Prescription medications exist to help mitigate symptoms, provide relief, and allow people to heal. Physicians control them because many have side effects. Doctors must monitor their use, and most people pay for them through medical insurance plans. Sometimes, those medications have addictive qualities, and patients need to be monitored for long-term abuse. Then some have never had a medication prescribed who access the drug illegally for the high it provides rather than its therapeutic value. Those people are at an even higher risk of dependence and addiction. Once someone is addicted to such a drug, regardless of how it happened, the best and safest way to get sober is to enroll in a prescription medication treatment program.
Whether you are looking for an adult drug rehab or drug treatment for teens, Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge (PAATC) can help. We have 60 years of experience with addiction treatment and drug detox in PA. We are proud to offer evidence-based therapies and a range of inpatient and outpatient options. If you are concerned about your prescription drug use or that of a loved one, contact PAATC today by dialing 888.546.2579 or using our online form.
Three Signs You’re Addicted to Prescription Medication
Nearly 20 million Americans abuse prescription medications in a given year. Are all those people addicted? Perhaps not. But their risk for addiction is very high. How can you tell if you or someone you love is addicted to prescription medication?
The physical signs of prescription abuse differ depending on which drug you or your loved one is using. However, there are behavioral symptoms that people with prescription drug use disorder share.
1. Money Problems
When you are addicted to a prescription drug, the cost can become astronomical. Eventually, insurance companies and doctors cut you off. You are now in the position to acquire the drugs by other means. Some unscrupulous medical professionals run clinics to sell under-the-table prescriptions or medications at a premium. Most prescription drugs are available on the street as well. If you are spending increasing amounts of money on acquiring drugs, your finances may suffer. People can become homeless when they default on their rent or mortgage in favor of purchasing drugs.
2. Crumbling Relationships
Addiction leads to social isolation. If you find you are avoiding the people who love and care about you in order to pursue and hide your drug abuse, you may be facing addiction. Perhaps you lash out at your friends and family and violate their trust or neglect your responsibilities to your spouse and children. This could indicate your drug use is destroying the human connections that you cannot afford to lose.
3. Ethically Questionable Choices
When people are in the throes of physical addiction to prescription drugs, their behavior can veer outside their normal moral boundaries. The physical need to secure a steady supply of the drug outweighs everything else. If you have made poor decisions or breached your own formerly staunch ethical beliefs, you may struggle with addiction. Some tell-tale actions are:
- Forging or stealing prescriptions
- Prescription shopping at more than one physician’s office or hospital emergency departments
- Lying, such as frequently returning to your physician for replacements for “lost” medications
- Failing to meet your responsibilities to work, family, or school due to drug-seeking
- Going to the streets to acquire prescription drugs you can no longer get through your doctor
Seek Drug Detox at Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge
If you recognize yourself in the above list, it is time to seek out drug treatment. PAATC offers evidence-based drug treatment for teens and adults. Our years of experience and professionalism ensure that your recovery journey will begin safely and that you are able to pursue a life of meaning, satisfaction, and sobriety with confidence.
At PAATC, teen and adult drug rehab will always begin with a medically supervised detox from the prescription drug. Next, our compassionate and expert staff will put together an individualized treatment program that works best for you and addresses your specific needs. To learn more, call us today by dialing 888.546.2579 to speak to one of our staff.
