Prescription Drug Addiction Signs
Prescription drugs can be relatively safe when taken and used according to its purpose and intent. If the doctor’s instructions are carefully taken and its use properly monitored, prescription drugs can help alleviate illnesses. However, it’s important to be aware of the fact that these drugs can also be dangerous. Dependency is a disease that could beset even the most careful and cautious individual that is why extreme care should be taken when taking these addictive substances to avoid addiction and its devastating effect to health and relationships. Knowing the prescription drug addiction signs can greatly help in avoiding adverse effects.
Individuals who are addicted to prescription drugs face insurmountable setbacks that affect not only them but their loved ones as well. Since this is the case, family and loved ones close to them are the ones who can identify the problem and seek help for them. Prescription drug addiction signs may vary as individuals are uniquely different from each other and habits also vary according to the drugs being used and abused.
Signs of prescription drug addiction
- Extreme euphoria – euphoric behavior is most common in individuals taking opiate-based painkillers. When taking the drug, a certain “high” is experienced but as they develop tolerance to painkillers, that feeling becomes less pronounced and the drug user will take more of it to achieve that extreme euphoric state once more.
- Pains, body aches & general illness – moderate pains and body aches may develop as well as general illness in between doses of opiate-based painkillers because it alters the neuro-transmitters in the brain that regulates pain and illness. When drug intake stops, the body makes certain erratic adjustments thus pain is often felt and prescription drug addiction signs are manifested.
- Mood swings – Irritability and mood swings is significantly prominent as prescription drugs alter the normal functioning of the brain which can lead to depression and anxiety.
- Fever and chills – this is another classic withdrawal sign from using opiate-based drug in a manner not intended for its use. As the body of the user craves for the drug, prescription drug addiction signs may show flu-like fevers.
- Withdrawal – withdrawal from family and friends is caused by the intense desire and urge to take the prescription drugs making the individual lose interest in activities that would normally fulfill him.
- Unethical behavior – Individuals with an addiction to opiate-based drug may manifest unethical behavior and engage in “doctor shopping” faking an illness in order to get prescription from one doctor to another. This prescription drug addiction sign also prompts a drug user to steal medication from friends’ and family’s medicine cabinet.
- Criminal behavior – many individuals who get hooked on prescription drug may feel the urge to steal money and valuables from family and friends to support their addiction. They may even participate in full-blown robberies of pharmacies and doctors’ offices.
