Drugs and Alcohol outraced by Painkillers

Taking painkillers does not mean addiction. Painkillers can be taken by anyone according to their age. What leads to addiction is overdose of painkillers. Overdose of painkillers in not always intentional; some increase the dosage of painkiller just because they know the heightened effect of painkiller and some get to the addiction accidentally. Accidental addiction occurs mainly to those people who haven’t got the idea of pharmaceutical drug abuse. Hundreds of thousands people get addicted to painkillers every year, intentionally or accidentally. Whatever may the reason of addiction is, the effect is the same. Painkiller addiction ruins the person’s life and drags them towards death. Painkiller addiction is now the most common mode of addiction; it has even outraced heroine or cocaine addiction.

World renowned drugs like heroine, cocaine or marijuana costs too much and they are sometimes hard for a person to afford. People have to adopt other ways like stealing or any other illegal work to get the money for these drugs. Whereas, painkillers are easily available and at very low cost. Since painkiller is prescription drug, it can be found at any medical store. The only thing that a person needs while buying painkillers is a doctor’s prescription. It is not easy to get a doctor’s prescription easily, so the addicts consult a doctor complaining about their fake ailments so that the doctor can prescribe him or her with painkillers.

The addiction to painkillers has reached such a level now, that people search more for prescription drug rehab than heroine or cocaine rehabs. Since, painkillers are used for medicinal purpose, it cannot be banned. As a result, the addicts get their daily dosage whenever they want. A heroine or cocaine addict can be identified quiet easily by their abnormal behavior; whereas, it is very hard to identify a painkiller addict. If you suspect any of your friend or family member of taking painkillers, you have to observe them very carefully.

There are certain minute symptoms of painkiller addiction that can be observed, like nausea, sleeping for long period of time, excessive yawning, dry mouth, diarrhea, unstable behavior, forgetfulness etc. But, these problems can occur separately to any person. That doesn’t mean that he is addicted to painkillers. But if you find all these symptoms in a single person and almost everyday, then you can be sure about his or her addiction.

The patients who have been prescribed with painkillers must be under well observation. They must not be allowed to take overdose of the painkillers. They must not stop taking painkillers suddenly or increase or decrease the dosage without consulting a doctor.

The best and only way to get rid of this addiction is getting proper treatment from a well known rehabilitation center like the Luxury Drug Rehab. A reputed painkiller rehab can only provide all the facilities and conduct all the treatment procedures that are needed for an addict’s complete rehabilitation.

Practice of pharmaceutical drug abuse is increasing day by day. Proper measures must be taken by the family members of the person who has been prescribed with painkillers so that the person does not get addicted to it.

Addiction to Prescription Drugs

Drug Addiction: Prescription Drugs

Everybody knows what addiction is. It is a continuing intense need for a certain something: alcohol, food, cigarettes – you name it, you can get addicted to it. It is the unnecessarily strong need to have the item you are craving for. When you talk about drug addiction, the usual idea that pops into our minds are those drugs that can be obtained through drug dealers and are illegally bought and sold. What some people do not know is that drugs or medication that we ingest to help us feel better or to cure certain ailments are emerging as substances that can also be abused. These are often mood-altering drugs like sedatives or pain killers that give people that feeling of being detached from the world or being in a state of euphoria. These drugs are either taken in tablet form, via injections, or as pills. Whatever form they take, prescription drugs are now becoming a rising force to be reckoned with in the fight against drug addiction.

What Prescription Drugs are People Getting Addicted To

There are quite a number of prescription drugs that can be abused by their users and are available with a written prescription. While some may be a refillable prescription, there are prescriptions that can only be used once and require a new prescription for every purchase. These drugs are divided into five categories by the DEA or Drug Enforcement Agency and are called Schedules.

The first group of these drugs includes those that are illegal and have no medical indications whatsoever. This list carries such notorious drugs like ecstasy, heroin, PCP, LSD, and marijuana, among others. These are some of the most dangerous drugs around.

The second group that the DEA compiled includes drugs like codeine, morphine, amphetamine, methadone, methamphetamine, and even cocaine. These drugs have some medical usages and can only be obtained by a written or typed prescription. Prescriptions for these drugs have to be signed by the doctor prescribing it and are non-refillable prescriptions. These drugs exhibit a very high potential for addiction with severe mental and physical dependence as the effect it may have on a user.

