Symptoms Of Pill Addiction In Adolescents
Teenage years can be a time of emotional distress, and so it can be particularly difficult to initially identify an addiction. It is easy to mistake the normalcies of adolescent growth with the signs of drug abuse. Additional issues can complicate matters further, including the development of a co-occurring psychological disorder. Because of this, clinicians often misdiagnose or miss the addiction altogether. The following are signs that may indicate an adolescent may be abusing prescription drugs:
- Excessive irritability or unexplained periods of crying
- Changes in sleep patterns: irregular periods of sleep or staying up for multiple days
- Sudden loss of interest or hobbies
- Loss of intimate relationships with friends and family, wanting much more alone time
- Lack of care for basic hygiene or appearance
Of course, some of these signs may not necessarily be related to substance abuse, which is why it is crucial to establish an open and honest dialogue when pill addiction is suspected. We will always refer our patient to a therapist as well as drug abuse rehab. This is in order to determine if there is a mental health issue contributing to the symptoms at hand.
Treatment For Pain Pill Addiction
Rock Recovery is a representative drug and alcohol rehab center in the West Palm Beach, Florida area. We focus on outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment of patients who become addicted to opiates. In cases where detox is warranted, we make recommendations in order to assure that our patients are physically and mentally prepared to handle the treatment process. When ready, patients are given the counseling and therapy needed to create a lasting recovery from addiction.
If you have a pain pill addiction, its time to act and overcome it. Addiction is a serious issue that demands a serious solution. Call Rock Recovery Center now at 561-223-2986 to learn more about our recovery programs.
Taking Opioid Medicine Safely
Only take the medicine as directed.
- Do not increase the dose or take an extra dose
- Do not take any other medicines that contain opioids to top up your pain relief
- Do not take opioid medicines if you are pregnant without health professional advice
Do not do any of these without advice from the person who prescribed the medicine or from a pharmacist. Taking more than you should can lead to overdose.
Babies born to women who took opioids during pregnancy may need to be carefully monitored for withdrawal effects after birth. Talk to your doctor or midwife if you are worried.
If you have any questions about your opioid medicine or side effects, or if you do not understand how to take your medicine, talk to the person who prescribed your opioid medicine or to a pharmacist. Keep talking to them about your pain there may be different treatments that can help.
- Do not allow others to take any opioid medicines given to you. Your medicine has been prescribed or specifically recommended for you by your doctor or pharmacist and can be dangerous if taken by other people it could even cause fatal overdose.
- Always keep medicines out of sight and reach of children.
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How Do People Misuse Prescription Opioids
Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by a doctor, but they can be misused. People misuse prescription opioids by:
- taking the medicine in a way or dose other than prescribed
- taking someone else’s prescription medicine
- taking the medicine for the effect it causes-to get high
When misusing a prescription opioid, a person can swallow the medicine in its normal form. Sometimes people crush pills or open capsules, dissolve the powder in water, and inject the liquid into a vein. Some also snort the powder.
Painkiller Addiction Tends To Involve Mood Swings
Like any other drug, painkillers cause changes in brain function. Many of these changes disrupt the brains ability to regulate moods. A person who abuses painkillers may eventually struggle with anxiety, addiction, or restlessness for an extended period. Their mood may shift from one extreme to the othersometimes within a matter of minutes or hours. If you notice mood swings, you may want to monitor the correlation between the mood and the drug they are taking.
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How Can You Avoid Addiction To Opioids
If you or a loved one is considering taking opioids to manage pain, it is vital to talk to a physician anesthesiologist or other pain medicine specialist about using them safely and exploring alternative options if needed. Learn how to work with your physician anesthesiologist or another physician to use opioids more wisely and safely and explore what pain management alternatives might work for you.
How Can You Tell If You Or A Loved One Is Struggling With Opioid Abuse
Opioids are a class of drug that includes both prescription pain medicines and illegal drugs such as heroin. Though opioids can be prescribed by a doctor to treat pain, their misuse may lead to a dependency or addiction . Anyone prescribed an opioid should follow their doctors orders carefully, making sure to only take the medication as prescribed.
Opioid use disorder is a medical condition defined by not being able to abstain from using opioids, and behaviors centered around opioid use that interfere with daily life. Being physically dependent on an opioid can occur when someone has an opioid use disorder, and is characterized by withdrawal symptoms such as cravings and sweating. However, people can misuse opioids and not have physical dependence. When a person has physical dependence, it can be particularly hard to stop taking opioids, and that dependence can interfere with daily routines, including personal relationships or finances.
Opioid use disorder may be diagnosed by a doctor. Someone struggling with opioid use disorder may not display symptoms right away. However, over time, there may be some signs that they need help.
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Getting Treatment For Pill Addiction
Treatment options will differ depending on the substance in question and our patients history and patterns of abuse. In the case of opioid and other medications where physical addiction is present, withdrawal is the first step in recovery. We may be able to alleviate this through the use of various medications. Through long-term addiction, there can be physical changes in the brain chemistry of our patient. Attempting to counteract these changes is no small task.
