Painkiller Abuse
Recently the United States has seen a huge increase in painkiller abuse and addiction among Americans. The term “painkillers” usually is used to describe prescription medications that are used to relieve physical pain, but all drugs are essentially painkillers. While some work to relieve physical pain, others work to trigger the pleasure center of the brain and relieve stress and anxiety. Painkillers help alleviate pain both physically and psychologically. In this particular article, we are focusing on prescription painkillers, which due to high availability are becoming the most abused drug, among all socio-economic environments.
The increase of prescription painkillers abuse has dramatically increased because they are prescribed by medical professionals for legitimate medical conditions, because they indice tolerance for the medication which triggers increased usage and addiction, and also because those with non-medical conditions have easy access to these drugs. The most addictive of these painkillers are the pharmaceutical drugs that are legitimately prescribed by physicians. A few of these common prescription painkillers include: Codeine, Darvocet, Demerol, Dilaudid, Hydrocodone, Lortab, Morphine, Opiates, OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Ultram and Vicodin.
Due to the fact that prescription painkiller addiction can happen easily when a person has a legitimate medical condition, both patients have an obligation to ensure that all medications are being taken as prescribed or as intended. Medical providers and pharmacies have an obligation to ensure that a patient still requires a medication, or if they are simply seeking more of the medication because they are addicted.
The following are some warning signs that someone you know is abusing painkillers and may be addicted to them: the individual is taking higher does than are prescribed; the individual repeatedly “loses” prescriptions, so that another prescription can be obtained, the individual “doctor shops/hops” by visiting several doctors and/or pharmacies to obtain the prescription painkillers they desire, mood swings, increased anxiety, depression or aggitation; theft or comiiting crimes to obtain or buy more of the medications.
