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Drug abuse in society
Drug abuse in society
Outline of prescription drug abuse
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We are in a society where we take a pill for everything, i.e., to lose weight, to get rid of a headache. Whatever we need a pill for, it is there. In United States, the abuse of painkillers and other prescription drugs has reached epidemic levels and become one of the top causes of death every year. In 2010, more than 38,000 deaths were due to overdosing. These include drugs like methadone, oxydone, or morphine. Death rates from prescription drugs were highest among people from middle-aged groups. The Obama administration released a plan in 2011 called the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan to deal with the problem of drug abuse. Some abusers have sought help in many places like recovery centers. They learn exercises and other methods
Almost one hundred years ago, prescription drugs like morphine were available at almost any general store. Women carried bottles of very addictive potent opiate based pain killers in their purse. Many individuals like Edgar Allen Poe died from such addictions. Since that time through various federal, state and local laws, drugs like morphine are now prescription drugs; however, this has not stopped the addiction to opiate based pain killers. Today’s society combats an ever increasing number of very deadly addictive drugs from designer drugs to narcotics to the less potent but equally destructive alcohol and marijuana. With all of these new and old drugs going in and out of vogue with addicts, it appears that the increase of misuse and abuse is founded greater in the prescription opiate based painkillers.
More than often, American’s argue that if we have the technology to gain access to these “miracle meds”, then we should take advantage of it. To receive an opposing view, the National Institute of Drug Abuse asked teens around America why they think prescription drugs are overused, and the results were shocking; 62%: “Easy to get from parent's medicine cabinets”, 51%: “They are not illegal drugs”, 49%: “Can claim to have prescription if caught”, 43%: “They are cheap”, 35%: “Safer to use than illegal drugs”, 33%: “Less shame attached to using”, 32%: “Fewer side effects than street drugs”, 25%: “Can be used as study aids”, and 21%: “Parents don't care as much if caught”. I believe the major problem here isn’t the medication, but instead the fact that our nation is extremely uninformed on the “do’s and dont’s” of prescription medication. When “the United States is 5 percent of the world’s population and consumes 75 percent of the the world's prescription drugs” (CDC), there is a problem present, no matter the reason. Clearly, many critics believe the breathtaking amount of pills we consume in America is simply for the better good, but tend to forget the effects that are soon to follow.
Daniel is a 43 year old Caucasian male who identified as heterosexual. Daniel is currently married to Sandy for year and together they have a son. Daniel drinks a gallon of Vodka every day. He wakes up around three AM to drink to avoid withdrawal sickness. Daniel sickness includes seizure, shaking, heart rate and sweat perfurcelly. Daniel reported that he needs to have alcohol in his system in order to function at all. Daniel also abuses multiple prescription medications on a daily basis; 15 prescription a day narcotic and opines for pain control. Daniel is also abusing cough syrup.
Drug abuse has been around for many years, since the early 1800’s and has increasingly gotten worse. The dependency of heroin and opiates has succeeded in breaking down barriers in color and classes, you could say it is a habit of equal opportunity with whoever wants to try it. Methadone has been used to treat heroin abuse for many years, but is now used to treat opiate dependency also. Although it has been found to be very addictive, the doctors claim it is the most successful in helping some addicts lead functional lives. It seems strange that a drug that is addictive is given to take the place of another addictive drug. You might ask yourself, why should I care if a better treatment is found to replace methadone if it doesn’t affect
How many times have you turned heard a rap song on the radio glamorizing the uses of prescription drugs. Recently the opioid epidemic has been declared a public health emergency. Many people agree that opioid addiction has become a problem throughout America. There are many factors that has led to this crisis. There still questions about what exactly are opioids. Why are they so addictive, and what is being done to solve the issue?
One of the main causes of prescription drug abuse is the lack of education for both doctors and patients. People usually use prescription drugs to loose weight, get high, and get stronger. Many people who consume drugs do not know the dangers that exist while consuming them. Patients normally don’t think to themselves that these medications are dangerous because they come from Pharmacies and are provided from doctors. However, prescription drugs can be just as deadly and detrimental to your health like a gun or drinking alcohol can be. Most people don’t care to properly store them either. If prescription drugs aren't treated at the recommended temperature, at the right dosage, or taken by the right person, you can take something that was meant to save lives and turn it into something that can seriously hurt or make you very sick. One of the most dangerous prescription drugs out there right now is OxyCotin. OxyCotin is a prescription drug pain reliever that's designed to slowly release medicine over time by form of a capsule. Abusers bypass that by chewing, injecting, and even snorting the medicine in the drug (Meadows, Michelle). Prescription Drugs: Their Use and Abuse says when a person takes so much over the safe dosage amount the drug can actually have very different effects on your body.
