FAQ on Prescribed Medication
Can I just stop my medication cold turkey?
This really depends on what medications you have been taking. Some medications will cause life threatening problems if they are abruptly discontinued. All addicting medication will cause a level of discomfort that makes it hard for someone to quit taking the medications. One should consult a professional before they decide to ever stop taking any medications that they have been taking on a regular basis.
Is there any medication that does not have side effects?
All medications are have some side effects. Some side effects are worse than others, but there isn’t any medication that doesn’t have some negative effects on some people. All medications are designed to treat some malady or another, and anyone taking medications needs to realize that its a trade-off of whether the benefit outweigh the negative consequences of the drug or medication. Short-term use of medication is this type of calculated decision. Long-term use of medications usually increases the negative consequences.
Should I switch from opiates to methadone?
There are many that will tell you that an opiate addiction is a brain chemistry disorder and that the only successful treatment for this addiction is methadone maintenance, which is daily doses of methadone to replace the cravings for other opiates. This attitude is an opinion and NOT a FACT. Many people that have been addicted to large amounts of opiates, including heroin, have found drug-free answers to their addiction. Methadone is more addicting than almost any other opiate and the withdrawals from methadone are many times more severe than those from other opiates ad heroin. If you are addicted to opiates, you should be consulting one of the certified counsellors from this website to determine what other options you have other than methadone.
Why Do Some Develop Addictions to Certain Prescribed Drugs, and Some Do Not?
Each person, as an individual, has certain characteristics that make him or her unique. Scientists and doctors do not really know why some people are more likely to decide to take certain prescribed medications, and why some do not. And further, no single theory can explain why a certain small proportion of people who begin taking a prescribed medication become addicted—all that is known is that some people can successfully take a prescribed drug (like Oxycodone (Oxycontin), hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, Norco), or any other opioid for legitimate pain; tranquilizers (barbiturates, benzos, Neurontin); uppers (stimulants), downers, anti-depressants, or inhalants) through the course of a typical prescription, stop, and then never take it again unless legitimately needed again, while others can take one of these prescribed drugs and then feel a need to never again stop taking it. These exceptional people are likely different due to predispositions and traits dictated purely by genetics, and also due to certain regularities (or irregularities) in their environments.
What Causes Prescribed Drug Dependency?
Some thing or set of things that using the drug provides a person comes to be the only thing that makes the brain “feel” complete. Dependency on anything is certainly rooted in emotions, but also there are logistical factors which lead certain people to encounter a drug at a certain time in their life. The culprit for prescribed drug dependency is most likely an interaction of myriad personal, social, economic, medical, and societal factors. Often, they are too complex to sort out entirely, but treatment (and especially holistic treatment) can help sufferers understand and be able to articulate at least some of the reasons for their development of a dependency, or addiction. Of course, some drugs have the allure of making their users feel happy or pain-free, and these are the drugs for which legitimate prescribed use is most likely to develop into a dependency. Other prescribed drug dependencies develop for more subtle reasons.
Can Prescribed Drug Dependency Be Prevented?
Some professionals claim that certain kinds of prescribed drug dependencies are unavoidable, such as when people are exposed to high levels of effective analgesics (pain-killers) for extended lengths of time. If the pain does not subside, the drug use has no reason to cease, and the person’s natural sense of equilibrium aligns with a presence of the drug, both in the person’s daily habits and in their bodies. Therefore, avoiding or limiting use of powerful analgesics is one good way to avoid prescribed drug dependency. Avoiding or limiting the use of any drugs for which a substitution of lifestyle change(s) would work equivalently (if not better, due to the absence of side effects) at producing the desired effect is, certainly, the best advice for prevention. But if avoiding or limiting is just not a viable option, then honor the following rule or habit: only take prescribed medication as a trusted doctor prescribes.
What Are Common Hurdles to Treatment for Prescribed Drug Abusers?
When a person develops an addiction to a prescribed drug, most believe that the only real option is for that person to check into a specialized clinic. If they do not go willingly, they are probably not ready for the intensive detoxification and recovery process required. If the person is hesitant at all, they will likely be unwilling and unable to endure the potential side effects of the withdrawal (or weaning) from the prescribed drug. If the person has a “life” enmeshed in the culture of their prescribed drug use and abuse, then they will not be able to clearly see how they will return from the clinic and not return to the prescribed drug use. Even if they willingly opt to allow a concerned professional, friend, or relative control their access to the drug, it is often easier than friends and family members assume to acquire a forbidden prescribed drug.
What Should I Know About Drugs that Help the Treatment Process for Prescribed Drug Abusers?