The third of drugs listed by the DEA includes medications like Vicodin, Butisol, Plegine, as well as Anabolic Steroids of any kind, codeine, and even testosterone. These drugs can result in a medium to low physical dependence and a rather high mental or psychological dependence for the person. Prescriptions can be either issued orally or written down and is refillable in a six-month time frame for up to five refills.

The fourth division of the list that the DEA generated includes drugs that cause a somewhat limited psychological or physical dependence, although they are still potentially addictive and dangerous. Some of the drugs in this list include Valium, Ativan, Xanax, Doral, Luminal, and a whole lot more. While these may be categorized as lower drug types in the list of addictive drugs, they can still carry a certain amount of repercussions with the constant intake addiction to them causes.

The final list of drugs in the DEA’s watch-list for addictive medication include Lomotil, Codeine combined with other non-narcotic medicines like Robitussin and Actifed as well as Buprenorphine that are found in Buprenex and Temgesic. These drugs do not require a prescription to obtain them and have a pretty low level of addiction potential.

What are the Signs of Addiction?

One of the signs of having an addiction to a certain prescribed medication is the person’s inability to stop himself from using the medication. Some of the more tell-tale signs of a person being addicted to these drugs include the sudden feeling of confidence, belligerence, extreme changes in activity which could include prolonged hours of sleep after bursts of hyperactivity, and even hallucinations or wild imaginings. Taking a person off such medications and seeing them go through certain withdrawal symptoms like excessive sweating and shaking can also alert you to a person’s being addicted to the drugs they have been taking.

While people might say that addicts are people with a weak will, there are actually people whose brains react differently to drugs than others, making them more prone to addiction than others. Another reason why some people get addicted to their prescribed medication is also due to the re-arranging of the way the brain runs after a prolonged use to the substance. This “re-wiring” of the brain alters the way the mind processes logic and makes it hard for a person to listen to reason.

Who Are Prone to Becoming Addicts?

While we may believe that everybody is susceptible to becoming an addict, there are a few factors that make some people more susceptible than others when it comes to becoming a drug dependent. Some of these factors include fatigue or overwork, alcohol dependency, a condition that requires pain-killing medication and a family background or history of addiction. It has also been noted that younger people, women and the elderly are also very prone to drug dependency and addiction.

How to Treat Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction is a serious problem that requires treatments to not only take the person away from his dependency but to also cleanse him of the drugs still coursing through his body. Such treatments are available for those people who want a change in their lives for the better and for those who want to be able to live their lives without having to look towards these chemical substances to help them cope with the pressures of everyday life.

Some of the available treatments that people can use include medical detoxification or detox and in-patient treatments. Detox usually helps a person overcome their addiction by getting them to give up these substances voluntarily or going cold turkey and coping with it in an institution that monitors their withdrawal symptoms. In-Patient treatment lasts longer and is done in an exclusive treatment facility that not only gets the patient to stop using these drugs but also educates them to the further dangers of continuing usage. There are also other treatments for drug dependents aside from these two more common ones.

These treatments are designed to help individuals cope with their addictions while slowly cleansing their bodies of the remaining toxins the drugs have left behind. Treatments are also dependent on what fits each individual; therefore, choosing a treatment that can maximize the person’s detachment from their dependency is essential to a person’s fast recovery.

Pharmaceutical Drugs – A new killer in the addiction world

Pharmaceutical drug abuse among people is increasing every year at alarming rate. The addicts have found it as a very easy mode of addiction. It has hit the young generation the most. Since it is hard for the young people to get drugs like heroin, cocaine or marijuana because of their cost, they have altered the mode of addiction. The most used pharmaceutical drugs used for addiction are the painkillers. Addiction to painkillers has spread like plague all over the world and the youths of United States are the worst victims. Although, the govt. has put ban on deadly drugs like heroin or cocaine, but it is impossible to ban a medicine. Utilizing this chance, the youth have started taking painkillers for addiction.