Substance addiction is becoming an epidemic. While some people can quit using a substance without any help, most people need help to their recovery. Narcotics anonymous is an important support group for our society. There are many different narcotic anonymous programs to join that have meetings throughout the week. The members of the support group all share one thing in common, they suffer from different types of chemical dependency. Members help each other because they have the same problems and worries that everyone in the room has. Though they may be struggling with different stages in their life, for the most part, they all relate to what each is going through. Just as AA, NA focuses on the 12-step program. The members of
Yet, many become addicted unintentionally, The Recovery Village reports, “By the time they no longer need the drugs for their pain, however, opiates have taken hold in the brain and cause a physical dependence starting an opiate addiction.” Since first introduced, many health care providers have been over exposing patients to new opioid options: Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Meperidine, etc. Doctors are well aware of the many alternatives to narcotic pain medication. Many adolescents are being prescribed opioids for pain relief, but end up becoming addicted. Putting these medications at the hands of young patients can lead them to misuse them, such as sharing with friends and overdosing. As stated by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, “People often share their unused pain relievers, unaware of the dangers of nonmedical opioid use. Most adolescents who misuse prescription pain relievers are given them for free by a friend or relative.” Society sees these pain medications as acceptable just because they are prescribed and recommended by a doctor. According to a national survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2016, 116 people died every day from opioid-related
The extent of the opioid abuse crisis is clear. Opioid drug abuse has increasingly become a major problem. The problem is currently so concerning that it is currently one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “…drug overdose, particularly due to the increase in nonmedical use of prescription pain-relief drugs, is the second leading cause of deaths from unintentional injuries in the United States, exceeded only by motor vehicle fatalities.” (Kirschner1) In fact, the CDC classifies the abuse problem as an ‘epidemic’.
Many people around the world have pain they are dealing with. Sometimes the pain in unbearable, other times it is easily taken care of, and then there are times when people become addicted to medications because of the pain. “More than 30% of Americans have some sort form of acute or chronic pain,” noted by Longo, Volkow & Mclellan (2016). Opioids are one of the main pain medications given to patients who struggle with acute or chronic pain. Longo, Volkow & Mclellan (2016) discuss, opioids are widely distributed and used improperly, and the wide distribution of this drug has resulted in many deaths and overdoses around the world. This has caused the opioid crises in pain management (Longo, Volkow & Mclellan 2016).
CNN stated, “One person dies every 19 minutes from a prescription drug overdose in the United States.” In an effort to combat misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing new restrictions that would change the rules for some normally prescribed narcotic painkillers (Bentz).
What is a drug addiction? A drug addiction is something that is hard to overcome. Sometimes it happens intentionally or sometimes it happens by accident and by accident I mean someone is prescribed a medication by a doctor and they become addicted to it. Intentionally, on the other hand, is when a doctor prescribes a medication and they intentionally abuse it. Prescription drugs aren’t the only things that are addicting, drugs like marijuana and heroin are addicting as well. In a more specific definition drug addiction is a dependence on an illegal drug or a legal medication.
Substance (including alcohol and drugs) misuse is a serious problem in the United States. It is likely that either someone misuses, or knows of someone who misuses substances. This is also true for the young adult population. According to Hingson, Heeren, Winter, and Wechsler's (2005) study, substance misuse may be one of the most serious health issues facing young adults. In their study, Hingson et al. (2005) noted that substance misuse is a major contributor to mortality (e.g., suicides), unintentional injuries (e.g., car accidents), and illnesses (e.g., sexually transmitted diseases due to unprotected sex) among young adults. Hingson, et al. and Pugh and Bry's (2007) studies found that young adults that were in college drank more heavily
A patient comes into the clinic and the first thing I notice is that the patient looks a little tired, uncomfortable, anxious, slightly pale and is underweight. As the clinical session continues, my patient is slightly irritable in his remarks, has a sadistical outlook on life, and is sweating. I ask if he’s alright and he replies with a sarcastic yes. Looking at the medical history he’s filled out, there’s no list of any drugs he’s currently taking. I suspect he’s lying or is unwilling to share the information due to an addiction or dependence on a drug. I asked him if he’s taking any sort of painkillers, anti-anxiety medications; anything. Under his breath, he replied that he’s on Vicodin but didn't see
Drug abuse has been a hot topic for our society due to how stimulants interfere with health, prosperity, and the lives of others in all nations. All drugs have the potential to be misapplied, whether obtained by prescription, over the counter, or illegally. Drug abuse is a despicable disease that affects many helpless people. Majority of those who are beset with this disease go untreated due to health insurance companies who neglect and discriminate this issue. As an outcome of missed opportunities of treatments, abusers become homeless, very ill, or even worst, death.