Regardless of the specific pills the patient is abusing, the best course of treatment is through a professional drug rehab provider. Ideally, this will involve a multifaceted treatment plan, individualized for each patient. Psychotherapy and medication treatment work best simultaneously to address the different aspects of addiction.
Contact Lighthouse at 1-800-RECOVERY for more information on facilities in your area that are dedicated to changing the way addiction is treated in the United States.
Related Tags: Pill Addiction | Lighthouse
Audra Franchini
Causes And Risk Factors For Pain Pill Addiction
There has not been one single cause identified as being the reason that some people develop an addiction to painkillers, but rather it is generally believed that individuals develop addictions based upon a number of interplaying factors. Common causes of prescription painkiller abuse may include the following:
Genetic: It has long been understood that addiction has a genetic component. Individuals who have first-degree relatives who struggle with addiction are more prone to develop addiction later in life.
Physical: As prescription painkillers stimulate the rewards system of the brain by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine, it has been postulated that some individuals have inborn deficiencies in dopamine levels. These individuals may use food, drugs, or prescription painkillers in order to correct these deficiencies.
Environmental: Individuals who are born into chaotic home environments in which drug use is prevalent are more likely to develop an addiction later in life. Additionally, those who begin to abuse drugs at a younger age are more likely to develop an addiction to serious drugs later in life.
Risk Factors:
- Easy access to prescription drugs
- Lack of understanding regarding the dangers of abusing prescription drugs
Signs and Symptoms
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You Feel Angry If Someone Talks To You About It
Have your friends or family tried to talk to you about how youâre using your medication? If you feel defensive or irritated when they approach you, you may be getting in too deep, Schrank says.
In fact, studies show the degree of that anger is not just a sign that you may need treatment, but it can actually be a predictor as to how effective treatment would be.
The Causes Of Accidental Pain Pill Addiction
What most pain sufferers dont know is that addiction to opiates, a common ingredient found in pain medication, occurs much quicker than addiction to other drugs. Depending on a number of factors, individuals can become addicted to pain pills in as little two weeks. While many patients will blindly keep taking their pain medication for as long as the pain exists, they do so without understanding the risks. In other cases, doctors could be to blame for being too willing to continue writing prescriptions.
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Effects Of Painkiller Addiction
The effects of prescription painkiller abuse and addiction can lead to devastating consequences for those who abuse them. Prescription drug abuse can leave virtually no area of an addicts life unscathed. Effects will range from mild to severe depending upon individual genetic makeup, frequency of use, length of abuse, and other factors. Most common effects of prescription painkiller abuse include:
- Social isolation
- Inability to quit using prescription painkillers despite multiple attempts to cut down or stop using
- Increasing physical consequences of prescription painkiller abuse
Withdrawal Effects
Painkiller Addiction Symptoms Causes Signs & Withdrawal Side Effects
Prescription painkillers like OxyContin, Vicodin, Opana, fentanyl, and Percocet were all created to serve an invaluable purpose. These medications, which can only be prescribed by a licensed physician, are meant to alleviate pain and improve the quality of life for those struggling with discomfort following surgery, an injury, or pain caused by a medical problem.
Understanding Painkiller Abuse
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Causes And Risk Factors For Painkiller Abuse
Researchers have tried to uncover the reasons why some people become addicted to prescription painkillers while other dont. The following are the results of this research and may help you understand what led you to abuse and become addicted to these medications:
Genetic: While you make the conscious choice to abuse prescription painkillers, your genes may have something to do with whether or not you become addicted to these sort of drugs. Researchers have identified certain clusters of genes that can make someone, perhaps you, more vulnerable to grappling with substance abuse and addiction. Therefore, you may want to look into your own family history to see if this has been a concern for others that youre related to.
Environmental: Your environment can have a powerful influence over whether or not you misuse prescription painkillers. For example, if you socialize with individuals who abuse painkillers, you may be more compelled to engage in the same behavior. Additionally, if you are able to easily get these sort of substances, whether from your own doctor or by taking someone elses medication, you may be tempted to partake in the abuse of these drugs as well. Lastly, having a history of substance abuse, trauma, or exposure to chaos and crime can all affect your choice to abuse painkillers, which can be even more influenced if you lack coping skills and adequate support from people that you are close to.
Risk Factors:
Fda Identifies Harm Reported From Sudden Discontinuation Of Opioid Pain Medicines And Requires Label Changes To Guide Prescribers On Gradual Individualized Tapering
FDA Drug Safety Communication
Safety Announcement
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received reports of serious harm in patients who are physically dependent on opioid pain medicines suddenly having these medicines discontinued or the dose rapidly decreased. These include serious withdrawal symptoms, uncontrolled pain, psychological distress, and suicide.
