Prescription Drug Abuse in Delray Beach FL

Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem that often requires medical intervention. From the early stages of detox through to the later stages of behavioral therapy and relapse prevention, prescription drug abuse needs to be dealt with before it gets out of hand. Drug Treatment Centers Delray Beach can help you find rehabs that offer medication and psychotherapy programs to enable drug discontinuation and treat the precedents of addiction. If you or someone you love is struggling with prescription drug abuse, call Drug Treatment Centers Delray Beach at (877) 804-1531 for help.

What is Prescription Drug Abuse?

There are many ways to misuse and over use prescription medications, including taking a larger dose than prescribed, taking medications intended for another person, combining medications, purchasing medications on the black market, and using a different method of administration than intended. While it's possible to abuse a wide range of legitimate medications, the vast majority of abuse falls into three distinct classes. Opioid painkillers are the most widely abused class of prescription drugs, including codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone and buprenorphine. Central nervous system (CNS) depressants are the second most abused class, including benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Stimulants are the third most commonly abused prescription drugs, including Adderall and Ritalin.

Statistics

An estimated 52 million people have used legal medications for non-medical reasons at some point in their lifetime. In figures from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an estimated 8.76 million people abuse prescription medications each year, including 5.1 million people abusing opioids, 2.2 million people abusing CNS depressants, and 1.1 million people abusing stimulants. In one amazing statistic, the United States consumes roughly 75 percent of the world's prescription medications, despite accounting for just 5 percent of the global population. Fifty-four percent of people obtain drugs free from friends or family members, with 18.1 percent getting prescriptions from a single doctor, 16.6 percent buying or taking drugs from friends or family members, and 3.9 percent getting drugs from a dealer or stranger.

Prescription Opioid Abuse

Opioid medications are the most widely abused class of prescription drugs, with common trade names in the United States being Actiq, Avinza, Kadian, Oxycontin, Vicodin, Dilaudid, Exalgo, Oxyfast, Duragesic, Fentora, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Demerol, Dolophine, Methadose, Percocet and Roxicodone. While many of these drugs only include opioid substances, some also include acetaminophen and other secondary ingredients. Prescription opioids are largely taken for pain relief purposes, binding to opioid receptors in the brain and other areas of the body. While most of these drugs are taken in pill or tablet form, liquid versions are available in some cases and Fentanyl is available in patch form.

Opioids are abused for their euphoric qualities, with people regularly over using these drugs and taking them in a different way than intended. Opioid dependence develops from long-term opioid abuse, with tolerance building up over time and a physical withdrawal syndrome experienced upon cessation of use. A medical detox period is often required to enable drug discontinuation, with medication therapy and behavioral therapy also used to treat the precedents of addiction and enable long-term recovery. Cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, motivational therapy and conventional counseling have all been used effectively to treat opioid abuse, with relapse prevention techniques and systems also needed to ensure a sustainable recovery process.

If you or someone you love is abusing prescription drugs, get professional help today. Call the treatment experts at Drug Treatment Centers Delray Beach call (877) 804-1531to find out more about the various rehab facilities you can find to meet your needs.