Abuse of prescription medications is prevalent in the United States today. It’s essential to be aware of the symptoms that someone you care about may be abusing pills. Unfortunately, addiction to pain pills and other medications often happens by accident. Blaming someone for their addiction never helps resolve the issue. What matters is convincing someone to get the help they need.
At Fresh Start Recovery Center, we know addiction comes in all shapes and sizes. Our expert medical professionals work with individuals to provide specialized care tailored to their particular needs. Reach out today to speak with one of our trained representatives about our prescription drug addiction treatment program.
Know the Warning Signs of Pain Pill Abuse
When someone starts abusing prescription pain pills, their behavioral changes may be subtle. Initial signs may include a lack of concentration or focus at work or symptoms like irritability and agitation.
Over time, as someone continues to abuse pain pills, they can become increasingly aggressive and display changes in their personality. This can result in damaged relationships with friends and loved ones. Addiction often causes people to create new and problematic social groups.
Priorities tend to change, and normal hobbies are no longer of interest. Those with substance abuse disorders often end up with financial problems and may start to engage in extreme risk-taking in order to obtain drugs.
In addition, your loved one may also begin lying and keeping secrets to fund their addiction. For instance, people who are addicted to pain pills may go to a doctor and say they have certain symptoms to get another prescription for the pills. They may doctor shop, meaning they go from doctor to doctor until they find someone who will prescribe drugs to them. They may steal pills from others and go to other extremes in order to obtain drugs.
Signs of Prescription Drug Addiction
Prescription drug abuse means a person is using medications in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug misuse ranges from taking a friend or family member’s prescription pain pills for your backache to using pills to get high. Over time, abuse becomes compulsive in spite of negative consequences. Prescription drug abuse affects all age groups, including teens. The prescription medications most often abused include opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety pills, sedatives, and stimulants.
Common signs of addiction to prescription medications can include:
- Mental health conditions
- Paranoia
- Feelings of hopelessness, shame, and guilt
- Low self-esteem
- Inability to concentrate or focus
- Confusion
- Mood instability and angry outbursts
Withdrawal as a Sign of Prescription Drug Addiction
If your loved one no longer has access to the drug they were using, they may begin to develop withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are the person’s body reacting to the lack of the substance, which it now thinks it needs to feel normal. These symptoms can vary depending on the severity and type of the addiction, but often they include:
- Shakiness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Cold flashes
These are only a few of the potential signs of withdrawal. It is vital to talk to your doctor if you or your loved one has started developing withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have access to their medication. Withdrawal is one of the primary indicators that the person’s use has become an addiction.
Contact Fresh Start Today Recovery Center to Start Addiction Treatment
If you or someone you love is struggling with a prescription medication addiction, the medical experts at Fresh Start are here to help. Our team can provide you with details about our prescription drug addiction treatment program and other specialized treatment options. Contact us to speak with a trained representative.