Prescription-Drug-Addiction Treatment

The unnecessary deaths of celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger and Anna Nichole Smith have brought prescription-drug addiction to the forefront of many people's minds. Prescription-drug addiction is on the rise, and there are now more new people using prescription painkillers for recreational purposes than new users of marijuana. Treating prescription-drug addiction is no easy task and in most cases requires the services of qualified medical experts.

Prescription Pain Relievers

• Prescription pain relievers are the most commonly abused of all prescription drugs. These are very strong narcotics and can be highly addictive. Prescription-painkiller addiction has become an epidemic throughout the world. The most common form of prescription-drug abuse is among elderly people. According to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, 17 percent of adults 60 years of age and older are dependent on or addicted to prescription drugs. The elderly make up nearly 30 percent of all drug abusers of prescription pain relievers.

Dependency Is Different From Addiction

• People who suffer from chronic pain use prescription painkillers on a regular basis to ease their discomfort. For these people, narcotics are often necessary for them to have an acceptable quality of life. Unfortunately, many become physically dependent on, and sometimes addicted to, these medicines.

  The terms "addiction" and "dependency" have different meanings. When a person builds up a tolerance to a drug, he has become dependent on the drug. He needs to consume more and more of the drug to achieve the same level of pain relief. If he tries to stop taking the drug, he will experience withdrawal symptoms.

  Addiction to a drug occurs when a person needs the medicine to satisfy some physical, emotional, and/or psychological need. The person's central nervous system is affected and she physically craves the drug. When someone is addicted to prescription drugs, the desire for the drug takes over her life and becomes more important than anything else.

Treating Prescription Drug Addiction

• Help is available for those addicted to or dependent on prescription drugs through a quality medical drug-detox program. This could be in the form of outpatient care or long-term residential drug rehabilitation.

  Withdrawal from these prescription drugs can sometimes be dangerous to the health of the patient, so a medically assisted drug detoxification program is the best solution to ensure the safety and comfort of the patient. There are many quality treatment facilities located throughout the United States and world. In many cases the patient's health-insurance plan will cover inpatient detoxification programs.

  In addition to a medical detoxification program, individual psychotherapy or counseling can help the patient deal with feelings that occur during their withdrawal from prescription drugs. Counseling is also useful in that it helps the patient understand why he became dependent on or addicted to the drug. After inpatient treatment, outpatient group therapy is an effective way to transition back to a life free of addiction or dependence. Support groups such as Pills Anonymous provide help with a 12-step program similar to the one used by Alcoholics Anonymous.

  For more information visit:

  Pills Anonymous at: http://www.pillsanonymous.org/
  The National Institute of Mental Health Outreach Partnership Program at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/outreach/partnership-program/index.shtml