Many people are on prescription drugs, and while the best way to use them is as prescribed, it is easy to find yourself abusing them. This is especially true for drugs with opioids with which continued use is likely to make you dependent and addicted to them. SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health found out that prescription drugs were the second most abused drugs were prescription drugs, second only to Marijuana. It also established that the first drugs people abused before moving on to other drugs were prescription drugs because they are readily available.
Abusing prescription drugs is as easy as it is to find them. Therefore, it is critical to learn tips that will help you avoid abuse and addiction to all forms of prescription drugs. Below are some tips that will help you with it.
Be aware of prescription drug abuse
Prescription medication abuse happens any time a drug is used for a purpose beyond its intended or specified purpose. An individual abuses prescription drugs if they take a dose higher than what is recommended for them, use drugs alongside alcohol and other drugs, or even ingested it in ways that were not intended. An example of such abuse is crushing and snorting a pill when it is intended to be swallowed. Sadly, many people abuse drugs without knowing it, and it is for this reason that you must know the different forms of drug abuse that exist.
Be aware of the most commonly abused drugs
Knowing what drugs are most abused will be helpful when you have prescription drugs. Drug doses are there to protect you from accidentally finding yourself hooked onto them. Sticking to the right dosages or sticking to the prescribed medicines is crucial in preventing addiction from misuse of prescription medicines. Critically, you should avoid over-the-counter medication because it could have a serious adverse effect on you or enable an addiction.
Some of the most abused drugs are opioids. These include codeine, fentanyl and analogs, morphine, and methadone. Opioids are controlled substances, but they can be found in prescription pain killers, but extremely high doses are found in heroin, opium plant extracts, and synthetic products. Opioid misuse will lead to dependence and eventually addiction.
If you have misused opioids before and found yourself in dependence or addiction, you ought to seek the help of a drug treatment center to help you overcome the addiction. Otherwise, it is the gateway to harder drugs like heroin. Luckily, National Suboxone Doctors can help you with medication-assisted treatment to help you overcome it. This treatment involves counselling, medication, and support from family and friends. At a certified suboxone clinic, you will get the best Suboxone (Buprenorphine) treatment to stop the profound effects of an opioid addiction.
Stay in the know and make good choices on prescription drugs
We cannot afford to stay away from prescription drugs. We need them for survival, only use the right medication and for the purpose it was intended for. Check-in with your doctor regularly to see if you are still on the right track, follow the proper instructions for use, and learn about a drug’s side effects as this will prevent accidental misuse. Do not use other people’s drugs. Practicing this drug etiquette will help you avoid abuse of prescription medication.
If you or someone close to you is struggling with opioid addition or any other substance use disorder for that matter, visit a drug treatment center or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP
