subject: The Best Way To Arrest Addiction Towards Prescribed And Over-the-counter Drugs [print this page] Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) in the well-known TV series "House" is a typical instance of how pain and regular usage of prescribed drugs can result in dependency and addiction. A superb diagnostician, yet he fell to the trappings of analgesics. The addiction led to many troubles both in health and relationships. This is a TV series that does not only amuse, it also brings to attention how prescription medications can be abused even by purportedly sensible people and more so by adolescents unintentionally or purposely. Just like any drug abuser who wishes to recover from the holds of addiction, Dr. House's only prospect of recovery is through treatments under drug abuse programs available at rehabilitation centers.
Many of the prescription drugs that are frequently taken advantage of aside from the pain relievers are cough and cold syrups, antihistamine, antiasthma, diet pills, ephedrine, and sleeping pills. The abuse can happen innocently. If the taking of any of these prescription drugs is critical to deal with a discomfort, the gradual slipping to dependency frequently goes undetected. Addiction to these drugs can also be sought if one is already a drug addict who needs something to perpetuate addiction that is less costly and a lot more accessible. Either way, the abuser needs to be committed to a drug abuse rehab center to put a stop to the addiction.
What makes these drugs more abused than other addictive substances available these days? Accessibility and being inexpensive - these are the two explanations why prescription and OTC (over-the-counter) medicines are popular by drug addicts. While a few are regulated, majority are not. And, even if the medicine is a regulated drug, obtaining a prescription is something that wily addicts can do effortlessly. While some are not really addictive, these can be abused or mixed with other possibly addictive substances.
Cough syrups that contain dextrometorphan is one of the most abused OTC drug if ingested in vast amounts. Benadryl is yet another OTC drug meant for allergies and that can cause drowsiness is similarly massively abused by teenagers along with cold medicines that may contain pseudo-ephedrine. Ephedrine is popular among bodybuilders to boost performance but which can be fatal when misused. Sleeping pills is another drug that is often abused as sleep becomes evasive with stress or some other reasons.
This is not the end of the list. There are many other prescription and OTC medicines that are being abused especially by young ones who can easily access these being not regulated and economical. Maybe some regulators need to step in as more and more kids fall prey to this sort of addiction.
