Narcotic Abuse Causes & Risks

Causes

Narcotic abuse may begin with recreational (illegal) drug use, or it may begin when a patient takes a prescription painkiller too often or for too long a period. As the body builds up a tolerance for the drug, the user feels he or she needs more of the drug, and becomes dependent on it, both physically and psychologically.

Risk Factors

These factors increase your chance of developing narcotic abuse. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:

• Experimented with illegal street drugs, particularly any form of heroin or cocaine
• Had an addiction to alcohol or another substance
• Taken someone else’s prescription narcotic for pain or to see how it made you feel
• Taken a prescription narcotic for a condition that has since improved, but you still feel you “need” the drug

Talk to your doctor if you have any of these risk factors. Additionally, some personality traits and lifestyles can increase your tendency to abuse narcotics. These may include depression and low self-esteem, associating with other drug users, and experiencing high amounts of stress or chronic pain over an extended period.