Prescription Drug Abuse Symptoms

Prescription drug abuse is unique because it is the one form of drug abuse that can start out innocently and grow into a problem. A doctor might prescribe a medication to treat an illness or injury, and the person becomes addicted to the drug. The drug abuse can spiral out of control, just like any other form of drug abuse. Below are some of the symptoms of prescription drug abuse.

Lingering Injury or Illness

• A person with a prescription drug abuse problem might claim falsely that he is having trouble healing from the injury or illness to continue having access to the prescription drug.

Seeing Several Doctors

• To continue having access to the medication, the prescription drug abuser might visit several doctors in several practices (particularly urgent cares) to obtain more prescriptions for the drug.

Ill Temper

• As the prescription drug abuser runs out of the prescription drug and craves more, she might become ill-tempered. She might react irrationally toward normal situations in her life.

Stealing Other Medications

• Without access to more of the prescription drug, the drug abuser might begin stealing the prescription or over the counter drugs equivalent belonging to family and friends.

Drinking Alcohol

• Depending upon the type of prescription drug being abused, the drug abuser might drink more alcohol to counteract the effects of the prescription drug (see Resources below).

Sleeping Changes

• Some prescription drugs might make the drug abuser sleepy while others inhibit the ability to sleep. A change in sleep patterns such as sleeping too much or not enough is a symptom of prescription drug abuse.