If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, you can find treatment for prescription drug abuse at Total RMH. The CDC reports that almost 50% of people have used prescription drugs in the last month. People are more likely to use prescriptions the older they are. Prescription drugs are designed to help treat medical conditions and can be life-saving. You might be prescribed opioids immediately following surgery or after a major accident. You might be given benzodiazepines to treat an anxiety disorder.
Why Are Prescription Drugs Abused?
There are many reasons why people use prescriptions. But why do they abuse them?
Many prescription drugs are very strong, and they have an impact on your brain. If you are given opioids like morphine to help you with your pain after an accident or surgery, it can be incredibly useful in your recovery, but if you use too much or for too long, it can change how you feel without the drugs and build up a tolerance inside. At this point, you become addicted, and then you can’t live comfortably without those drugs. There are also a handful of factors that contribute to rates of prescription drug abuse:
Genetics
Certain people have genetic predispositions to addiction. This means that they are more likely to become addicted to a substance once they use it, including a prescription. While there is still research being done on how genetics specifically impact the likelihood of developing an addiction, evidence points to it likely playing a significant role.
Medical Or Mental Health History
People with undiagnosed mental health problems or a history of mental health problems might get a prescription to treat chronic pain. They may then find that their prescription helps them feel better, happier, less depressed, or less anxious through the course of that treatment. In these cases, even after the prescription is no longer needed, they may continue use to self-medicate symptoms for an undiagnosed mental health issue.
Previous Drug Use or Addiction
People with a history of drug abuse or addiction might already have changes to the chemical structure of their brain which means they have a higher chance of developing mental health disorders and addiction even if the drugs they are given come from a doctor.
What Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Abused?
There are three categories of drugs commonly prescribed, all of which are regularly abused:
Opioids
Opioids are the most commonly abused prescription drug. Most people are prescribed opioids to help manage pain, but these drugs don’t fix the pain or make it go away; they just mask it, so your brain doesn’t recognize that you are in pain. Common prescriptions for opioids include Vicodin, fentanyl, codeine, morphine, oxycontin, and Percocet.
Depressants
People who struggle with anxiety disorders or panic disorders might be given depressants. These are just the natural levels of GABA and your brain to calm you down or depress the activity in your mind. These can make you feel very relaxed, but they can also cause addiction.
Common prescriptions include Diazepam, Clonazepam, Triazolam.
Stimulants
If you struggle with panic disorder, anxiety, Sleep Disorders, or ADHD, you might be given stimulants. These release additional dopamine and stimulate your brain. Comment prescriptions include Adderall and Ritalin.
How to Find Treatment for Prescription Drug Abuse
If you or someone you love struggles with addiction, there is treatment for prescription drug abuse.
Prescription drug treatment typically involves two phases:
Detox
The first phase in any treatment for prescription drug abuse is detox. At a professional detox center like Total RMH, our staff can arrange for medically supervised detox, during which time your initial detox symptoms can be properly managed. Our team will give you medications to wean you off particularly strong prescription drugs like fentanyl or benzodiazepines. We can give you other treatments and basic comforts to ensure you feel safe and secure while your body rid itself of the last compounds. The withdrawal symptoms, especially for prescription opioids, can be so severe that people who try to manage prescription drug treatment on their own will relapse early on. But our facility offers top-notch care that treats not just the body but the mind as well.
Therapy
This philosophy is what extends to the second part of your treatment for prescription drug abuse. Proper treatment doesn’t just end with detoxing the body of remaining compounds. Total RMH focuses on aftercare, long-term life skills that you can acquire as part of your recovery and apply to your everyday life. For many people, prescription drugs or something they use to manage pain, sometimes physical, chronic pain, and other times, psychological pain.
In order to give you the highest chance of living your best life and achieving greatness, our facility offers a range of evidence-based treatments like one-on-one counseling and group therapy to help you identify the causes of your addiction, what behaviors or environmental triggers contributed to your addiction. From there, we offer a range of holistic treatments that help you reflect.
Let Total RMH give you a customized recovery plan today with comprehensive treatment in Beverly Hills.