Clinically Reviewed on by Dr Alexander Lapa (Psychiatrist) All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
Although this may be new news to some, prescription drug addictions are just as common and just as dangerous as illegal drug addictions. Unfortunately, some users of prescription drugs have misused them over a period of time, building up a tolerance, opening the floodgates to addictive behaviours.
If you’re misusing prescription drugs, it’s imperative that you understand the associated dangers of this behaviour. Knowing how to overcome prescription drug addiction is also wise, ensuring that you can diminish your unintentional connection.
At Asana Lodge, we are addiction and mental health recovery specialists. We’ve helped people just like you disconnect themselves from prescription drugs. We’ve helped people build healthy coping strategies, with the attempt to avoid prescription drugs as a crutch. Through a time of rehabilitation and addiction treatment, you can also reach similar results.
Prescription drugs are usually viewed as harmless. After all, they are prescribed by medical professionals to ease or reduce side effects, commonly linked to pain disorders and mental health issues. Yet, through this innocent view, many individuals are now misusing prescriptions, they are aiming for greater support through legal drugs.
It is understandable to see how easy it can be to develop a prescription drug addiction. If you live with a chronic pain disorder, where greater doses ease your side effects, you’ll continue to opt for higher quantities. Here is where the danger lies, here is where addiction will materialise down to a lack of control, here is where a physical and psychological habit will build.
The harmless view of prescription drugs does however justify misuse for many users. This justification is dangerous, where many users will surpass recommended dosages, sometimes leading to overdose risks, the vicious circle of addiction and further health problems.
The concerning factor is that those without personal prescriptions are also abusing medications. Down to easier accessibility and lower price points, some users are turning to unsuitable, sometimes hazardous, and highly addictive prescription drugs to achieve their highs. Not only is this dangerous, but an addiction can also take shape from consistent misuse.
With this in mind, if you’re abusing excessive amounts, if you’re misusing a prescription, it’s time to stop. Sourcing support for prescription drug addiction will be recommended here at Asana Lodge.
If you are misusing medication, it’s important that you know the signs of prescription drug addiction. By familiarising yourself with them, you’ll have a greater idea of the severity of your misuse.
If you are knowingly surpassing your prescription recommendations or abusing a drug that isn’t medically safe for you to consume for the long term, there is a likelihood that addiction is already present. In this situation, completing a prescription drug addiction rehab programme will be encouraged, before greater damage, before a strong dependence shows itself.
Overcoming a prescription drug addiction is very important. By enabling this behaviour, you will suffer physically and psychologically, you will increase the risks of developing additional addictions, you will rely on stronger drugs moving forward.
The most effective way you can overcome your addiction is by completing a prescription drug rehab programme, tailored around your misuse. Unfortunately, going cold turkey, alone, will not tackle the psychological strains of your addiction. Likewise, completing a mediocre rehab plan will not motivate the recovery results that you will require to look beyond your prescription drug addiction.
With this in mind, visiting our rehab clinic here at Asana Lodge will be recommended, where you’ll complete addiction treatment, withdrawal processes and realignment efforts. For those who are suffering from pre-existing mental health issues, treatment for a dual diagnosis will also be offered, reducing the value of your prescription drug.
Avoid the harm caused by prescription drug misuse, avoid potential cognitive impairment through excessive substance abuse, avoid the dangers of overdose by committing to addiction treatment. Through rehab, you’ll be able to access a full range of addiction treatments.
Yet, depending on the misused drug, side effects and mental health status, the exact treatment options will be recommended on a per-client basis. It is however probable that a detox programme to remove any remaining traces of the offending prescription drug will be needed.
Psychological support, such as therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and support groups will be recommended. Yet via our rehab clinic, further addiction treatments such as art therapy will be activated.
Before starting any form of addiction treatment, it is very important that the initial causation of consumption is gauged. At Asana Lodge, this is something we prioritise, getting to the bottom of your prescription drug addiction.
Through clinical assessments, we assess your cognitive functions when consuming prescription drugs. We also consider all factors which may have contributed to your addiction. This is very important, as for some, this will be a pre-existing mental health issue.
Prescription drugs have been used to block out the side effects of depression or anxiety, yet in turn, is also becoming a brain illness in itself. Once the development of an addiction cycle is present, a dual diagnosis will exist, which are very difficult to treat.
By having knowledge of your prescription drug addiction and its makeup, we will know how to treat it, reducing future cravings and inclinations.
If you are misusing prescription drugs, it’s important that you do reach out. Whether a prescription drug addiction is currently present, or not, the harmless image of medications will tackle you, will hook you, and will materialise into a chronic addiction.
Reach out today to begin your prescription drug addiction rehab programme, working to tackle your triggers, your initial causation, resulting in drug misuse.
Residential rehab can benefit you in a multitude of ways. Obviously, our drug and alcohol rehabilitation plans are perfect for getting you clean and sober, but we also want to make sure that you are ready to get the most out of life once you are sober. We encourage our patients to engage with many different types of activities while they are staying at our drug and alcohol treatment centre as finding alternative outlets for your internalised emotions will contribute towards a relapse prevention plan in the long term.
Going through detox without any support is a path that some people take. If you can afford to undergo medical detoxification then that is the way to go. The effects of withdrawal on a person are impossible to predict and there can be complications. Symptoms such as seizures and delirium tremens caused by withdrawal can sometimes result in death.
Of course it is. It’s not something that happens overnight, and you must take life one day at a time – being sure to not put too much pressure on yourself and realise that the longest journeys are made by putting one foot in front of the other. Making use of the resources available and leaning on people for support will be key to achieving long-term recovery and leading a better life than the one that brought you to Asana Lodge.
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