How Prescription Drug Rehab Works

The United States faces some of the highest rates of prescription drug abuse in the world. A 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that over 18 million Americans abused prescription drugs in the past year. The abuse of CNS depressants, opioids, and stimulants is a serious problem, but one that can be handled at our prescription drug rehab in South Florida.

In 2017, 271,000 people abused sedatives for the first time, over 1 million abused prescription stimulants, and 1.5 million misused prescription tranquilizers for the first time. The RX drugs that had the most first-time abusers in 2017 were prescription pain relievers, with an estimated 2 million new abusers, which is roughly 5,480 people a day.

There are several factors that can make one person abuse RX drugs while another might not, such as their family history with drug abuse, their genetics, the age when they first abused drugs, and the influences they have in their life, such as peer pressure.

RX Rehab in South Florida

RX drug abuse is as serious as the abuse of drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, or cocaine – even though the prescription drug may have been prescribed for legitimate medical reasons at first. When abuse of addictive drugs such as prescription medications occurs, the result is the same; an eventual physical reliance on the drug, problems with the person’s mental and physical wellbeing, financial troubles, loss of employment, legal problems, and interpersonal relationship issues.

However, all of these problems that RX drug abuse causes can be dealt with effectively at Legacy Healing Center’s prescription drug rehab. Our services include high-end clinical treatment that incorporates all of the best-known methods of treating addiction with long-term sobriety as the goal.

From the early medical detox programs required to the proven behavioral therapies and aftercare services needed to change and improve the life of the individual, our prescription drug rehab can assist every step of the way to full recovery.

Understanding Signs of RX Addiction

When a person suffers from an RX addiction, it is most likely as a result of a prescription that they had for a legitimate medical reason. As their desire for more of the drug evolves to addiction, there are clear signs that become evident to both the person abusing the drugs and to those close to them.

One of the main problems that the abuser faces is obtaining more RX drugs once their prescriptions expire, and they may complain about vague symptoms that they have in order to obtain more medication. When alternative medications are suggested, they tend to show a lack of interest because they have become addicted to a certain drug already.

Mood also changes once an addiction has formed because of the disease of addiction and the effects of drug abuse alters behavior and moods. They may become hostile, anxious, and have fluctuating moods. They may also seek new doctors in order to get new prescriptions filled when their previous doctor won’t supply them with another prescription.

Using higher-than-recommended amounts of an RX drug can also be an indication that abuse is occurring, and a tolerance may also form as repeated abuse causes the body to adjust, thus requiring higher quantities of a drug to get the same “high”.

Finally, when it becomes impossible for them to get another prescription, they may try illicit versions of the drug to satiate their cravings, such as using heroin when they can no longer obtain prescription pain killers.

RX Addiction is on the Rise

One of the main reasons why RX addiction has seen a rise in recent years is due to the readily-available nature of RX drugs in the United States. For many years, regulation on prescriptions was low to non-existent, largely driven by the pharmaceutical companies themselves through their advertising campaigns leading the public to believe that RX drugs are safe, and the misinformation that practitioners were given.

Today, it is still easy for a person to get RX drugs from their doctor. Many doctors are incentivized to sell prescription drugs by being offered large amounts of money if they are able to prescribe drugs to their patients.

The Most Abused RX Medications

There are many brand names in each category of RX drugs that people may abuse. For the purposes of this, we will look at the prescription drugs that the abused the most.

The most abused opioid pain relievers include drugs such as Percodan, Vicodin, and OxyContin. The sedatives and tranquilizers that are frequently abused include RX drugs such as Xanax and Valium.

Prescription stimulants that people often abuse for the effects that it can have include Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin.

Dangers of RX Addiction

Once someone becomes addicted to RX drugs, their use of the medication becomes out of their control. Even efforts to slow down or stop entirely often fail because of the reliance that they formed on the drug.

It is possible to overdose on prescription drugs, which is why they are regulated and prescribed in controlled amounts. An overdose can be fatal in many cases, such as with sedatives and opioids.

Mental and physical health problems often accompany an addiction to RX drugs because such high quantities of the drugs are taken on a regular basis.

Addiction itself causes many problems in a person’s life due to the drastic changes that they go through, leading to problems in their family, friendships, employment, and even problems with the law.

These reasons stress the importance of finding help at our prescription drug rehab.

Sober-Friendly Attractions West Palm Beach

The beautiful West Palm Beach area is where several famous people have made their home, including the likes of Ariana Grande, Bill Gates, Celine Dion, Tiger Woods, and Howard Stern.

If you decide to get treatment at our prescription drug rehab, you can expect to enjoy the pleasant weather and warm waters of our beaches, such as the popular Juno Beach, Ocean Reef Park, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, and Peanut Island among others.

Rich culture and exquisite dining make the evenings more enjoyable, such as at the many attractions on Clematis Street.

An RX drug addiction is a serious health concern that should not be ignored. Find help at our prescription drug rehab by contacting us today.