Prescription Drug Addiction in Edinburg, TX
Prescription drug addiction in Edinburg is an increasing public health concern. It's common for many people to assume that taking prescription medications for recreational purposes is somehow safer, as they were prescribed by a doctor.
In reality, taking any type of prescription medication in any way other than was prescribed is considered drug abuse. Prescription medications, such as opiate painkillers or sedative medications are intended to treat specific medical conditions under a doctor's supervision.
Taking them in order to get ‘high' or ‘stoned' increases the risk of developing a physical dependency on the substance, or addiction. Treating prescription drug addiction in Edinburg is almost exactly the same as treating any other type of addiction to illicit street drugs or alcohol.
What is Prescription Drug Addiction?
Prescription drug addiction is the same as addiction to alcohol or other types of illicit street drugs. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease of the brain that requires specialized rehab treatments in a drug and alcohol treatment center to achieve successful outcomes.
Prescription drug addiction programs are almost identical to those for treating people addicted to street drugs, like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine. The first stage of treatment is the detox process, which is strongly advised to be conducted under medical supervision.
When the detox process is complete, addiction specialists at a drug and alcohol rehab center can tailor the right combination of therapies and counseling sessions to improve likely outcomes for treatment programs in Edinburg.
Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
Opiate medications: Prescription opiate painkiller medications are designed to treat acute or chronic pain. Some opiates are created from opium poppies, while others are synthetic versions of opioids that act in a similar way. Many opiate painkiller medications are identical on a molecular level to heroin, so treating addiction to prescription opiate drugs is the same as treating heroin addiction.
Sedative medications: Sedative medications, such as Xanax or Valium are intended to treat anxiety disorders or sleeping problems. These medications act as a depressant, or sedative on the central nervous system and cause changes within the brain's chemistry.
Trying to detox from sedative drugs by stopping use suddenly can cause potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms, so it's advised that the detox process is conducted under medical supervision. The safest way to detox from sedative medication is to taper the dosage of the drug down carefully over a period of time.
Stimulant medications: Legal prescription stimulant medications, like Adderall are intended to treat conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, some people take them to boost concentration or in an effort to stay awake and alert for longer periods of time.
Withdrawing from prescription stimulant drugs can produce severe psychological withdrawal symptoms that could pose a threat to the person and people around them.
Warning Signs and Symptoms of Prescription Drug Addiction
The individual signs and symptoms of prescription drug addiction may vary, depending on the type of drug being taken. However, some common things to watch for include:
- Deceptive behavior: hiding pills or lying about the amount being taken.
- Losing prescriptions: Consistently losing or needing new prescriptions for medications can be a signal to be wary of.
- Loss of control: losing control over the amount of the drug being taken or the frequency of which it's being taken.
- Tolerance: needing to take larger doses to achieve the same effects
- Withdrawal symptoms: experiencing unpleasant or negative symptoms when usage stops.
- Physical dependence (addiction): needing to continue taking the substance even in the face of negative consequences or to avoid the onset of withdrawal symptoms.
Treatment Options for Prescription Drug Addiction
There are two primary options for treating prescription drug addiction in Edinburg: inpatient and outpatient.
Outpatient drug rehab centers require the recovering person to check in with addiction specialists each day to receive medications and to attend pre-scheduled counseling sessions, therapies, and group meetings. However, the person is allowed to return home to independent living after the day's treatments have ended.
By comparison, our inpatient drug rehab in Edinburg requires the person to reside at the facility for the duration of the treatment program. The treatment program is equally as structured as an outpatient facility, but has the added benefit of removing the recovering person from people and places associated with substance abuse. The person has no distractions so it's easier to focus entirely on the recovery process.
Throughout the person's stay at a drug and alcohol treatment center, various therapies and counseling sessions begin to identify the underlying psychological triggers behind addictive substance abuse. Therapy also begins work to develop a unique relapse prevention strategy designed to reduce the risk of the person returning to a self-destructive pattern of behavior after leaving rehab.
Prescription drug addiction programs may also integrate various alternative therapies. Many types of holistic or alternative therapies can help the recovering person discover natural and healthy ways to cope with stress and relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The objective of prescription drug addiction programs is to help each person in recovery develop strong new skills and strategies for staying clean and sober over the long term. Call us now at (877) 804-1531.