Prescription Drug Abuse in Staten Island, NY

The great city of Staten Island is not immune to the troubling health trend that is sweeping across the United States. Prescription drug abuse and addiction are on the rise and more and more people are finding themselves in need of treatment for their prescription drug abuse problems. A large part of this has to do with common misconceptions that many people hold about prescription drug abuse.

Did you know that just shy of half of high school students are convinced of the notion that prescription drug abuse (i.e. using a prescription drug for nonmedical purposes) is safer than consuming a street drug simply because prescription drugs are available from a physician? Even further, one third of parents have that same notion.

Prescription Drug Abuse Defined

Prescription drug abuse is the non-medical use of a prescription drug. This can mean that a person consumes a prescription drug that was never prescribed to them. It can also mean that they change the dose of the drug or even take it in a different way than prescribed (like crushing pills and snorting them).

Prescription Drugs Commonly Abused

Any prescription drug could theoretically be abused. However, the reality is that only three categories of those drugs are abused with any frequency or regularity, and those drugs are all quite addictive as well.

Prescription Opiate Painkillers

. Morphine

. Demerol

. Vicodin

. Fentanyl

. OxyContin

Prescription Depressants

. Ambien

. Xanax

. Valium

. Klonopin

. Lunesta

Prescription Stimulants

. Adderall

. Dexedrine

. Ritalin

. Concerta

Understanding Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction

Prescription drug abuse is a chronic issue that is repeated over time and can easily lead a person down the road to chemical dependence and addiction. An addiction to prescription drugs means that a person continues to compulsively consume the prescription drug even when there are major negative consequences that occur as a result of that behavior. These negative consequences can be damage to a person’s health, relationship problems, legal and financial difficulties, and even losing professional licenses or employment.

A dependence on prescription drugs means that a person has physically developed a need for the drug. This occurs due to the way certain prescription drugs affect the structure of the brain as well as how it functions, making it so that the brain assumes that the presence of the drug in the body is the normal state of being in the body.

Treatment is Needed to Break the Cycle

Prescription drug addiction and dependence are serious conditions that occur as a result of prescription drug abuse. Because addiction and dependence both are considered to be diseases of the brain that are chronic and relapsing, it is vital to deal with addiction like the disease it is. Just like any other disease or medical condition, treatment is required to treat and manage addiction.

Many people try and fail to overcome a prescription drug addiction on their own. This is largely due to the fact that they do not have the emotional support and assistance that they need to address all aspects of their addiction. Getting treatment means that a person will have all of the resources, skills, and knowledge that they need to abstain from substance abuse going forward.
Staten Island Drug Treatment Centers can help you deal with your prescription drug abuse problem and get you headed in the right direction in your life. Just call (929) 575-5202 to speak with one of our caring recovery advocates.