Top 5 Signs You Need Prescription Drug Rehab
Illicit drugs like crystal meth, cocaine, and heroin are not the only substances to which a person can become addicted. According to the NIDA, “Some medications have psychoactive (mind-altering) properties and, because of that, are sometimes abused––that is, taken for reasons or in ways or amounts not intended by a doctor, or taken by someone other than the person for whom they are prescribed.”
According to the NLM, the medications which are commonly abused this way include “narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.” Over time, a person may notice that they are unable to stop taking the medication on their own, even if they realize the side effects have become problematic. This is when addiction sets in, and the individual will need professional treatment in order to stop abusing the drug. Below are the top 5 signs you need rehab for your addiction to prescription medications.
For help finding prescription drug addiction treatment call 1 888-646-0635Who Answers? toll free anytime.
1. Your Drug Use Causes More Than One Major Issue in Your Life.
Some individuals may feel that they have their drug abuse under control. However, the longer a person abuses these medications, the more their drug abuse will begin to affect other areas of their life, such as:
- Work
- Many individuals who abuse prescription medications at home are not able to stop when they go to work. Therefore, they show signs of intoxication on the job which will result in them becoming fired. Even if someone is able to avoid drug abuse at work, addiction causes apathy toward all other aspects of life that are not related to using drugs. Therefore, addicted individuals will often lose their job for this reason as well.
- Finances
- Losing a job is only part of the financial burden addiction causes. In many cases, money meant for other aspects of life (like food, rent, or gas) goes to obtaining more drugs, leaving the individual in debt.
- Relationships
- Addiction can lead to the loss of important relationships in a person’s life including friends, family members, and significant others. When forced to choose between their loved one and their addiction, an individual will often choose the latter.
- Legal
- Many people who are addicted to prescription medications encounter legal issues as a result of their behavior. Whether they are stealing or faking prescriptions to obtain more drugs or driving while intoxicated, addiction often leads to arrest and other legal ramifications.
If you have experienced major issues in more than one of these areas in the past year as a result of your prescription drug abuse, you should seek help for addiction in a professional rehab center.
Call 888-646-0635Who Answers? toll free to find help today.
2. Your Health is Deteriorating.
If drugs are causing your life to deteriorate in front of your eyes know that help is available to you.
Many medications can be beneficial to a person’s health, when they are taken as prescribed by a doctor in the correct doses. However, those who abuse prescription drugs often experience dangerous health effects such as:
- Stimulants
- Paranoia
- Seizures
- Stimulant-induced psychosis
- Prolonged insomnia
- Depression
- Malnutrition and weight loss
- Heart problems
- Opioids
- Seizures
- Painful withdrawal symptoms
- Brain damage
- Depression
- Lung problems
- Heart failure
- Mood swings
- Gastrointestinal problems
- CNS Depressants
- Dangerous withdrawal symptoms
- Depression
- Problems with memory, cognition, and judgement
- Speech problems
- Muscle weakness
- Mood swings
- Coordination problems and vertigo
Any of these medications, when abused, can cause long term health issues that become extremely dangerous in many cases. If you are noticing that your health continues to become worse and worse as a result of your drug abuse, seek treatment immediately before it becomes worse.
3. You Have Overdosed on Prescription Drugs.
Any of the medications listed above can cause deadly overdose syndromes. When a person abuses these substances in large doses in order to feel the euphoric high they cause, there is always a chance that the individual could overdose. According to the NLM, “Frequent visits to emergency departments appear to be a predictor of death from a prescription drug overdose,” and those who do not receive treatment are more likely to see this result.
- Opioids
- Opioids cause severe respiratory depression when taken in large doses. A person could stop breathing altogether as a result of this type of drug abuse.
- Stimulants
- Prescription stimulants can cause heart attack, seizures, or stroke just like illicit stimulants can. And, in addition, many individuals who abuse them do not realize that their body temperature will rise exponentially with higher doses, sometimes causing them to die as a result.
- CNS Depressants
- Like opioids, these substances cause respiratory depression so intense that a person may stop breathing or breathe too slowly to receive the oxygen they need. When this happens, the individual often slips into a coma and cannot call for help.
If you have overdosed on a prescription drug (either accidentally or on purpose) and were able to survive due to the help of others, you need to attend prescription drug rehab. This sign should be a wake-up call that death is a possible result of your substance abuse. Call 888-646-0635Who Answers? toll free for help finding treatment today.
4. You “Cannot Face Daily Life Without Drugs.”
According to the NLM, this is a major sign of addiction, and a person’s inability to participate in the general tasks of their life (work, school, sleep, getting up, etc.) without substance abuse causes a number of other problematic effects for them. Many individuals also make excuses for themselves including
- I need it to have fun.
- I can’t get through this day, week, hour, etc. without drugs.
- Everyone else is doing it.
If you notice yourself making these excuses all the time, or if you realize you cannot live your life every day without abusing prescription medications, you should seek treatment immediately.
5. You Have Lost Control of Your Drug Abuse.
A person who is unable to control their actions has crossed into the realm of addiction. This is the most important sign in many ways because it leads to every other one. When someone cannot control their drug abuse, they will continue taking prescription medications (or even start abusing illicit drugs) no matter what the consequences.
Ask yourself if you are truly in control of your drug use. If you realize that you are not, you will need prescription drug rehab in order to stop. It is important not to feel that you must quit on your own when your abuse has become an addiction.
We can help you find the treatment you need. Call 888-646-0635Who Answers? toll free today.
