills are prescribed by doctors, it doesn't mean they're less dangerous than illicit drugs. It is also illegal to take these drugs incorrectly. Doctors take a drug's side effects into account before prescribing them to patients. He or she may find that the drug's benefits are worth the potential side effects, or determine that the risk of side effects is low with a specific dose. If these drugs are taken incorrectly, the chances of experiencing side effects may increase.

When prescription drugs are taken by someone who doesn't have a proper prescription, he or she may not be aware of potential drug interactions. Whether used with legitimately prescribed drugs or not, mixing two types of pills or taking prescription drugs along with alcohol could have deadly side effects. Since these prescription drugs affect brain chemistry, they can become highly addictive, especially when taken regularly or in higher doses. Constantly seeking a high that requires more pills to attain leads to overdose risk.

Misusing Your Own Prescription

It's possible to misuse and abuse your own prescription. Though your physician prescribed you a dose considered safe for your condition, if it isn't taken correctly - by following the instructions on the bottle's label and taking the prescribed amount at the right time - you may be at risk for misusing them and putting yourself at risk for becoming addicted. Follow these guidelines to ensure you're safely using your prescription. 

• Don't increase or decrease your dosage, and don't skip pills. Even if you feel like you don't need them anymore, it's important to talk to your doctor before making decisions regarding your medication.
• Never give anyone any pills from your prescription bottle. Not only is this dangerous, but it is also illegal. In some cases, if you're caught giving pills to other people, you can be charged with drug dealing.
• Write down any medications you shouldn't mix with your prescriptions.
• Tell your doctor about any side effects you may experience while taking your medication.

Difference Between Addiction and Dependence

There's a fine line between addiction and dependence, and it may be difficult for even physicians to distinguish the difference. Dependence on a prescription drug may occur after taking it for a long period of time. This simply means that the body has adapted to the dose and may need a higher dose to gain the same effects.

Dependence is often a part of addiction, alongside compulsively thinking about and seeking the pills. Addiction may negatively affect other areas of a patient's life, like his or her personal, academic and professional lives. If someone is addicted to a drug they don't have a prescription for, it may become increasingly difficult to get a hold of it. This could lead to erratic or dangerous behavior in order to obtain it.

Signs of Drug Abuse

There are many signs a patient may be abusing  prescription drugs. These signs may include frequent unscheduled refills, requests for higher doses and visits from people who aren't regular patients to get a prescription from another doctor. People abusing prescription drugs may go to different doctors to receive multiple prescriptions. Some may even go as far as stealing prescription pads from the doctor's office or attempt to steal pills from the pharmacy.

There are also plenty of signs that friends and family will see in a person who's abusing prescription drugs. Someone using opioids may always seem sleepy or confused, and may have slurred speech. They may have unnaturally slow breath while sleeping as well. If someone is abusing depressants, they may seem unnaturally relaxed, with poor memory or a lack of coordination. Stimulants may cause a user to have anxiety and flushed skin, and he or she may complain of chest pains or heart palpitations. 

If you're worried about your child potentially misusing prescription drugs, be sure to research typically abused medications and discuss these drugs with him or her. Prevention is key. Don't talk to them as if you're accusing them of using these drugs. Instead, try to establish an open discussion and ask them with genuine concern whether they know anyone who is taking drugs that they weren't prescribed. See how your child feels about the subject. Let them know that taking prescription drugs is no safer than taking illicit street drugs. In fact, according to a Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, approximately 27 percent of teenagers really believe that misusing prescription drugs is safer than using street drugs and approximately 23 percent don't think their parents would be as upset if they were caught using prescription drugs as they would be if they were caught using illegal drugs.

If you have prescriptions to any opioids, depressants or stimulants, don't store them in a common place. Keep them in your drawers or purse so nobody else in the house has access to them. Keep track of how many pills you have and how many refills are left. If your child or teen is prescribed any of these drugs, be sure to express to them the dangers of sharing their prescriptions. If you feel your child may give their pills away or sell them, talk to the school's nurse's office about having your child come to the office to take their medication. If the bottle isn't finished, don't leave it laying around the house.

Properly dispose of these drugs if the prescription isn't finished. Don't flush them down the toilet or throw them in the garbage. Instead, participate in a safe drug disposal program with the DEA, your community law enforcement, or purchase a drug deactivation bag to throw them away in.

How to Seek Help

Not many individuals can successfully kick a drug addiction on their own. There are two types of treatments: behavioral and pharmacological. Behavioral treatment consists of counseling and cognitive behavioral therapies, while pharmacological treatment uses medication to counteract the effects of the drug on the brain. It's common for people receiving treatment for prescription drug abuse to benefit from both forms.

Some people who are suffering from prescription drug addiction enter rehabilitation centers as a way to separate themselves from the temptation to use drugs. At rehab centers, patients are under medical observation through physical withdrawals and receive counseling to confront their mental dependencies on the drug. The severity of the physical withdrawals is one of the reasons many drug users begin using again after they quit. Going through these withdrawals in a safe environment without access to the pills of choice will give users a better chance at successfully ceasing the use.

If you feel like you may be addicted to prescription drugs, it's important to seek help. Contact your physician and visit www.samhsa.gov or call the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP.