Prescription Medications

People, adults and young alike, experiment with prescription drugs for various reasons. They think that it will make them have more fun, lose weight, fit in, and even be more efficient in their everyday lives. Prescription drugs are only safe for the person that they are prescribed to because a doctor has examined these people and they are being treated for a specific ailment or condition. {draw:frame} “Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused category of drugs such as heroine, methamphetamines and crack cocaine.” McBride, H (April 2009). Prescription drugs can become addictive when not used in the manner in which they are intended when they are prescribed. Anti-Anxiety medications such as Xanax and Vallium are the most commonly abused medications, along with pain killers such as Hydrocodone, Roxycodone, Oxycodone and Oxycontin. Even medications that are being prescribed for ADHD, most commonly Adderall, are being abused by people that do not actually have ADHD. The effect of taking this medication is the same as methamphetamines. “Estimations of nearly 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.” The National Institutes of Health (April 2009). The rate of the recreational use of prescription medication is growing everyday in the United States. It does not affect one age, ethnic or social group. It is a problem that is plaguing families of all types in our country and it is a problem that is not as emphasized as the abuse of illegal drugs. It is just as important to educate people on the severity of the possibility of becoming addicted to prescription drugs. {draw:frame} {draw:frame} There are many different signs that point in the direction of addiction. Changes in mood, weight, or interest in normal activities are the most common. If you think a friend or yourself may be addicted to prescription drugs, talk to a counselor or a doctor and they can point you in the direction you need to go for help. It is especially important to see a doctor if you or a family member are going through withdrawals from any medications, you need to be closely monitored during a withdrawal. There are serious health complications that are experienced during the withdrawal period that a person without medical training should not monitor. As the number of people who abuse prescription drugs continues to grow, sodo the dangers from the side effects of abusing prescription drugs. Prolonged abuse of prescription medications can cause extreme health risks and can eventually be fatal. The misuse of prescription drugscan take an enormous toll on your body. There are always risks of side effects when taking any medication, but when medications are not taken according to the doctor’s instructions, the effects can be extreme. There are many reasons other than addiction that you caution should be taken when using prescription medications. Most people do not even think twice about how potentially dangerous taking an extra pill can actually be. The abuse can result in organ failure, brain damage and worse case death. There are serious health risks related to abuse of prescription drugs. A single large dose of prescription or over-the-counter painkillers or depressants can cause breathing difficulty that can also lead to death. Stimulant abuse can lead to hostility or paranoia, or the potential for heart system failure or fatal seizures. Even in small doses, depressants and painkillers have subtle effects on motor skills, judgment, and ability to learn. There have been reports that as many as 130,000 people in the United States alone have died in recent years from the misuse of prescription medications.