Prescription Drug Abuse in Morristown

Prescription Drug Abuse in Morristown, NJ

Prescription drug abuse is a widespread, growing, and dangerous problem facing Americans. The issue is underpinned by the tragic misconception that prescription drug abuse, or the use of prescribed medications for nonmedical purposes, is safer than the use of “street drugs.”

In actuality, nearly half (45{2f2b61bc20232c33e69c69ae3fab973929c4148b5f6db701894e00f376da5f0f}) of drug overdose deaths occur from prescription drug abuse, while the CDC reports that fatalities resulting from cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine overdose represent only 39{2f2b61bc20232c33e69c69ae3fab973929c4148b5f6db701894e00f376da5f0f} of drug overdose deaths combined.

Types of Prescription Drug Abuse

While any type of medicine can be abused, some types present a much higher risk of being abused than others. These include sedatives, opioids, and stimulants.

Sedatives such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), and diazepam (Valium) are used to treat seizures and anxiety disorders. The mechanisms by which they work involve enhancing the brain’s sensitivity to chemicals which produce sensations of calm, and decreasing the rate of autonomous nervous functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. When used excessively or inappropriately, these drugs can induce apathy, lethargy, memory loss, and decreased reasoning skills.  

Opiate-derived drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone, meanwhile, are used to treat severe or debilitating pain, and frequently provide the user with sensations of euphoria and happiness. Drugs in this class are associated with very high levels of abuse and addiction, a trend that has alarmingly been noted to serve as a gateway to abuse of a different opioid: heroin.

Prescribed stimulants like amphetamine (Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) have various medical purposes including the treatment of hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Abuse of these drugs is common among college-aged teens and adults who subscribe to the inaccurate belief that these drugs can improve their cognitive or physical abilities, often in relation to educational pursuits.

Repeated abuse of prescription drugs can easily lead to physical dependence as well as addiction. You might suspect someone of having a dependency on drugs of this type when you notice them obtaining similar prescriptions from multiple doctors, forging or otherwise employing misrepresentation to obtain prescriptions, or experiencing withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing the drug’s use.

Professional Help is Vital

At Morristown Drug Treatment Centers, we share the opinion that when drug dependency sets in, medical intervention is highly beneficial and often necessary. The National Institute on Drug Abuse agrees that addiction is a chronic and relapsing disease, recovery from which must be supported by detoxification, therapy, and abstinence.

Each one of these can be daunting, which is why an expertly developed treatment and recovery program can go a long way toward ensuring successful long-term recovery. Especially in regard to detoxification, during which some withdrawal symptoms can prove life-threatening, professional medical assistance is crucial in ensuring safety as well as success.

Accepting the need for treatment can be difficult. Embracing recovery can mean more than improved health, however. It can mean reclaiming self-worth, improving relationships, developing a balanced lifestyle, and experiencing a better overall quality of life. These are the types of benefits we strive to impart at Morristown Drug Treatment Centers.