Understanding Prescription Drug Misuse: How it Starts

Prescription drug addiction

Prescription Medication addiction treatment. Sounds like a difficult topic and something you would rather put off. Yes, recovery can be a challenging pathway but the end result can be transformative.

At Find Me a Rehab we offer Free Rehab Advice Online as well as Free Clinician Drug Advice. All calls and emails are treated in the strictest of medical confidence. Whichever clinician is free will answer your call.

Most people, when they think about drug addiction, do not think about the prescription they get from their GP or hospital doctor. Images of dealers in alleyways at 3AM come to mind, or people growing cannabis in rented flats.

Sadly, prescription drug addiction is a problem in the UK: And it is getting much, much worse. Addressing this issue requires prescription medication addiction recovery treatment.

There is nothing to be ashamed about if you are worried about this for yourself or someone you know. Addiction is an illness: It is not a choice.

Prescription medication changes brain chemistry, which is precisely what it was intended to do. Medications work on chemical channels in the brain by either opening or closing channels (or partially opening or closing them). Seeking prescription medication addiction recovery treatment is crucial.

How prescription drug addiction develops

When these chemical channels are affected, as intended, the desired effect occurs. However, after a time, the brain becomes used to their presence.

If you stop taking the medication your brain is not able to cope with this immediate change and chemical messaging becomes deranged. Thus you go into withdrawal. It has nothing to do with willpower: It is science, and that’s why recovery treatment is essential. That’s why the focus on effective prescription addiction treatment is necessary.

Why Do People Become Addicted to Prescription Medication?

GP’s and hospital doctors prescribe medication to alleviate suffering: That is their job. Unfortunately, when a lot of medications are licensed, their addictive properties are not known. Prescription medication addiction recovery treatment becomes necessary only after researchers become aware of these problems.

Due to the pressure on GP’s and hospital specialists, repeat prescriptions are used to manage patients as they do not require face to face contact and thus are time-saving.

This creates a problem in that people are left on addictive forming medication for long periods of time without a review. Prescription medication addiction recovery treatment is essential for breaking this cycle.

All NHS GP surgeries are private companies that are commissioned to treat patients. In recent times, commissioners are placing increasing pressure on GP’s to reduce the prescribing of addictive medication. Discussing prescription medication addiction recovery treatment options can be challenging and often GP’s will simply allow someone to continue taking the medication to avoid confrontation.

At Find Me a Rehab we offer Free Rehab Advice Online as well as Free Clinician Drug Advice. All calls and emails are treated in the strictest of medical confidence. Whichever clinician is free will answer your call.

How Do You Know If there is a Problem

Addiction is addiction: it matters not if it is heroin, alcohol, cocaine, or prescribed pain medication. The behaviors around addiction are the same. Some of the common features are where:

• Getting hold of your medication takes priority over everything else
• You experience very strong cravings for it
• Stopping taking the medication is something you fear and feel you won’t get through it
• You run out of tablets before you should and/or lie to the surgery by saying you have lost your script
• Stealing a prescription or forging one is something you have done or considered, which underlines the need for a thorough recovery treatment plan.

Signs that someone you know has a prescription drug addiction

It can often be very difficult, even for a seasoned addictions clinician, to spot the signs. However, there are some common features, such as the need for prescription addiction treatment.

• The person makes constant doctors appointments
• You notice rapid and frequent mood swings
• The person you care about is always losing their prescription or medication
• Their work is suffering and their relationship is under strain
• Your loved one seems emotionally blunt and distant

Myths about prescription drug dependency

• Prescription medication addiction is not dangerous Sadly this is not true. Many illegal drugs are based on prescription medication. Heroin is an opioid just as codeine is. Just because your medication comes via a doctor’s prescription and a pharmacist doesn’t mean your addiction to it is any less dangerous than injecting heroin.
• I can go cold turkey Suddenly stopping your prescription medication is a very bad, as well as dangerous, idea. You cannot simply change your brain chemistry with willpower. The withdrawals, at best, can be very uncomfortable. At worst: They can be fatal. This is why seeking treatment for prescription medication addiction is essential for safety.
• No one will notice At first, maybe not. However, over time, your behavior will change and someone is going to notice.
• Getting off prescription medication is impossible Even if you have been on prescription medication for decades, recovery is possible. Sure, it is going to be challenging but it will be worth it. Prescription medication addiction recovery treatment makes this challenge more manageable.

How can Find Me a Rehab help?

Our experienced addictions clinicians have helped thousands of patients, in a variety of settings, to come off prescription medication: Rehab centers, NHS commissioned services, GP shared care clinics, prisons, and private hospitals. Prescription medication addiction recovery treatment is at the core of our services.

A clinician can advise you on how long the process is likely to take and what to expect. They can discuss treatment plan options.

We never charge for clinician advice or referrals to rehab centers. Whichever clinician is free will answer your call and all advice is given in the strictest of medical confidence. You can also email.

At Find Me a Rehab we offer Free Rehab Advice Online as well as Free Clinician Drug Advice. All calls and emails are treated in the strictest of medical confidence. Whichever clinician is free will answer your call.

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