Most people have heard about Opium; this was previously used for addiction. Painkillers consist of some derivatives of opium, which affects certain parts of the brain causing heightened effects. This effect causes heavenly pleasure, due to which people wants more and more of it, ultimately getting addicted to it. Addiction to painkillers has increase to such a rate, that it has outraced other drugs of addiction. People nowadays search more for painkiller rehab than alcohol or other drug rehabs.

The search for painkiller rehab is not worthless, as the proper treatment of addiction can only be done in a rehab. A person can try conducting treatment at home, but the withdrawal effects of painkillers are so severe, that the chance of failure is almost cent percent. Supervision of experts is required at great extent during the rehabilitation process.  Even the detox programs cannot be conducted at home. In the rapid detox process, the drug particles are eliminated from the addict’s body by certain methods. The withdrawal effects show up right after this process. The patients become restless having chronic or acute pain in body parts. Several other symptoms arise, which are simply intolerable for the patient. These unbearable withdrawal effects drive the addicts to madness. The patients need immense care during this period.

However, any ordinary rehab cannot provide all the required treatment methods or proper care that is a must during rehabilitation. World class drug rehabilitation center like the Luxury Drug Rehab has got the ability to provide a patient with all the treatment and comfort. The luxurious lifestyle and mind soothing environment maintained in this rehab is perfect for complete rehabilitation of the patient. Besides the comfort and treatment conducted in this rehab, the other facilities like the individualized treatment programs, fitness trainings, healthy diets is very effective for curing a drug addict.

The most used medicine for curing painkiller addicts nowadays is Buprenorphine. The Buprenorphine treatment has proved to be very successful. Use of this medicine has made the rehabilitation process much easier for the patients as well for the doctors. Prescription drug addiction cannot be stopped; neither can the painkillers be banned. All we can do is inform the young generation about the effects of addiction, so that they stay away from taking painkillers.

Addiction to painkillers has outraced other drugs and alcohol

Addiction is the most common word in today’s world. It can be defined as that condition when a person is unable to stop using something. That something can be movies, music, shopping, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. The last two are the most common and deadly form of addiction. Thousands of people die every year due to the intake of these two things. Drug addiction is the most common form and it is deadlier than alcohol. Lethal drugs like Cocaine, Heroine, LSD, Marijuana, Hashish etc are found all over the world and they are cause of millions of deaths. Government of every country is trying to uproot these addiction and the drugs. Some of them have already succeeded.

Although drugs have been banned in several countries, the addiction did not leave the youth. Unable to obtain their required drugs, people have changed their mode of addiction. They have now started taking painkillers for getting high. Painkiller addiction is now the most common form of addiction of the world. It is cheap and easily available. Govt. cannot even put a ban on painkillers as it is mainly used as medicine. Although, addiction to painkillers is intentional for some people, some even get addicted after they are being prescribed with painkillers by the doctors or physicists.

Some patients get physically and mentally dependant on painkillers when they are prescribed with painkillers. Even after they get completely cured from the injury or any other pain, they keep on taking painkillers because they feel chronic pains if they do not take these pills. Painkiller addictions have reached a high extent nowadays; millions of people all over the world rely on painkillers. People get too much physically dependant on painkillers, as a result cannot get rid of it. Whenever they try to give up this addiction, certain withdrawal symptoms show up. These withdrawal symptoms are so painful that the addicts get back to the addiction again.

The only way to get rid of painkiller addiction is proper medicinal treatment and care. Proper medicinal treatment cannot be obtained if the person wants to get cured by himself. If a person really wants to get out of this malpractice, then he or she must visit a painkiller rehab. A painkiller rehab is the only place where an addicted person can get proper painkiller addiction treatment. Since the withdrawal symptoms are unbearable, the patients always need special attention, care and mental support. Otherwise, there is no chance of proper rehabilitation.

But, prevention is always better than cure. When you know that you can be a victim of pharmaceutical addiction, you should ask your doctor to adopt some other methods for your cure. Or, you can also have enough control on yourself so that you can stop taking painkillers when you are completely cured. But, very few people can do this. No one knows when the medicine used to cure one self can turn to a lethal poison. Painkiller addiction must be avoided at any cost; it will not only harm yourself but also each and every people around you.

