Telltale Signs of Pain Pill Abuse
How to help someone suffering with pain pill addiction signs
Due to the high amount of prescription medications prescribed daily there is also a high amount of people all over the country dealing with addiction and misuse of these prescription medications. Misuse of prescription drugs also falls into the category of pain pill addiction signs, which can be explained as taking the medication in another manner than what it is prescribed.
There are three types of prescription medications that are commonly misused and abused and they are:
- Opioids
- Central nervous system depressants
- Stimulants
Opioids are used to treat people dealing with pain. Central Nervous System Depressants are using to help people dealing with anxiety and sleep problems
Stimulants are most commonly used to treat people suffering from ADHD.
Signs of pain pill abuse
When a person misuses a prescription medication there are some ways that you can note the signs of pain pill abuse. These are commonly associated with pain pill addiction signs due to the fact that if they are being misused, there is probably an underlying reason: addiction.
These signs of pain pill abuse can be noted as:
- Throwing up
- Small pupils
- Constipation
- Snorting, smoking or injecting pain pills can cause problems breathing
- The need for more of the medication (higher doses)
- Criminal acts: stealing the pills, buying them from someone, doctor shopping
When a person is trying to personally stop taking the pills that they may be addicted to it can cause withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal from pain pill addiction signs can also be noted as:
- Muscle / bone pain
- Chills
- Throwing up
- Diarrhea
- Nervousness
- Anger
- Sadness / depression
- Inability to sleep
Help for those suffering with pill addiction signs
If you have noticed that you, or someone you love, may be suffering with any of the pill addiction signs it is a good idea to seek help.
If you, or someone you love makes the decisions to seek help in a treatment canter, the following is a general explanation of what they can expect while in a treatment center.
- The first part of treatment is an assessment. The person who is exhibiting signs of pain pill abuse will be assessed in regards to their addiction, illness and any other underlying issues while being given an individualized treatment plan.
- The second part of treatment is what would be considered the most difficult, and scary part of treatment. This is the detox phase. The patient will be monitored 24/7 to ensure safety and well being while being aided with medication to help the patient through the withdrawal symptoms. This is the most important step as it allows the patient to rid its body of the drug while allowing the patient to clear their mind, return to a fresh thinking process and a healthy physical state.
- The third part of treatment is therapy. This step is where the patient works to the root of their addiction and how they have found themselves there. This is where they can attend various types of therapy, alternative, group, individual, even family.
- The forth part is relapse prevention which can also be a part of the third step. The patient is able to form goals for themselves when returning to daily life and habits. This is where they can pinpoint triggers and situations in which they would like to use the drug before returning to daily life.
The four parts that have been listed are general steps in therapy and can be changed or altered at any point in the process to ensure the success of the patient. It is important to remind the reader that an addiction is like any other illness and almost always needs continued treatment even after therapy.
Seek help today, don't wait until it's too late!