What Do I Do With My Leftover Rx Pills?

Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in recent years. The sharing or selling of leftover Rx pills is not only dangerous, but it is also illegal. Rx drugs should only be taken by the person to whom they were prescribed. Sharing a few pills here or there is dangerous, even for a reason that may seem justifiable. Those who are in true need of medication can, and should, be seen by a physician. A doctor can make the...

How to Tell If a Loved One Is Abusing Your Rx Drugs

In 2009 the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 16 million Americans, ages 12 and over, had abused a prescription narcotic within the previous year. The largest increase in prescription drug abuse has occurred among teens and young adults. Every day close to 2,000 teens, aged 12-17, abuse a prescription drug for the first time according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Symptoms of Rx Drug...

Prescription Drug Addiction and Pregnancy

Prescription drug addiction is dangerous, and expectant mothers run the very real risk of injury to themselves and to their unborn baby if they abuse drugs or alcohol. Many prescription medications including painkillers and psychotropic drugs can create multiple risks for developing babies. Potential results of combing prescription drug addiction and pregnancy include the following: Miscarriage Premature...

Coping with Stress and Prescription Drug Addiction

Prescription drug addiction is a serious problem on its own. Along with stress of normal life, or even more serious stress like anxiety disorders, panic attacks or phobias, an addiction can become unmanageable and extremely difficult. When stress and prescription drug addiction operate in a cycle, each problem will only become worse without treatment. But, there are ways you can cope with your stress and get help...

Can I Quit Rx Drugs on My Own?

Prescription drug addiction is on the rise. Increased advertising and people misdiagnosing themselves have poured fuel on the dependency fire in recent years. From painkillers to psychotropic drugs to sleep aids, medications intended to help can quickly turn to harm. Once people are addicted, it is difficult or even impossible for them to quit on their own. How Prescription Drug Addiction Develops Many prescription...

Advice for Reducing Drug Dosage

If you are stuck in a cycle of drug use, you may have reached a point where you realize that it is time to stop or at least cut back on your drug dose. You should never attempt to quit drugs on your own. Rather, seek the advice and help from your family doctor first. Drug Dependence and Withdrawal Before you reduce any drug dosage, take a moment to understand what your body is going through. When you begin taking a...

Prescription Drug Tolerance and Dependence

Many prescription drug users are not aware of the abuse and addiction potential of the medications they take on a daily basis. These drugs are often prescribed by doctors, and patients take them without asking for details about use and side effects. Most addictions to a prescription drug are accidental. The most common prescription drug addictions are those to opiate pain medications. Other drugs with a high...

Doctors Dealing with Addiction

There are a few reasons that doctors and other medical professionals are particularly at risk for the abuse and addiction of controlled substances. According to the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, recreational illicit drug use is lower in doctors than among non-doctors, but five times as many prescription drug addictions exist among doctors and other medical professionals when compared to the general...

Dangers of Mixing Rx Drugs with Alcohol

If you’ve ever consistently taken any over the counter or prescription medication, you’ve probably noticed multiple labels on the box, bottle or tube warning the user not to mix the drug with alcohol. While this is commonly disregarded by many, the act of intentionally mixing powerful prescription substances with alcohol is extremely popular among recreational drug users. Mixing Alcohol with CNS Depressants...

Prescription Addiction in Soldiers

Many current and former soldiers are struggling with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while others have returned home with an addiction to prescription drugs. Painkiller addictions begin for a variety of reasons. An injury or illness may cause the soldier to begin using, or a soldier may begin using prescription drugs as a way to cope with the intense stress of combat and a military career.  Some...