Mental Health Care

In order to survive in this competitive world, frustration, depression and anxiety seems to be ruling our world at every step. To escape from all these troubles, drugs seem to be the most potent medium. Besides the illegal drugs, the prescription drug abuse also leads to a certain kind of addiction. It includes the use of sedatives, mood stabilizers and pain killers used by the victim against the prescription of the doctor ‘dosage. It has been found that a taking the drugs frequently leads to certain kind of addiction. Hence it is a kind of self medication, where the victim takes the drugs without even taking permission from the doctor. It has been found that the statistics of the prescription abuse is increasing day by day. Anti depressants and painkillers are the most frequently abused drugs.

Like many other drugs, prescription drug abuse also creates certain cravings within the individual. As a result, the person cannot resist himself from taking the drugs. He develops an insatiable craving, which becomes so much strong that he has to take one dose everyday at least. It has been found that teenagers are the worst victims of drug and alcohol abuse. Oxycodon and Vicodin are two of the most frequently abused drugs among the teenagers. They get abused to the drugs mainly at the social gatherings or at the parties. In the beginning they take the drugs just out of curiosity to find out what are the reasons for it. But gradually they develop the habit of taking it and finally this turns into an addiction process. So what was earlier a physical craving slowly becomes a psychological craving gradually.

The path to prescription drug abuse begins with experimentation. Though the reasons for drug abuse vary from person to person, yet some of the most common ones are genetics and the influence of social environment, any traumatic event in the childhood, abuse or neglect by the family members, early usage of drugs and also mental disorders like depression and anxiety. Though the symptoms vary from person to person, yet the effects of drug abuse remain almost the same. If the drugs start controlling your life, the more you are moving forward from abuse to drug addiction. This will create a negative impact on the social and the economic life of an individual. If you are on a dangerous path of drug abuse, it is always better to seek medical help as soon as possible.

One of the most dangerous effects of the prescription drug abuse is denial of the use of substances. Though the causes of drug abuse may vary from person to person, yet the mind will always try to rationalize it every time there occurs a severe urge within the body. You may underestimate the amount of drugs that you are taking, but this may create a serious impact on the life.

A drug problem is an everyday struggle of not only the user, although some users haven’t realized yet that it is a problem, but the users family, friends, or special loved one. You may not instantly determine or realize that someone you care about is having problem with drugs.

People involved with drug problems or know someone who has at times thinks that drug addiction and drug abuse are basically the same thing, and should just be used interchangeably. But actually they are both different terms with different meanings. Complexity revolving drug abuse and definition has become increasingly clear and several efforts have been done to look of the right meaning both terms.

Drug Addiction:

The World Health Organization committee (WHO) had collected numerous of definitions concerning drug abuse and addiction and had suggested a generic term “drug dependence”. This addiction is defined as a disorder wherein the drug user’s behavior is being strongly influenced and dominated by the drug. It is a condition of recurring intoxication that happens when there is constant consumption of drug. It has characteristics of intense need or desire of continuous use, tendency of increasing dosage, unfavorable effects on both individual and society, and dependence on effects.

Drug Abuse:

Drug abuse is defined as the misuse of the drug or substance according the culturally acceptable standard. It is simply an abuse usage of substance which may involve excessive and habitual use in order to attain a certain effect. These so-called substances may be illegal, can be taken from streets and syndicates against the law, or can be legal as well in a form of prescription that are used in a pleasurable manner rather than medical.

Causes of Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse:

As both terms have different definition, their causes are different as well. Drug abuse is more complicated than drug addiction, although drug addiction has more forceful motivational condition. With drug addiction, it comprises the drug’s effect on the brain wherein it can become a strong motivational factor to use the drug again. On the other hand, drug abuse as a misuse of a substance, may or may not go together with a strong motivational factor to continue the use of the drug. In many cases, therefore, drug abuse does not necessarily make drug addiction, but drug addiction can constitute drug abuse.

Patterns of Behavior:

Drug addiction and Drug abuse have basically the same effects. Both have unwanted or unfavorable consequences both to society and the individual. Some symptoms and patterns of behavior of drug addiction and abuse comprise an abnormally slow in speech, reaction or movement, cycles of restlessness, inability of sleep or intensified energy, sudden gain or loss of weight, series of excessive sleep, sudden constant wearing of long-sleeved tops even under high temperature just to hide scars of injection points, loss of physical control, sudden impulse and confidence in doing risky activities, and withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop drug use.

Knowing the fact that drug users are prone to deny their drug-related symptoms and behavior, the family, friends, and loved ones must be sensitive and be more aware of these signs.

Being with a Drug Abuse or Addiction Problem:

At times it is not easily recognizable that someone so important to you is struggling with drug problem. It could be that it has started very early but not noticeable since the progression is slow, and that person might have been good in hiding the level of drug use from you. Or since that drug has been used early on and slowly, you might have easily adapted to the users behavior to the point that it seems normal still. It can be that the realization that someone so important to you is a victim of drugs is painful. You should never feel embarrassed. There are so many people who are in the same position as you. Drug abuse and addiction have affected millions of families all over the world.

There are available help and support everywhere. You can start by looking for support groups locally. Support groups can be in your very own religious area, private or government institutions, and small communities. By just listening to others who share the same experiences and dilemmas can be a very good way of support and give comfort. Other sources to find support and help would include a therapist, spiritual leader, a trusted friend or family member.

Medicines that we use to cure diseases can sometimes become a cause of drug addiction. Pill addiction or prescription drug abuse is what these addictions are called. It has been with us ever since doctors have started prescribing medicines by writing it on a piece of paper and has now become more widespread.

The beginning of refill or repeat prescription enables patients to avail a renewed prescription easily. This further allows people to visit a nearby chemist store and purchase their preferred drug simply by filling their details such as their name, contact address and the drug they want to buy. Repeat prescriptions are generally signed as routine these days. Doctors simply sign the prescription without considering the need for it.

If a patient asks for more repeat prescriptions, it is the duty of a consulting doctor to personally review treatment once again. Doctors these days are do not seem to care about these issues. That is why the numbers of prescription drug abuse cases are increasing at a rapid pace. Painkiller medicines are now being widely used by people to overcome body pains and it has now become the main cause of drug addiction.

These drugs are known to possess certain properties that make people addicted to these medicines if continued for considerable time period. People who are addicted to prescription drug abuse display quite a number of symptoms such as increased tolerance to drugs, where an individual needs to increase the dosage in order to feel the same effects.

Effects of drug abuse are horrific as people who are addicted to prescription drug abuse goes through extreme pain. Heavy dose of drugs enables the human body to get more used to a particular drug since the body has learned to adapt to the presence of a specific drug. Symptoms like mood swing, aggression and depression are some of the effects of drug abuse.

Prescription drug abuse is capable of disrupting the normal functioning of a human body and it sometimes can lead to death if the required attention is not given. Overdose of medicines like Paracetamol based painkillers are highly injurious to health and are capable of causing severe damage to liver, an essential digestive organ.

One of the symptoms of drug addiction is that when a person affected simply cannot stop taking them. Nowadays, many online drug stores have started selling medicines including those with addictive properties. The drug stores normally sell drugs to patients without any prescriptions. All a person need to do is to make the payment online through online money transfers and the drug is delivered right at the doorstep.

Prescription drug abuse is increasing as people are getting addicted to certain type of drugs. Pharmacists and doctors must be aware of the potential problems that are associated with prolong use of certain medicine. Doctors must try to reduce the intake of these medicines instead of stopping it all of a sudden. This addiction has now become a serious issue and medical professionals must act now to curb its progress.