The second most commonly abused drugs are prescription drugs. It falls behind marijuana and just ahead of drugs such as, meth, cocaine and heroin. Nearly 20 percent of people in the U.S. used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. It’s now wonder prescription drug detox submissions are on the rise.
Using narcotic painkillers opioids like OxyContin or Vicodin can become addictive when they are not used how they are prescribed by your physician. Unfortunately, there seems to be a perception that prescription drugs are safer than street drugs. People don’t lock up their medications, and they tend not to toss the unused pills. Unfortunately, this creates a situation where they can be stolen or misused.
Addiction to alcohol or other drugs is considered to be, by some, a biological process that alters the addict’s brain functions. Continued use of prescription drugs will change the user’s thought process, fundamentally changing how they view normal situations. In many cases, even after getting sober, that thought process is damaged for many years, if not forever.
As a recovering alcoholic, I, Recovery Rob can tell you that I didn’t have a ‘problem’ with prescription medications. It just wasn’t ‘my thing.’ What I can also tell you is that I need to be vigilant about taking prescription medications. I am open and honest with my doctor or other doctors I may encounter along the way. There are some pains I can live with, but for me it is never something I want to mess around with today. I am always one step away from an alcohol and drug detox.
Never forget.