Why People Get Addicted To Painkillers
Many don’t understand why people suffer from pain killer addiction. Unfortunately, this can make them unsympathetic to the condition of addiction that creeps up on patients who have legitimate prescriptions for pain. Sadly, many patients who are prescribed painkillers find themselves addicted just like illicit drug users and desperately need help.
What is Pain Killer Addiction?
Law enforcement and healthcare personnel are well aware that the number of people becoming addicted to prescription painkillers is rapidly increasing. Accidental dependence on these drugs is common. Even worse, when prescription pain pill users can no longer gain legitimately prescribed doses, they often turn to widely available and less expensive street heroin for the same type of high.
In recent years, doctors have widely prescribed synthetic opioid pain medications for a variety of patient ages and medical needs. The elderly, teenagers, adults having surgeries and many others are provided with painkillers via a doctor’s prescription.
How Does it Happen?
Accidental painkiller addiction occurs when the patient varies their dose amount, taking more than the doctor advises, or begin taking the pills too frequently. Additionally, some patients take multiple opioids at once, perhaps even from more than one prescription. Surprisingly, patients of all ages are falling prey to prescription pain pill addiction. No one is immune to their effects, not even the oldest of Americans.
Others who are vulnerable to accidental painkiller addiction are those living with patients who have prescription pain medication. Opioid painkillers are often found in household medicine cabinets. This makes them easily available to a member of the family who is unaware that taking their loved one’s unused medication will lead quickly down a one-way path.
How to Prevent Accidental Pain Killer Addiction
If your doctor prescribes you painkillers, you can prevent accidental addiction for yourself or those in your home. To keep yourself safe, take the medication only as prescribed. Follow the doctor’s instructions completely. Only take the pills if they are absolutely necessary when you are supposed to and in the appropriate dose.
When you’ve finished your painkiller use, throw away any excess pills. Remove the prescription label before throwing the container away, destroying the label if there are additional refills available. Keep your prescription pain pills away from others, particularly children, young adults and those who have dealt with addiction in the past.
If you’re no longer using these popular pain pills, but still have a bottle, clear your medicine cabinet of them:
- Anexsia
- Bancap
- Calmodulin
- ComfortPak
- Dolorex Forte
- Codeine
- Hycet
- Hycodan
- Hydromet
- Hydrocet
- Lorcet
- Lortab
- Maxidone
- Percocet
- Vicodin
- Vicoprofen
- Xodol
- Zydone
If You Find Yourself Accidentally Addicted to Pain Killers
If you realize that you’ve developed an addiction to painkiller medication, whether via a prescription or use from another source, you need to get help. It’s true that pain pill addiction can easily sneak up on patients. However, the possibility of transition to heroin use as a replacement drug or fatal overdose is dire consequences of this accidental addiction. The outcome of a painkiller addiction, whether accidental or due to blatant drug abuse, is a downward slide that may end in rock bottom. The only way out is through the help gained in a quality rehab.
Recovery Connection provides free consultation and recommendation of a quality rehab that is best suited for your individualized needs. You can quickly and easily find the help you need, through a comprehensive rehab program that accepts your insurance. Call Recovery Connection now at 866-812-8231 for more information.