Withdrawal and recovery varieties of prescription medication are frequently made available to people, but unfortunately medication for drug use can lead to dependence on that other medication. The decision to get clean off of prescribed medication often coincides with a decision to get clean in all areas of life and consumption. Thus, many individuals who desire to get clean and stay off the prescribed drug forever really want to do this in a completely natural and drug-free way. Some rehab facilities in Canada do not undercompensate on their holistic approach to well-being, even though they offer medication to help ease the detoxification process. These facilities recognize that some individuals will respond better to a drug-free approach, and provide quality services tailored to their needs. The goal in every rehab facility is to help someone create a new, updated lifestyle, one that is drug-free and sustainable. Whether people leave the facility with a new awareness of the sustainability of life habits of all kinds may have a lot to do with whether the facility takes a holistic approach, which typically is synonymous with an absence of prescribed drugs.
What Kind Of Help Is Available for Addicts?
Despite the inherent difficulty of detoxification and recovery from prescribed drug abuse, help can be found for individuals who desire to get clean and stay off the prescribed drug forever. However, since detox is a very long and sometimes arduous process, moving forward with a plan for a person suffering from prescribed medication abuse is not for the faint of heart. Most believe that prescribed medicine addictions cannot develop overnight, thus time is needed to undo the damage that addictions inflict. Quality facilities give their patients ongoing support and protection, beginning with the physical symptoms of withdrawal and including things like helping patients create new and better sets of daily habits.
In Canada, there are many resources that are just a web search or phone call away. Web sites that advertise services like free consultations, free help with intervention services or intervention coaching, auditing procedures and results for substance abuse treatment facilities. You can locate facilities based on location and category quite easily, and the categories of prescribed drug treatment facilities include inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long term or short term residential rehab.
What Are the Legal Ramifications of Prescribed Medicine Abuse in Canada?
In Canada, prescribed drugs that are likely to be abused are classified as Schedule 1 controlled substances. This means that, for each person, only one prescription per 30 days can be written. Each person is responsible for disclosing information about their prescribed drug status to every doctor seen. The legal ramifications for seeking ways around Schedule 1 dictates can be severe. Heavy fines and even incarceration may result, depending on the severity of the abuse and whether the person has already been prosecuted for similar crimes.
In reference to seeking treatment for Prescribed Medicine Abuse, the ramifications are much less punitive. Privacy laws regarding medical information such as treatment for drug abuse are rather strict, and there are legal protections for the misuse of such personal health information. Therefore, if an individual engages in illegal or deceptive action in order to acquire enough of the prescribed drug to satisfy a dependency, they are liable for possibly severe penalties and even jail time. Thankfully, there are not legal ramification directly related to that individual seeking help for the prescribed drug abuse.
What is a Typical Time Commitment to a Rehabilitation Center in Canada?
Most drug rehabilitation centers are residential, but a few will offer outpatient services. Most centers ask for a minimum of twelve weeks commitment. The staff will need to get to know all their patients very well, and help them change many things about their lives. Quality facilities typically require more of a time commitment from their clients, because successfully changing how a person thinks, what they reach for, and how they fill their life with things besides a need for prescription drugs takes time. Also, the guiding philosophy behind most rehabilitation centers is that, since it is so difficult and intensive, additional time should be devoted to providing services during the transition back into the community. This transitional time lasts for approximately a month, depending on the individual’s needs. Some rehabilitation centers will not offer outpatient services at the outset of treatment for prescription drug abuse, but they will offer after-care programs lasting for up to two years or longer.
Source: http://www.addingtonhouse.com/painkiller_addiction.html
How are holistic rehab centers different from traditional rehab centers?
Holistic drug rehab centers are currently very engaged in different varieties of spiritual healing. The examination of spiritual and religious beliefs often goes hand in hand with the purification of body and mind that is suggested by rehabilitation treatment. The main objective is always going to be to make positive changes in people’s lives, so that when they leave the facility, they have acquired a new set of skills and a new outlook on life. Such a laudable goal is actually achievable in many cases, and if taking a spiritual approach to life and addiction are useful tools in the endeavor, it only makes sense that rehab centers which are holistic in their approach are available and effective. People coming to a holistic rehab center for the first time should expect to examine almost everything about their lives, in an attempt to clarify the underlying causes for that person’s prescribed drug abuse.
Are all rehab centers the same? How do I choose the right one?
Choosing the right rehabilitation facility can begin with a quick Internet search, and can be as intensive as traveling around Canada to take tours and speak with treatment professionals. Choosing the right one is an exercise in self-awareness. Personality, expectations, and special needs will dictate some choices. The status of the dependency or the severity of the problem should dictate others. Some facilities will offer quality short-term, home-based interventions, while others will specialize in long-term (up to 6 months or more) residencies. In Canada addiction treatment is a high priority, so numerous excellent treatment facilities exist.
Centers commonly offer various potentially therapeutic activities, such as yoga, massage, weightlifting or aerobic exercise in gym facilities and spiritual counseling. Some centers offer nutritional counseling, meditation, tai-chi, and group support therapy. Finding out whether preferred activities are offered, and learning about their availability and the environments where they will take place is an important part of making an appropriate choice.
Sources http://www.addingtonhouse.com/
http://www.psrrpscanada.ca/