PharmaWatch

Prescription drug addiction is the second most common drug problem in America today; only marijuana use is more prevalent among people over the age of 12. Opioids, stimulants, and central nervous system (CNS) depressants are the most frequently abused categories of prescription medication, and the many people who end up dependent upon these drugs start out using them in the manner in which they were prescribed. However, some people begin to use the drugs more frequently or for a longer duration than recommended by a physician, and as they become inured to the drug's effects, they start to use more drugs. But how does one seek treatment for prescription drug addiction? The process can be painful, time-consuming, and potentially expensive, but it is possible to treat an addiction to prescription drugs.

First, you must understand that prescription drug addiction is not a mental or moral weakness; it is a chronic medical condition resulting in changes in the brain in people who are susceptible to addiction. Stopping an addiction to prescription takes much more than simple willpower; it requires a great deal of intensive therapy, and, on occasion, medication. This addiction can create actual changes to the nerves in the addicted person's brain; it hijacks the circuitry and messes with the part of the brain that deals with mood and feeling good for helpful behavior or bad for harmful behaviors. Cutting off the supply "cold turkey" can lead to mental as well as physical withdrawal symptoms. These can include anything from craving for drugs, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, goose pimples, agitation, or severely negative mood swings. The act of withdrawal is intensely uncomfortable, and most addicts will do anything to avoid it. It is dangerous for the addict to attempt to withdraw from drugs without any medical advice or intervention.

The ideal way for a person to withdraw from drugs is at a rehabilitation facility or a detox center. This will give the addict a safe environment with well-trained, professional doctors and nurses to help him or her downgrade the drug use in a medically-appropriate manner. These centers can be expensive, but such treatment is sometimes covered by health insurance policies. Rehab facilities have many methods of treatment on hand to help the recovering addict cope with the mental and physical aspects of withdrawal. Some physicians recommend medication to ease the person out of physical dependence to some forms of prescription drugs, specifically opioids. Methadone, clonidine, or buprenorphine are all medications that are given during various stages of drug withdrawal to help prevent the addicted person from relapsing.

While these medications can ease the physical aspects of withdrawal, they do not assist the mental problems that can come along with kicking prescription drug dependence. Stress is a major trigger for relapse as are social factors, such as spending time with people with whom the addict associates drug use. Studies have shown that addicts who undergo intensive counseling are more likely to recover permanently than those who simply do the allotted rehab time. Programs such as Narcotics Anonymous are an excellent way to maintain sobriety outside of a rehab facility.