Kids and Drugs – What Parents Need to Know

As the parents of children growing up in today’s society, you may be alarmed to read about the statistics dealing with drug abuse among kids. While many of these adults are familiar with the older drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, the newer ones may be confusing. The following is a brief explanation of some of these “New Age” drugs and the symptoms to look for if your children may begin abusing them.

One of the drugs that you may have heard of is “ecstasy,” which is the street name for MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). This drug causes hallucinations and also acts as a stimulant. Used by many children much in the way that people used LSD in the sixties, the effects of using MDMA are much the same as those caused by amphetamines and cocaine. These include sleeplessness, confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and drug cravings. It also causes muscle tension, profuse sweating, and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Usually found in a white pill form, this drug is also known as “Adam” and “XTC.” If you suspect that your child is taking “ecstasy,” you should talk to him and explain the dangers involved in using this particular drug. If a user ceases to abuse MDMA, there are no withdrawal symptoms that are known to accompany some other substances.

While many parents know what cocaine is, many do not realize that crack is also a form of this drug. Powdered cocaine is mixed with water and baking soda and heat is applied, leaving a rock of purified cocaine. This crack rock is then smoked, giving a more intense “buzz” than regular cocaine can give. Due to the activity of smoking as compare to snorting this drug, the effects of crack last for a much shorter amount of time.

The symptoms of crack use are much the same as they are for regular cocaine. These side effects include hyperactivity, increased heart rate, and higher blood pressure. Due to cocaine’s effect on the appetite, excessive use can lead to serious malnutrition and a substantial weight loss. Long term or large quantity use can lead to a heart attack, stroke, seizures, respiratory failure, and even death. As the addiction to crack is mostly psychological, there are no physical withdrawal symptoms when the user quits.

Prescription drug abuse is also becoming a growing problem among America’s youth. One such drug is oxycontin, a pill that is used as a painkiller. Also known as “hillbilly heroin,” young people tend to smash the capsules, allowing them to snort or swallow a more potent dosage of the drug than the time-released capsule will allow. The resulting “high” is compared to the buzz that people receive when doing heroin, thus the nickname. Many drug centers are reporting large numbers of cases of oxycontin addiction in young people, many of which had no legal prescription for the drug.

The symptoms of this drug include euphoria and may be accompanied by stomach and bowel problems. It can also cause respiratory problems and organ failure when used over a long period of time. When a long time user is taking off the medication, they will experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those of other addictive drugs, such as heroin. If you think that your child is abusing oxycontin, you should confront him immediately. If he experiences withdrawal symptoms, you should seek medical help as he may become very ill and disoriented.

These are just a few of the many drugs that seem to be becoming a problem with today’s youth. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s possible drug usage, you should talk to a doctor or other health professional to make sure that you have all the information that you will need to help your child overcome his drug dependency.

Drugs, Gate Pass to a Cool Lifestyle?

A Drug is any chemical substance which when taken alters the moods, perception and behavior. Drug addiction refers to the physiological dependency on drugs and the person experiences withdrawal symptoms like fever, shivering, nausea, insomnia etc, Drug dependency is the dependence a person develops on the drugs, this dependency is not only a physiological dependence but also psychological dependence. When a person gets dependent on a drug, they get a craving for it, and if the person is unable to fulfill this craving, he/she becomes angry, frustrated or depressed.

Drug abuse denotes an excessive use of drugs which is likely to produce a habit and an intensive desire to consume more drugs. It may lead to drug dependency. Drug tolerance means that the person has reached a threshold, and the level of drug intake has gone high and the person requires more and more quantity of drug to get the feeling of euphoria.

It is interesting to know that the usage of drugs is not a new phenomenon. In the prehistoric times drugs were made from extracts of leaves and were used to relieve body aches and pains.

Drugs can be classified into four types:
Narcotic: It can be of different types, to begin with there are opium which are seeds that are collected from coffee seeds. Then there is morphine which is present in opium, initially it was used in medication as a pain killer in injuries or diseases like cancer but it resulted in drowsiness and excessive sleepiness. In order to reduce this effect, through a chemical process the two properties of painkiller and sedative ness were separated. This separation of the properties of morphine caused a disaster in medical science. The strong sedative property of morphine is heroin, which is highly addictive and produces drug dependence. Brown sugar is a unadulterated, unrefined form of heroin, it is usually mixed with class power etc, due to this it is cheep.

