How Prescription Drug Addiction Can Affect Your Family
Addiction to prescription drugs can be devastating to any family. It is not only a problem with our lower class but also with prominent families who think that it cannot happen to them. A prescription medication prescribed by a doctor is not illegal and most do not think of them as drugs in the usual sense of the word. That thought process in itself opens the door to addiction.
If you think about it, the drug companies and the doctors prescribing the medication know exactly what they are doing. You would not believe how easy it is to get on going prescriptions for medications like narcotics and tranquilizers which are both highly addictive. The doctors who keep prescribing these drugs to you know that you will be back for more. What does that mean? It means more money in their pockets and more money for the drug companies who are supplying their medications. If confronted, the doctors claim that the drug manufactures failed to warn them of the drug addiction possibilities.
The next time you receive a prescription for a narcotic or a tranquilizer, be sure to read the warnings on the side of the bottle. There will not be any mention of the possibility of addiction. Now let’s take it a step further and read the pamphlet the pharmacist includes with your prescription. Again, you will not see any mention of addiction.
If you think that you or a loved one is addicted to prescription medication you need to watch closely for certain signs and symptoms. Some of the signs and symptoms include:
Loss of interest in activities otherwise enjoyed
Difficulty concentrating on conversations
Missing work or school
Anger or hostility without reason
Associating with new and questionable acquaintances
Excessive fatigue
If you notice these signs or other odd or out of character behavior it is time to make an action plan. The more support a person has the better the chances he or she will have to recover from the addiction. If quitting cold turkey is not an option then you may need to look into support groups or even treatment centers. Sometimes the doctor who prescribed the prescription in the first place can help by lowering the dosage to try weaning the person off. If the person is ambivalent, drug testing can be a good tool to help.
Of course your first obstacle will to get that person to admit that he or she has an addiction to prescription drugs in the first place. They will have every reason in the world why it is alright to be taking the medication in the first place. If you cannot reason with them then you may want to try a family intervention. Do not use accusing words or try bullying them into receiving treatment for their problem. First let them know that they are loved and you are concerned for their well being. If you cannot gain their trust then you will not get anywhere with them. Be sure to assure them that you will be there to support them through the process of ending their addiction to prescription drugs. If you succeed in getting through to them, you may just save their life.
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