While we continue to track this safety concern as part of our ongoing monitoring of risks associated with opioid pain medicines, we are requiring changes to the prescribing information for these medicines that are intended for use in the outpatient setting. These changes will provide expanded guidance to health care professionals on how to safely decrease the dose in patients who are physically dependent on opioid pain medicines when the dose is to be decreased or the medicine is to be discontinued.
Rapid discontinuation can result in uncontrolled pain or withdrawal symptoms. In turn, these symptoms can lead patients to seek other sources of opioid pain medicines, which may be confused with drug-seeking for abuse. Patients may attempt to treat their pain or withdrawal symptoms with illicit opioids, such as heroin, and other substances.
To help FDA track safety issues with medicines, we urge patients and health care professionals to report side effects involving opioids or other medicines to the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the Contact FDA box at the bottom of the page.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Fentanyl Abuse
Fentanyl is one of the strongest opiate drugs on the market. It is not a long-lasting drug so it is often used for surgery recovery and for breakthrough painmeaning that when a person is already taking an opiate but has temporary pain that breaks through the opiate barrier, they may be given fentanyl.
Time-release formulations for fentanyl provide strong pain relief over time. They come in two formsa lollipop and a patch. Fentanyl also comes as a small piece of film that can be dissolved under the tongue and a pill meant to be lodged inside the cheek. In hospital settings, fentanyl can be injected. For the individual abusing the drug outside a hospital, this is highly dangerous, as the difference between a therapeutic dose and a deadly dose is very small.
Learn More About Symptoms Of Painkiller Addiction At Midwest Detox Center
If you have a loved one who has a painkiller addiction and needs help getting them treatment, contact Midwest Detox Center at , or contact us online. Let us help you identify addiction symptoms and stage an intervention for a friend or loved one. Our addiction treatment therapies help you or a family member get on the road to recovery.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Painkiller Addiction
Because those who abuse prescription pain medications often go to great lengths to conceal their use of such substances, it may not always be apparent to friends and loved ones that a person they care about is battling a chemical dependency concern of this kind. However, there are several behavioral, physical, cognitive, and psychosocial signs and symptoms that can aid in identifying a painkiller abuse problem. The following are among those various signs and symptoms:
Behavioral symptoms:
- Abusing increased amounts of prescription pain medications
- Putting in a great deal of effort in acquiring more painkillers
- No longer participating in activities that were once enjoyed
- Continuing to abuse painkillers despite adverse consequences that have occurred
- Possessing multiple prescriptions for pain medications
- Doctor shopping
- Isolating oneself from peers and loved ones
Physical symptoms:
- Development of tolerance for the painkiller being abused
- Onset of withdrawal symptoms when not able to consume the substance being abused
- Constricted pupils
- Compromised ability to make good decisions
Psychosocial symptoms:
Effects
The Dangers Of Opiates
Opiates come in several different forms and can be consumed a number of ways. Typically, these drugs are prescribed as oral capsules or tablets. While a majority of people legally obtain a prescription from their doctor, others may borrow or steal pills from family members or friends. However, using another persons medications is illegal and constitutes abuse.
A person struggling with Painkiller abuse may experiment with various intake methods in order to achieve the strongest high possible. For example, tablets can be crushed into a powder form, which is then snorted. Powders can also be dissolved in liquid and then injected into the veins.
Snorting or injecting Opioids produces an immediate rush that is far more intense than swallowing the pill form. However, a sudden surge of these substances in the body can lead to life-threatening complications, such as respiratory failure and overdose.
There are 2 main reasons why these medicines are so dangerous. The first is that they are very addictive. So, theres a high risk that if you take these you may end up addicted to Opiates and in fact, some recent studies suggest that 3 out of every 4 people who are currently using Heroin started with prescription Opiates. The second reason theyre dangerous is that theyre so powerful. They can suppress your breathing such that you die. So not only are they addictive, but they are also potentially deadly.
– Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Learn More About Painkiller Addiction
For people who suffer from chronic pain, taking prescription pain medication can be life-changing, as these medications can allow them to resume healthy functioning without being hindered by their condition. When a physician makes a recommendation for a painkiller regimen, warnings about the addictive nature of these medications are frequently provided and patients are often advised to closely follow their physicians instructions for how and when to take them. However, if these warning are not heeded, abuse and addiction can result.
Many of the prescription pain medications that exist today contain oxycodone or hydrocodone. These active ingredients make these medications habit-forming and also make overcoming this type of chemical dependency so difficult. In the event that a person abuses painkillers, it is likely that he or she will experience painful and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms once these substances are no longer in his or her system. These withdrawal symptoms are often painful enough to keep a person trapped in the vicious cycle of addiction. Furthermore, if an individual is battling a mental health condition at the same time, it could be even more cumbersome to defeat a painkiller addiction if the necessary skills for coping are not present.
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