Stimulants: Stimulants are used to activate or stimulate the nervous system. It helps a person reach a stage of charged energy; hence it is commonly used by sports persons. Some stimulants are caffeine, cocaine, steroids, etc.

Depressants: They have the opposite effects to stimulants, depressants slowdown and deactivate the nervous system. The person feels sleepy, dull, inactive and the like. It reduces the stress and anxiety, some type of depressants is valium, alcohol, tranquillizers.

Hallucinogens: These kinds of drugs produce hallucinations that are perceived or see things which do not exist. Some types of hallucinogens are LSD, marijuana leaves, marijuana seeds, and hash.

I often wonder why any one use drugs would. What are the reasons behind taking them? It is off late that I heard about many young people being caught taking drugs and was arrested for the same. Here are some reasons why people may use drugs.

The highest population of drug users is among the youth of today. Initial curiosity and experimentation is one cause to drug intake, the youth today wants to try new things, have new thrills and want to experiment with different things. By chance they try drugs and get fixed with the feeling of euphoria. Once addicted there is no turning back for them. Another reason is peer pressure. Everyone wants to be liked, admired and given a lot of attention. If a boy or a girl is got in to the company of others who use and abuse drugs, they feel compelled to use drugs just so they are accepted and thought of as “cool”. They don’t want to loose friends nor do they want others to think of them as looser or rejects so they circum under the pressure of peers. The same is true of people of any age group. Sometimes when going through a mid life crises many men and women want to try new things, something they had never done before or were denied when young. The 20th century has developed the world at an ever increasing rate. The fast life, the tough competition to be the best, high standard of living and the ever growing expenses cause much tension, anxiety and frustration. High cases of divorces and failed relationship are just some of the negative outcomes of our fast paced life. Unfortunately some people find it hard to deal with these pressures in life, and resort to drugs to escape from failure and the responsibilities of everyday life. Sometimes loneliness and depression causes people to use drugs. Children, especially adolescents imitate and idolize their parents. Therefore if there is a drug user in the family, chances of the child to use them becomes high. In such families the values towards the use to drugs is also different. When a person is suffering from a fatal disease or has lost hope and the wish to live resort to the use of drugs to forget the pain. Finally, the most unfortunate cause of drug intake is the cheep and easy availability of drugs. This easy access to drug users and drug takers lead to high drug addiction and drug abuse. I remember once my young niece asked me why is taking drugs so bad. She told me her teacher told her taking drugs is bad but she couldn’t understand why. Unfortunately it’s the same story with many others.

There are various effects of drugs; lets classify these into physiological effects, psychological and social effects.

Physiological effect

Effect of drug on our bodies is direct. You may notice symptoms like lack of apatite (no hunger), unusual weight loss, bronchitis (lung disease), bad nutrition level, problem of lever, and lack of personal hygiene (shabby appearance).

Psychological effect

Our mind also gets affected by drugs, but this is indirectly and untapped. You would notice that a person on drugs suffer from depressions, lack of sleep or they even become paranoid.

Social effects

The effect of drugs on society is indirect. When addicted the persons needs more finances to buy more and more drugs to fulfill their craving, when the money is not available it leads to stealing, prostitution and sometimes even murders, hence, leading to a high crime rate. Besides this, addiction can also lead to poor interpersonal relationships those results in bad relationships and sometimes even divorces. Hence, when a person takes drugs they not only harm themselves but also the people around them who they love and care for and also the society at large.

The using and misusing and abusing of drugs can be prevented in several ways like:
Awareness, the most important step towards the prevention of drugs is education people about the bad effects of drugs and their harmfulness by means of lectures, mass media, seminars and workshops.
Make punishment sever, if a person is caught with even 1 gram of drugs in Japan the punishment is 7 years of imprisonment. When people fear the system they would stop using drugs.
Provide a good family life, when a person is surrounded with a good family support system and understanding loving family they would not want to use drugs.

