Many prescription drugs that are prescribed for legitimate medical reasons also have the potential for abuse. Medications that are used for medical purposes can produce severe adverse health effects. Some of these effects include addiction, dependence, overdose, and even death.
Thankfully, early detection of prescription drug abuse and quick intervention can help fight the addiction. Ethan Crossing of Cleveland offers a comprehensive prescription drug addiction treatment program. Learn more about our prescription drug detox center by contacting us online or calling us at 855.967.2436 today.
Understanding Prescription Drug Addiction
Although many individuals responsibly take prescription medications, the United States is in the midst of a prescription drug abuse epidemic. Many teenagers and young adults abuse prescription medications because they view prescription medications as safe. However, this often has catastrophic consequences like dependency and overdose.
When it comes to addiction, most people are familiar with the dangers of hard drugs like cocaine and however. However, prescription drug addiction is an equally destructive problem. Some prescribed drugs are more addictive than others. In general, addictive drugs affect your brain’s reward system by flooding it with dopamine, resulting in a pleasurable “high” feeling.
Once this transient feeling dies off, you want to experience it again. So as you depend on it, you develop a tolerance to the drug, which then pushes you to take larger doses until you become addicted.
What Are the Most Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs?
Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that prescription pain reliever (opioids) misuse was the second most common form of illicit drug used in the United States that year. Other prescription drugs mostly abused are anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, and stimulants.
1. Opioids
Because of the strong painkilling properties of opioids, they are used to treat pain. Your doctor may prescribe opioids to you if you are experiencing moderate to severe pain due to an injury, chronic condition, or the aftermath of surgery. Examples of popularly prescribed opioids include oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), fentanyl (Duragesic), codeine, meperidine (Demerol), morphine, co-codamol, and tramadol.
2. Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants
CNS depressants are medications that include sedatives, tranquilizers, and hypnotics. They are used to treat anxiety, acute stress reactions, tension, panic attacks, and sleep disorders. Examples include pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), diazepam (Valium), phenobarbital (Luminal), alprazolam (Xanax), zolpidem tartrate (Ambien), and sertraline (Zoloft).
3. Stimulants
Stimulants are typically prescribed to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and certain sleep disorders like narcolepsy. Examples include dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta), and amphetamines (Adderall).
How to Deal with Prescription Drug Abuse
The best way to tackle prescription drug abuse is by receiving treatment from a licensed drug addiction rehab center. The first step on the path to recovery from prescription addiction abuse is detoxification. Also needed are therapies and educational sessions to understand your addiction, deal with withdrawal symptoms, and prevent relapse while trying to live a more stable and productive life.
What Should You Expect from Our Prescription Drug Detox Center?
At Ethan Crossing of Cleveland, we offer detoxification services, therapy, and counseling for our guests. We highly recommend medically-assisted detox because when the body is dependent on a substance, quitting suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, we provide medication and support to ease withdrawal symptoms and curb cravings.
During this period, we provide a safe, supportive, and non-hospital setting environment. We have experienced staff ready to help our guests safely manage withdrawal symptoms.
Other programs available to aid your recovery journey include:
- Outpatient programs
- Intensive outpatient programs (IOP)
- Residential treatment programs
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- 12-step meetings
Contact Ethan Crossing of Cleveland to Learn More
At Ethan Crossing of Cleveland, our primary goal is to offer patients long-term, sustainable recovery. Whether you need a full continuum of care from detox to aftercare or secondary dual diagnosis treatment, our programs and services will give you the care you need for long-term recovery. Contact our team today at 855.967.2436 or reach us online to learn more.
