Prescription Painkiller Dependence and Medically Assisted Recovery
Have you ever started taking pain medications only to discover that long after the pain had gone you were still taking the pills out of habit? Over 5.2 million Americans are currently using prescription pain relievers such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Morphine and Codeine non-medically.
These medications are just a few that fall into the category of Opioids. In the last ten years painkiller abuse has increased over 140% which is higher than any other drug.
Even when some people take drugs for pain properly, it could still lead to dependence. They may have individual differences such as genetic predisposition, history of substance abuse in their family or their body processes a drug differently which can determine its effect. You or someone you care about may be one of those more susceptible to narcotics that are highly effective as well as highly addictive. So, what are some indications you are on your way to dependence?
Drug Dependence
The road to dependence is a seven step process. We start with the first step, recreational or medical use because drugs are effective. In step two we say, “Ahhhh”…pain relief and pleasure and since we are creatures who seek pleasure and avoid pain, we enter step three, repeated use.
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