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Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drug abuse is not about bad drugs or even bad people. It involves a complex web of factors, including the power of drug abuse and the difficulty both patients and doctors have discussing the topic. A recent survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse at Columbia University indicated that approximately 50% of primary care physicians have difficulty speaking with their patients about substance abuse (FDA Consumer Magazine, Sept.-Oct., 2001).

Abuse of prescription drugs is no different from the abuse of illicit substances. However, no one is prescribed heroin or cocaine for medical reasons. People who suffer from chronic pain are in a very difficult position since painkillers do relieve pain. For people who suffer from constant and chronic pain, narcotics may be necessary to allow them to have any quality of life. The downside is the risk for becoming physically dependent and eventually the possibility of addiction.

Disturbing Prescription Drug Abuse Trends
While most illicit drug abuse, particularly for middle and high school teens, began to slow or actually decline in 2002 after a half a decade increase, abuse of prescription drugs continues to climb:

• Over the past decade-and-a-half, the number of teen and young adult (ages 12 to 25) new abusers of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone (OxyContin) or hydrocodone (Vicodin) has grown five-fold (from 400,000 in the mid-eighties to 2 million in 2000).
• New misusers of tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax) went up nearly 50 percent in one year (700,000 in 1999 to 1 million in 2000). These medications are normally used to treat anxiety or tension.
• More than 17 percent of adults over 60, knowingly or not, abuse prescription drugs.
• In 2000, more than 19 million prescriptions for ADHD drugs were filled, a 72 percent increase since 1995. An estimated 3 to 5 percent of school-age children have ADHD. A study of students in Wisconsin and Minnesota showed 34 percent of ADHD youth age 11 to 18 reports being approached to sell or trade their ADHD medications, such as Ritalin.
• Among 12- to 17-year-olds, girls are more likely than boys to use psychotherapeutic drugs for non medical purposes.

You may be concerned about your child, your spouse, your partner, your parent(s), your brother or sister, a friend, a work colleague, or even yourself. If you are looking for prescription drug abuse help for someone you care about here are some key points to keep in mind:

• You can offer your help and support. You can show that you care about them.
• You cannot control the individual's actions. Only they can control their actions. They ultimately have to make the decision to get help for their abuse problems.
• The very thought of not using may make some individuals frightened or scared. They may have abused one prescription drug or another for such a long period of time that it feels to them being intoxicated is natural. Or, they may fear withdrawal which sometimes can be quite painful.
• Only very powerful motivation can help someone decide to end their prescription drug abuse. This motivation comes about when the consequences of using become even more painful than not using.

There are several ways that patients can prevent prescription drug abuse. When visiting the doctor, provide a complete medical history and a description of the reason for the visit to ensure that the doctor understands the complaint and can prescribe appropriate medication. If a doctor prescribes a pain medication, stimulant, or CNS depressant, follow the directions for use carefully and learn about the effects that the drug could have, especially during the first few days during which the body is adapting to the medication. Also be aware of potential interactions with other drugs by reading all information provided by the pharmacist. Do not increase or decrease doses or abruptly stop taking a prescription without consulting a health care provider first. For example, if you are taking a pain reliever for chronic pain and the medication no longer seems to be effectively controlling the pain, speak with your physician. Absolutely do not increase the dose on your own. Finally, never use another person's prescription.