Now that you know what drugs are, and have read about their effects and ways of prevention lets look at some treatments that are possible for people who wish to recover form addiction:
Hospitalization: A person who is physically and psychologically dependent needs to be hospitalized and kept under supervision and is treated for the withdrawal symptoms.
Aversion therapy: under this therapy the user is given painful shocks and this creates a haltered and aversion towards drugs.
Psychotherapy: A psychiatrist treats the user by trying to figure out the root cause behind the use of drugs. And counseling is done to find a satisfying solution.
Narcotics Anonymous: it is an organization of ex- drug users who help others recover by regularly meeting and sharing problems. It is a social support system which gives the user a new perspective on his/ her circumstances and life
Rehabilitation: A person who is discharged from the hospital after a treatment for drugs is usually taken to rehabilitation centers. After a treatment if a person goes back to the same way of life that caused his to be a drug addict in the first place would lead to a relapse and the person would resort to drugs again. So usually after a treatment in the hospital a person usually goes for rehabilitation where the person would keep them self occupied with work and vocational training and learn new and better ways of life and dealing and coping with stressful situations, usually these centers have a psychiatrist or a psychologist who work with them to build a better behavior patter, after a period of time the person is discharged with a certificate stating that they have fully recovered from drug use.

Drugs, Just say NO!!!

Effects of Commonly Used Drugs: Marijuana Withdrawal.org

Here is an excellent article on effects of some of the most commonly used drugs.  Here at marijuana withdrawal .org we hope to provide our readers with up to date information on marijuana withdrawal, marijuana withdrawal treatment, and marijuana withdrawal tips.

 

Drug abuse, involves the excessive and repeated use of a substance to escape reality to produce pleasure despite its destructive effects. The substances abused can be illegal drugs such as opium, cocaine, marijuana and their derivatives or legal substances used improperly, such as prescription drugs and inhalants like nail polish or gasoline.

 

Effects of Commonly Used Drugs:

 

· Marijuana: Believed to be the most commonly used illegal drug. Marijuana abuse has been linked to delinquent behavior, low achievement, and poor family relationships. However, there are drawbacks to extended use, including lung and respiratory problems caused by the smoke, learning and memory impairment, and infertility.

 

· Narcotic and Opioid Abuse: Narcotics side effects include vomiting, nausea, and sever itching. Withdrawing from narcotics is extremely unpleasant, with symptoms including muscle and joint pain, fever, chills, sweats, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

 

In general, the more treatment received the greater the results. Drug and alcohol abusers who remain in treatment longer than 3 months typically have greater success than those who receive less treatment. Addicted individuals who undergo medically assisted drug or alcohol detox to minimize the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms but do not receive any further treatment, perform about the same in terms of their drug or alcohol use as those who are never treated at all.

 

· Depressants and Downer Abuse: Depressants, commonly known as opium, marijuana, cocaine, and their derivatives, are substances that slow down the central nervous system. Additionally, they may suffer from amnesia and delusions. Downers are highly addictive, and withdrawal is severe, with symptoms including cramps, nausea, and vomiting. When mixed with alcohol downers are lethal in high doses.

 

· Steroid Abuse: Steroid abuse causes blood pressure to skyrocket, decreases good cholesterol (HDL) while increasing bad cholesterol (LDL), triggers violent and aggressive behavior, results in severe acne, and brings growth to a halt in adolescents.

 

· Inhalant Abuse: Inhalants are chemicals, which cause intoxication when inhaled or sniffed. Highly huffing this comes with side effects including loss of consciousness, vomiting, nausea, delusions, and confusion. Prolonged inhalant abuse can also cause damage to the brain and other organs of the body. However, the biggest risk involved with inhalant use is death by overdose caused by sudden heart failure even in individuals who are young and healthy.

 

· Hallucinogen and Dissociative Drug Abuse: Hallucinogens and Dissociative drugs, also known as psychedelics, affect the user’s thought processes and sensory perceptions. Risks include a dangerous increase in body temperature, heart problems and liver damage.

 

· Stimulants and Upper Abuse: Stimulants, or uppers, are drugs which speed up the central nervous system. Stimulants abuse over time leads to symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoid thinking, anxiety, aggression, and sleep difficulties. Uppers overdose can result in heart failure, stroke, and death.