Are prescription drugs safe? Aren’t we already familiar with drugs such as antibiotics, hydrocodone, Losartan, and others? It largely depends on how they are used.
As with anything, too much of something can be harmful and prescription drugs are no different. Let’s explore how to quit prescription drugs and the journey to recovery.
Understanding prescription drug abuse
Prescription drugs prevent, diagnose, or treat different health conditions. A good number of prescription drug addiction cases are overlooked or underreported. People might not know they have a substance use addiction to the medication they take. Not to be mistaken with over-the-counter drugs, people can only buy prescription drugs if they have a doctor’s prescription. Now, what makes people abuse prescription drugs:
- Develop dependency from overuse
- Better focus at work, increased appetite, or alertness
- Feeling of euphoria
- Substitute for other drugs
- Peer pressure
- Avoiding withdrawal symptoms
The role of doctors in prescription practices
A physician is the only one licensed to administer prescription drugs. A recent report shows that 70% of people abusing prescription drugs obtained them from legitimate channels—mainly to relieve stress and manage physical and emotional pain. For the best outcomes in prescribing, physicians do the following:
- Patient assessment—Access the condition of a patient before prescribing them any medication.
- Get informed consent—Physicians must discuss adequate treatment options such as risks and benefits that ensure patients are informed before consent.
- Documentation—Your prescriptions should have clear details like the drug name, dosage, treatment, and other special instructions.
- Education—Get trained on the latest guidelines and evidence-based practices for physicians to maintain high standards.
Commonly abused prescription drugs
| Opioid Painkillers | Depressants | Stimulants | |
| ● Oxycodone
● Hydrocodone ● Morphine ● Fentanyl ● Buprenorphine ● Codeine ● Demerol® ● Tramadol ● Methadone |
● Ambien
● Klonopin ● Valium ● Xanax ● Lunesta ● Barbiturates |
● Adderall
● Methylphenidate ● Ritalin |
Opioids
Opioids are the most commonly misused prescription drug. Here are some of the symptoms and consequences of opioid abuse:
| Constipation, euphoria nausea, confusion, slow breathing, and increased sensitivity to pain |
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are a group of medications used for treating anxiety disorders like insomnia. Symptoms and consequences of abuse are:
| Drowsiness, memory loss, and impaired coordinated |
What are the treatment options available when detoxing prescription drugs?
Among the drug abuse treatment options are the outpatient and inpatient programs. Substance use disorder and treatment programs fall into 2 categories:
Inpatient rehab programs
Inpatient recovery programs require patients to admit themselves into controlled environments to address disorders like mental conditions and other behaviors. Residential treatment centers are in different sizes with some looking like hospitals while others are luxurious resorts.
Successful inpatient rehab programs factor in family consent and involvement which plays a big role in the emotional support of the individual. Some of the rehab programs give people limited to no visitation rights when under treatment.
Daily life inside an inpatient treatment center is highly curated. Immediately after you are checked in, you operate on a schedule. Counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists meet patients. Typically, an inpatient program runs from 30 days to about 6 months. A controlled environment helps prevent the body from relapsing.
A person’s brain reacts differently to addictive substances. Withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant for many substances but require a lot of medical supervision that reduces any risk of medical complications.
Outpatient rehab programs
Outpatient treatment programs are mostly part-time and less restrictive than inpatient programs. Outpatient programs fall into partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care. All levels of outpatient care happen after a residential stay. A partial hospitalization program is more fixated on stabilizing an addict’s behavior during the challenging early recovery phase. Most outpatient treatments have PHP lasting less than a week, ideal for residents. An intensive outpatient program (IOP) provides 3 hours of treatment per day for 3-5 days a week, giving support to patients as they transition back to daily life from PHP
Outpatient rehab treatment sessions are on preventing relapses, teaching recovery, psychoeducation, and individual and group counseling. Generally, it is recommended for those with mild substance abuse disorder. Outpatient drug rehab typically runs between 3 to 6 months.
What is prescription drug detoxification?
First things first—
Prescription drugs alter the chemical processes running through the brain’s central nervous system. Painkillers like fentanyl and OxyContin block pain receptors in the brain and boost dopamine levels. Benzodiazepines such as Xanax raise the level of GABA, inducing calm and relaxation.
Whether or not a person is misusing prescription drugs, the brain and body rely on such medications to run chemical processes. This creates an amount of dependence. Where there is a dependency on a prescription, the brain halts producing these chemicals. Alternatively, if the person stops taking the prescription drug, the body experiences a withdrawal—which is the brain and body detoxing this substance.
A withdrawal is the body’s response to the changes in nutrients and chemicals received daily by the brain. It is the hardest part of detoxing. When detoxing your system, the body processes excess waste from prescription medications, rebalancing the brain while producing GABA, dopamine, and other vital chemicals. Withdrawal experiences differ with some lasting days, without ruling out the possibility of symptoms recurring weeks or months later depending on the person’s physical or mental state.
Detoxing from prescription drugs
Just like any other addiction treatment, detox pharmaceutical drugs make you resilient from the bumpy start. Counselors give their patients methadone or Vivitrol prescriptions after the prescription drugs have been flushed out of their systems. It usually takes a week or two before you begin a medication schedule.
Tips on how to manage drug detoxification
- Remain hydrated
- Eat healthy
- Exercise
- Maintain a healthy support system
It is highly inadvisable to go on a prescription cold turkey without any form of medical or rehab support. As you go through the detox phase, strong withdrawal symptoms significantly increase your likelihood of relapse. That is why it is important to have a support system either at home or in other drug and alcohol-free spaces in the early days of your detox.
We have examined to a great extent how we end up with a prescription drug situation out of abuse of commonly used medications. A preventative way of pre-empting any of this is by opting for non-addictive alternatives.
Non-addictive prescription drug alternatives
Alternative non-addictive sleeping pills are more ‘healthy’ in addressing disorders like insomnia. They can be routinely used without bringing about sleep disturbances—in turn minimizing dependency and addiction.
Types of non-addictive prescription sleeping pills
1. Non-Benzodiazepine (Non-BZD) Medications
- Referred to as Z drugs, medications like Zolpidem (Ambien) and Zopiclone have the same effect as benzodiazepines. However, they present a much lower risk of dependence or developing withdrawal symptoms after repeated use. Z drugs act fast, taking effect within 30 minutes and remaining active over an 8-hour duration.
- Ramelteon (Rozerem) works similarly to the melatonin hormone that regulates your sleep cycles.
2. Antidepressants
- Low doses of Doxepin (Silenor) can help you sleep without the risk of addiction experienced with traditional sleeping pills. It brings about drowsiness by blocking the brain’s histamine receptors.
What is the role of non-addictive alternatives in treatment?
Dependency arises from repeated use of a medication with addictive properties. What if the nature of a condition (i.e., insomnia) requires repeated use? Sleeping pill alternatives result in:
- Non-BZD medications reduce dependency risk—when compared to traditional benzodiazepines, the chances of potential addiction are low.
- Symptom relief—the time it takes to fall asleep is literally reduced in half while the overall sleep quality. No hangover effects such as those experienced with traditional sedatives.
- Comprehensive Treatment Approach—where medications are prescribed as part of an ongoing treatment plan that forces the patient to make lifestyle changes and engage in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), among other interventions.
Prescription drug addiction treatment at Seasons Bali
Prescription drug addiction treatment is not only safe but effective for people looking to stop taking prescription drugs, prevent overdosing, and achieve long-lasting sobriety. Seasons Bali has an excellent team of professional counselors specialized in handling many forms of addiction treatments and have seen just about anything.