Prescription drug abuse has been on the rise over the last 15 years, becoming a wide spread health epidemic in the eyes of United States citizens. A wide range of about 54 million individuals are affected by this problem because of taking one of 12 different kinds of medications. Doctors aim to identify and monitor frequently abused prescription drugs, only prescribing them with medical oversight, to avoid the development of severe dependence.
7 million of the 54 million people prescribed these medications have developed a severe dependence. Opioids, depressants, and stimulants rank as the most commonly abused prescription drugs today. Many individuals mistakenly seek a prescription medication for energy and motivation without realizing they are introducing highly addictive drugs that are misused into their daily routines.
Prescribed chemicals contribute heavily to fatal overdoses even though a majority of people consider street drugs more threatening. Actions like taking a higher dose than directed or consuming someone else’s pills are representative of medication misuse that has dangerous consequences for the individuals making that choice. Reach out immediately if you or a loved one are struggling with misusing prescriptions you or someone near you have been prescribed.
Understanding the most frequently prescribed used and abused substances is the first step toward safety. Our premier facility targets chemical dependencies with evidence-based therapy options, specialized prescription drug treatment, and comprehensive alcohol rehabilitation services. We also coordinate with Tennessee psychiatric networks to treat co-occurring dual diagnosis disorders effectively.
Opioids
Opioids are narcotics used to treat moderate to severe pain, like the chronic pain a person may face following an injury in a car accident or sport. Chemists are now able to replicate the chemical structure of opioids, that were originally derived from the opium poppy plant, to create synthetic drugs that mirror the properties of the opium plant. The replication of this drug has allowed pharmaceutical companies to mass produce these drugs and sell them to medical companies around the world. Some of the most frequently abused narcotics include:
- Codeine – often found in cough suppressants and prescribed to relieve mild to moderate pain that can cause drowsiness, relaxation, and apathy
- Morphine – used to treat severe pain highly addictive narcotic as it can produce a sense of euphoria
- Fentanyl – synthetic opioid, fifty to one hundred times stronger than morphine
- Oxycodone – commonly prescribed synthetic narcotic used to treat pain highly addictive and prone to misuse
The Opioid Epidemic
The opioid epidemic is a major health crisis that has come to attention because of the drastic increase in drug overdose-related deaths over the past decade. The number of accidental overdoses from opioids has more than quadrupled over the past 10 years, becoming one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths.
During the 1990’s, pharmaceutical companies sold synthetic and semi-synthetic opioids to the medical community under the guise that these medications were less addictive than traditional narcotics. At the time, these drugs seemed like an answer to an already growing problem, however, the promises made by these distributors were too good to be true. Rather than help relieve the problem, synthetic opioids dramatically increased the cases of addiction to narcotics.
The high price tag on prescription opioids has also sent addicted individuals to seek opioids in street drugs such as the highly addictive substance, heroin. This act not only affects the addicted, but it also impacts the entire community by inviting drug sales and criminal activity into the locale. The crisis also affects us on a national scale, incurring an economic burden of an estimated $78.5 billion dollars each year.
How Opioids Affect the Body
This type of medication affects the opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract to help reduce the experience of pain. A person may feel less burdened by stress and sadness because opioids can also dull emotions. Many with a co-occuring mental health disorder may seek out these kinds of drugs to get relief from the mental suffering they are experiencing from their condition.
However, long-term use of this medication is extremely risky because opioids are considered among the most addictive substances. Prescription opioids have a high similarity to heroin, the street drug that has terrorized communities for decades, with a similar chemical makeup that causes similar effects on the body and brain. Opioids are often misused because there is a high associated with taking these drugs, typically described as “euphoria”, which triggers the reward sensors in the brain.
Not only does the opioid high become addictive to users, but the body also becomes addicted, making it both dangerous and painful to detox from this drug abuse disorder. Dependence and addiction occur when the prolonged use of a substance or behavior corrupts the reward sensors in the brain. It begins with a psychological dependence on the drug. The individual will use the substance to experience pleasure, curb pain, release stress, or feel comfort. As time goes on, those reward sensors demand more and more of the substance to experience the same kind of effects. This tolerance causes a biological change in the brain’s chemistry, inciting an addiction to the drug.
Depressants
Central nervous system depressants are a class of drugs prescribed to treat a variety of psychological disorders, such as anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis. Tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics exist under the umbrella of depressants and seek to relax the mind and body of the user. Commonly abused central nervous system depressants include:
- Barbiturates – designed to relax the central nervous system and used to treat headaches, insomnia, and seizures.
- Includes medications such as:
- Luminal (phenobarbital)
- Mebaral (mephobarbital)
- Nembutal (pentobarbital sodium).
- Includes medications such as:
- Benzodiazepines – used to treat mental disorders such as anxiety, epileptic seizures, panic attacks, and PTSD.
- Include medications such as:
- Xanax (alprazolam)
- Klonopin (clonazepam)
- Valium (diazepam).
- Include medications such as:
- Sleep Medications – prescribed to provide short-term relief for symptoms like insomnia.
- Include medications such as:
- Ambien (zolpidem)
- Lunesta (eszopiclone)
- Sonata (zaleplon)
- Include medications such as:
The History of Depressants
Barbiturates are the oldest of our list of three central nervous system depressants. In the late 1800’s, barbiturates were developed to cure sleep-related disorders. Throughout the early and mid-1900’s, it was the most popular drug on the market for treating a variety of mental illnesses, serving as both a sedative and hypnotic.
The first benzodiazepine was made in 1960 by a chemist by the name of Leo Sternbach. It was then marketed as Librium, closely followed by the creation of Valium thereafter. These drugs were developed as a substitute for barbiturates, which were beginning to be viewed as dangerous due to their ability to reduce the user’s heart rate and slow breathing.
