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Drug Abuse - Dependency And Addiction

You don’t have to buy illegal drugs on a street corner to run the risk of becoming addicted to a certain medication. Prescription medicines can be highly addictive if the user is prone to drug abuse and the dispensing of the medication is not properly controlled by a medical professional or other health care provider.

This is normally the case with pain medication, sleeping pills, anxiety drugs or anti-depressants where a person’s dopamine levels can be affected.

Dopamine is a substance that is naturally produced in the human body when a person experiences certain positive emotions. Drugs that affect these dopamine levels will lead to a person experiencing feelings of euphoria that can lead to dependency and drug abuse.

The individual will probably build-up a resistance to the drug, requiring more and more of the medication to experience the same levels of efficacy of the drug and the feelings of euphoria. These drugs in greater and greater doses will lead to a toxic build-up in the person’s system causing mild to extreme health problems.

In the most extreme cases of drug abuse, a person can unknowingly consume enough of the drug to over dose which can lead to death.

There are many other symptoms related to drug abuse that will signify whether you have become dependent or addicted to a medication. The most telling sign is when you are no longer able to function in your day to day life. Loss of sleep and lack of appetite are also symptoms of drug abuse and addiction.

You will probably also be surprised at the lengths that you will go to, to get the drug and ensure that you always have a supply.

If you feel that you may have become dependent on a prescription medication or are prone to drug abuse of any nature, please contact South Coast Recovery Centre to find out what treatment and assistance is available.

We will do whatever it takes ...

SCRC's approach is aimed at facilitating change from the culture of addiction to the culture of recovery.

This process will yield limited success when approached outside of a residential treatment facility particularly when detoxification is required. It is imperative that individuals entering treatment are given as much training and education as possible.

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