Prescription Drug Addiction and Rehab in Cincinnati, OH

Drug Detox Centers Cincinnati knows that when it comes to drug abuse and drug addiction, many people tend to focus upon the illegal substances to which people develop abuse and addiction problems. However, prescription drug addiction is, in many areas of the country, a more significant problem than all of the available illegal drugs combined. Prescription drug addiction is often overlooked because many people in the United States feel as if using a prescription drug for nonmedical purposes is safer than using illegal drugs. However, this is not the case.

A prescription drug addiction is a serious chronic condition in which a person’s brain changes in physical structure and function and they are incapable of ceasing to use the prescription drug even if they experience numerous negative effects of doing so. Because prescription drug addiction is, in fact, a disease, it needs to be treated as such through rehab or other professional treatment programs.

Prescription Drugs Commonly Abused

The prescription drugs that people abuse more often than others all fall within three categories of addictive drugs. These three categories are opiates, depressants, and stimulants.

Prescription Opiates

  • Morphine
  • Demerol
  • Dilaudid
  • OxyContin
  • Vicodin

Prescription Depressants

  • Valium
  • Xanax
  • Ambien
  • Halcion
  • Lunesta

Prescription Stimulants

  • Concerta
  • Ritalin
  • Adderall
  • Nuvigil
  • Dexedrine

Why Prescription Drug Abuse is So Dangerous

Many people, even as they are abusing a prescription drug, still assume that it is somehow safe or at the very least not too dangerous. However, this is not the case. Prescription drug abuse can easily lead a person to develop a chemical dependence on the substance. This occurs when a person consistently consumes an addictive drug. The drug sends signals to the brain to trigger certain reactions each time it enters the body.

Eventually, the brain will come to expect the presence of the prescription drug in the body and will not perform certain actions without signals from the drug. When the brain changes the way it functions and considers it “normal” for a drug to be in the body, a chemical dependence has developed. If the drug is not consumed at the expected rate, the brain will react negatively and send the person into withdrawals.

An addiction to prescription drugs occurs along with a chemical dependence but also involves the mental, emotional, behavioral, and social aspects of drug abuse. Everybody has a unique reason that they began abusing prescription drugs in the first place, and these make up a large part of a person’s addiction.

On top of chemical dependence and addiction, prescription drug abuse can cause a myriad of other problems. Organ damage is a major possibility. The liver and kidneys are most vulnerable. However, a person can do significant damage to their lungs, heart, and brain through prescription drug abuse as well. Accidental death due to drug overdose, cognitive impairment, and mental illness or psychosis can also occur from frequent prescription drug abuse.

Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment is Necessary

In order to successfully overcome an addiction to prescription drugs, a person needs professional assistance and guidance. Because many people who end up abusing prescription drugs had a legitimate medical or mental health reason for using those drugs in the first place, it can be necessary to balance the detox and recovery process with managing the person’s other conditions. This may require different medical treatments or alternative treatment options.

Additionally, a prescription drug addiction is complex beyond just the physical factors. While every addict has reasons they began abusing drugs, those reasons are often not easily discernible, especially when a person has gotten to the point of being addicted. Treatment can help a person become more self-aware and more capable of not only finding the reasons they developed an addiction, but also how to deal with and cope with them so that they do not relapse and resume prescription drug abuse.

Contact Drug Detox Centers Cincinnati at (513) 914-4554 when you are ready to stop abusing prescription drugs and overcome your addiction once and for all.