{"id":3417,"date":"2019-03-14T08:58:58","date_gmt":"2019-03-14T08:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/?p=3417"},"modified":"2021-09-01T11:30:24","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T11:30:24","slug":"prescription-drugs-when-drug-abuse-is-legal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ssdev.co.za\/crossroads-old\/prescription-drugs-when-drug-abuse-is-legal\/","title":{"rendered":"Prescription Drugs – When drug abuse is legal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Prescription Drugs – When drug abuse is legal<\/h1>Reach out now, we can help<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/header>
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Prescription Drugs – When drug abuse is legal<\/h3>
14 March, 2019<\/span>Articles, News<\/span><\/div>\n

Drug abuse is no longer limited to illegal drugs or hard drugs like heroin, tik or cocaine. One of the most dangerous and rising forms of drug abuse is legal, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. From cough syrups and painkillers to sleep medicine and prescription tranquilisers; these socially accepted drugs are cheap, accessible and addictive – making them all the more dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How are they addictive? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drug addiction is a complex\ndisorder that is characterised by compulsive drug use. Every drug produces\ndifferent physical effects, but the common result is that repeated use can\nalter the way the brain looks and functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to most\nprescription or OTC medicines, repeated abuse floods the system with dopamine,\nwhich gives the user that euphoric rush. Some experts believe the receptor\ncells in the brain actually change. So when someone with a predisposition to\naddiction uses these drugs repeatedly it causes the reward system to learn that\ndrugs are essential to their survival and they should get it at any cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dependence versus Addiction<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people can use recreational\nor prescription drugs without ever experiencing negative consequences or\naddiction. For many others, continuous use of these substances quickly leads to\nabuse and then addiction. It’s not always easy to tell when the line has been\ncrossed, but some common behaviours indicating drug addiction include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

• neglecting responsibilities to\nfamily and friends<\/p>\n\n\n\n

• performing poorly at work<\/p>\n\n\n\n

• losing interest in sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dependency is much more\ncommonplace. Anyone who takes prescription medicine for more than a few weeks\nwill develop some physical dependence on the drug for the relief it brings, be\nit to pain or insomnia. Usually, people are on stable, generally lower doses of\nthe medicine. If they do stop suddenly, they will probably have some mild\nwithdrawal symptoms, which will go away once they have ‘detoxed’. If people\nseek out further reasons to take the drug, they may be developing an addiction.\nPeople that tend towards addiction usually abuse the drug with the intention of\nlessening their anxiety or getting high (escaping their feelings or reality).\nThe pleasure of getting high and the fear of withdrawal instruct the brain to\ncompulsively seek out the drug, at any cost, and to crave its continued use\ndespite the negative consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some commonly abused prescription drugs<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n