While generally viewed as safer than barbiturates, benzodiazepines still come with grave warnings of dependence and addiction. In the 1990’s, modern sleep medications were created to mirror some of the benefits of benzodiazepines but were developed with a different chemical structure that promised fewer side effects. These types of medications are also known as non-benzodiazepines.
How Depressants Affect the Body
Central nervous system depressants interact with the brain’s GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors by increasing activity in these neurons. This increase in activity causes a decrease in mental distress, inhibitions, and anxiety. The feeling associated with these drugs, especially when used other than prescribed, is often called a high or euphoria. Common side effects include a slowing of brain function, reduced pulse and breathing, confusion, dizziness, disorientation, depression, and addiction. Like opioids, depressants can cause a psychological and physiological addiction to the medication.
After the initial use, the body begins to build a tolerance to the depressant, needing higher and higher doses to achieve the same results as previously experienced. The initial side effects, such as sleepiness and discordination, begin to subside as the drug begins to be needed for normal function. Signs of addiction include panic or anxiety when the user is unable to fill their depressant prescription. Prescription drug withdrawal symptoms may include insomnia, body tremors, seizures, nausea, and vomiting. Prolonged abuse of depressants can result in breathing difficulties, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, and overdoses. Overdoses on barbiturates can lead comas or death.
Stimulants
Stimulants are a type of drug that are used to treat conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Originally, these drugs were manufactured for respiratory issues, neurological disorders, and other health conditions, but as the abuse of these substances rose, the scope of issues to be treated with this medication became more limited.
- Dextroamphetamine – typically prescribed to individuals with ADHD or narcolepsy as it is intended to increase energy and improve alertness while decreasing the need for sleep
- Common brands include:
- Dexedrine
- Adderall
- Common brands include:
- Methylphenidate – treats ADHD in both children and adults by improving focus and decreasing impulsivity.
- Common brands include:
- Ritalin
- Concerta
- Common brands include:
The History of Prescribed Stimulants
Methylphenidate was created by a Swiss chemist by the name of Leandro Panizzon in 1944. The medication was originally marketed for the treatment of depression, fatigue, senility, and narcolepsy. Dextroamphetamine is a component of methylphenidate, so the isolated version of the drug provides stronger effects in smaller doses. During the 1960’s, methylphenidate adopted the same use we know today: as a treatment for ADHD. The drug functions by increasing the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain which in turn helps calm hyperactivity, decrease impulsivity, and improve concentration.
Dextroamphetamine wasn’t manufactured until the early 2000’s. Abuse of this drug began as early as it’s release and continues to be all too common today. In 2007, a study found that 27% of people prescribed methylphenidate misused the medication. Today, 67% of people who abuse these types of drugs are college students that hope to improve their attention span, study for longer, and perform better in class.
How Stimulants Affect the Body
Stimulants increase the levels of particular monoamine neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine. The drug blocks certain transporters from removing these neurotransmitters and increases their effects. While, when used properly, these stimulants can be beneficial, abuse of this medication can cause serious health problems. Stimulants can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose as well as constrict blood vessels. Abusers also run the risk of becoming addicted to prescription drugs. Stimulants provide energy, decrease appetite, enhance memory, and cause other effects that users find desirable.
When a prolonged abuse of stimulants occurs, the individual user is no longer able to create and sustain normal levels of dopamine in the brain. In order to achieve functioning levels of this neurotransmitter, the individual begins to rely on the drug, even experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they are not able to get their next dose. Abuse of stimulants can result in dangerous consequences for users. The individual can develop feelings of hostility and paranoia, resulting in an alienation from others. Too large of doses can also dangerously increase body temperature and cause an irregular heartbeat. Abuse of stimulants can even cause cardiovascular failure or seizures.
Prescription Drugs and Abuse
While medicine is designed to help people live healthier and happier lives, many medications come with a risk of abuse when used other than directed. If you or someone you know is currently struggling with an addiction, enrolling in a structured short-term residential stay can provide the clinical stabilization necessary to overcome your prescription drug addiction.
The most commonly abused prescription drugs, like opioids, depressants, and stimulants, are also some of the most frequently prescribed used and abused substances on the market. While we do not host all programs locally, we connect families to external tracks providing faith-focused recovery models, clinical care for expectant mothers rehabilitation, and supportive resources for seniors seeking recovery.
Many individuals unknowingly drift into addiction by using a powerful prescription medication for energy and motivation. These frequently abused prescription drugs quickly become hazardous drugs that are misused when taken outside of direct medical supervision. Recognizing clear examples of medication misuse, such as increasing doses without permission, helps families identify when intervention is urgently required to manage these dangerously abused prescription drugs safely.
You can break the cycle of chemical dependency at our premier luxury Nashville suites. Before starting any new medication, work with your doctor to find the safest solution. To verify your insurance coverage or review a complete rehab price guide, call us directly at (877) 881 2689. Contact us today to learn more information.
References
https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription/abuse-international-statistics.html
https://talbottcampus.com/prescription-drug-abuse-statistics/
https://www.thedoctors.com/the-doctors-advocate/second-quarter-2017/prescribing-opioids-safely/
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/most-commonly-used-addictive-drugs
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/misuse-prescription-drugs/what-classes-prescription-drugs-are-commonly-misused
https://www.addictioncenter.com/opiates/oxycodone/
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/misuse-prescription-drugs/what-classes-prescription-drugs-are-commonly-misused
https://misuse.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/error/abuse.shtml
https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription/depressants.html
https://drugabuse.com/adderall/history-and-statistics-of-study-drugs/
