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Prescription Drug Abuse

If used properly, prescription drugs can offer relief from debilitating symptoms which would otherwise adversely affect a person's ability to function in their daily life. Abuse of prescription medications can lead to addiction, which reveals itself in the form of compulsive drug seeking and activity. Three classes of prescription medications commonly abused include:

• Opioids - Prescribed to treat or manage pain.
• Stimulants - Used to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders.
• Depressants - Prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders.

No matter which prescription drugs you are addicted to or how you acquired that addiction, the clinical team at Orchid Recovery Center can provide you with a complete drug detox and addiction treatment personalized to suit your needs.

Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs: Opioids

An opioid is a chemical substance that has a morphine-like action in the body. The main use is for pain relief. These agents work by binding to opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract. When these compounds attach to the body's opioid receptors, they effectively change the way we perceive pain.

Opioids also affect areas of the brain that mediate pleasure, resulting in the initial euphoria commonly associated with many narcotics. Side effects include drowsiness, constipation and depressed breathing. Taking a large, single dose can cause severe respiratory depression, often ending fatally. The "nod" effect they provide is often an escape for those who are addicted to the drug and chasing this feeling or "chasing the dragon" is characteristic of opioid prescription drug abuse.

Among the compounds that fall within this class are morphine, codeine, oxycodone, OxyContin, propoxyphene (Darvon), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and meperidine (Demerol).

Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs: Stimulants

Stimulants are used therapeutically to treat disorders such as narcolepsy and ADHD. Occasionally, they are also used to treat patients with depression, obesity and asthma.

Stimulants have a chemical structure similar to key neurotransmitters in the brain called monoamines, which include norepinephrine and dopamine. Stimulants increase the levels of these chemicals in the body, which in turn increases blood pressure, heart rate and glucose, while constricting blood vessels and opening the pathways of the respiratory system. Additionally, the increase in dopamine brings about a heightened sense of euphoria. It is the seeking of this euphoria that often precipitates stimulant prescription drug abuse.

Examples of prescription stimulants include amphetamines, dexamphetamine (Dexedrine), ephedrine, methylphenidate, methamphetamine (Desoxyn), MDMA, modafinil, or mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall).

Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs: Depressants

Depressants which act on the body's central nervous system typically affect the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA's task is to calm the central nervous system and to promote sleep. Drugs that stimulate the activity of this amino acid produce slowed brain function and a drowsy or calm feeling, and so depressants are generally prescribed to relieve symptoms of anxiety or insomnia. Internal systems regulate the body's production of GABA, but when medication is taken to stimulate GABA action, it is possible to induce hazardously high levels, which can dangerously slow breathing and heart rates and may result in death.

Barbiturates, such as mephobarbital (Mebaral) and pentobarbitalsodium (Nembutal) fall into this category, as do benzodiazepines, prescribed as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide HCI (Librium), alprazolam (Xanax), and estazolam (ProSom). Prescription drugs in this class most commonly abused include Xanax and Valium.

Prescription Drug Abuse and Women

Taken as a whole, men and women typically have similar rates of prescription drug abuse, the exception being 12- to 17-year-old adolescents, in which females are more likely than men to abuse psychotherapeutic drugs. Some studies suggest women are up to 55 percent more likely to be prescribed a drug that is statistically known to be abused. In addition, women are at increased risk for abusing narcotic analgesics and tranquilizers. At Orchid Recovery Center, we specialize in the treatment of women as they battle drug abuse and addiction.

Treatment for Prescription Drug Abuse at Orchid Recovery Center

Women, as a rule, tend to stumble into addiction from emotionally painful places. Whether their history involves abusive relationships or childhood trauma, women are far more likely to exhibit issues such as anxiety, depression and other psychosocial issues. At Orchid Recovery Center, you are in a safe environment surrounded by female medical and psychiatric professionals and other women like yourself with similar experiences, struggling with the same drug abuse issues.

Feel free to contact us by phone at anytime if you want to learn more - we're always standing by to offer help to those in need.

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