Prescription medications are used to treat a variety of ailments. People with anxiety and depression are especially prone to abuse them. These conditions are characterized by excessive worrying and sadness that makes daily life very difficult. Moreover, prescription drugs can be addictive. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent prescription drug abuse.
Opioids
Opioids andbuse prescription medication abuse are serious problems. Opioids are a class of drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat pain. They are abused because users do not follow their doctors' instructions. It is also important to remember that opioids are available in many forms, including natural and synthetic.
The addictiveness of opioids increases with prolonged use. After taking opioids for five days, the risk of becoming addicted to the drug doubles. Addiction is also influenced by the user's history and personal characteristics. It is difficult to predict whether a person will develop an addiction to opioids, and opioid abuse is responsible for most overdose deaths in the U.S. today.
While prescription opioids can treat a number of different health conditions, abuse of them can have devastating consequences. Although many of them are considered safe and effective for pain management, they also have a high potential for addiction. In fact, many people who use them abuse them to avoid pain.
Stimulants
There is a serious problem with prescription stimulant abuse, particularly among young people. While the prevalence of such abuse is relatively low, there are several demographic and psychological factors that are associated with this problem. The majority of these risk factors have been identified in college student populations, although some apply to the general population as well.
Prescription stimulants are sometimes necessary for people with ADHD, but they are also commonly abused by others. Many high school and college students abuse stimulants, also known as "study drugs." They are used to help them manage their busy schedules. According to one study, 20 percent of high school students reported taking prescription stimulants without a valid prescription in 2009.
The misuse of stimulants is extremely harmful to the body. They can cause cardiovascular problems, poor sleep, and erratic or violent behavior. They can also cause problems with personal hygiene and finances.
Pain relievers
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 91 million Americans used prescription pain relievers in 2015. This represents more than one-third of the adult population. Furthermore, nearly one-quarter of those people admitted to misusing their prescription pain relievers in the last year. Misuse is defined as going against the instructions on the prescription label or taking prescription pain relievers for purposes other than those for which they were prescribed.
Prescription pain relievers are abused in a variety of ways, including by using them for narcotic purposes. These abusers can purchase these medications online, steal from pharmacies, or engage in traditional drug-dealing. Using these drugs frequently may result in a drug tolerance, which means that abusers take more than their prescribed doses or take them more frequently.
Non-medical abuse of prescription pain relievers is on the rise. Non-medical use includes taking more than the recommended dose, taking medication prescribed to someone else, and taking them for enjoyment. It's the second most common form of drug abuse after marijuana. This abuse is often perpetrated by non-paid workers. They may be using them to get through a tough day at work, but the consequences are not only detrimental to the worker's health, but also to the lives of their families.