Addiction and prescription drug abuse by Candy Finnigan

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When most people hear the phrase "drug addict," it calls up a mental image of a crack-smoking street thug, a skid row bum, covered with scabs from injecting heroin or other illegal substances, or a prostitute, hopelessly strung out on meth.  My own experience as a drug and alcohol counselor, and crisis interventionist, has informed me otherwise.  More often, the chemically dependent people I encounter are part of seemingly normal families. People with a bright future or a respectable past, and once-productive lives that have been shattered by prescription drug abuse.

Indeed, yesterday I got a phone call from a relative.  He comes from an upper-middle class, Midwest family who has loved and nurtured him. He's good-looking, intelligent, and possesses special abilities.  He's had all the advantages anyone could ever hope for, yet he's now addicted to prescription pain killers.  I'm grateful he called for help, unlike so many who suffer in silence, but his case represents a growing and alarming trend in addiction.  A recent report by the U.N. International Narcotics Control Board predicted that the scale of the problem of addiction to legal drugs will soon overtake addiction to banned substances.

Addiction may be defined as a pattern of compulsive drug use characterized by a continued craving for drugs and the need to use these drugs for psychological effects or mood alterations. Many abusers find that they need to use drugs to feel "normal." The user exhibits drug seeking behavior and is often preoccupied with using and obtaining the drugs of choice. These substances may be obtained through legal or illegal channels.

Let me stress that prescription drug abuse isn't about bad drugs or bad people. It involves a complex web of factors, including the power of addiction, misperceptions about drug abuse, and the difficulty both patients and doctors have discussing the topic.

Prescription painkillers and other medications can help lots of people live more productive lives, freeing them from the symptoms of many common medical conditions, But that's only when they're prescribed for a particular individual to treat a specific condition.

Many people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than street drugs. After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kid brothers and sisters use. If the drugs have that little Rx on the bottle and come from a pharmacy, they must be safer, right?  Wrong.  According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), an estimated 48 million people (ages 12 and older) have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in their lifetimes. This represents approximately 20 percent of the US population.  Non-medical purposes include misusing prescription drugs for recreation and for psychic effects--to get high, to have fun, to get a lift, or to calm down.

A word about how the medical profession fits into all this: There're plenty of responsible physicians, but my experience indicates there are also many doctors, who, while extremely cautious and professional in every other area of medical practice, know little about the substances they prescribe and who are thus, part of the problem.

Legions of Americans are abusing or becoming addicted to prescription drugs. Chances are you, or someone you know, is struggling with addiction to prescription drugs. Maybe it's your spouse, a relative, a friend, or a casual acquaintance. Maybe it's you. Maybe you're not even sure if the drug use has shifted from therapeutic to abusive.

To sum up, be proactive when it comes to the use of prescribed drugs. It has to be your job to inform yourself about the drugs you, your spouse, children, or elderly parents are taking.  If you suspect a loved one is abusing drugs, don't ignore it.  When it comes to deadly chemicals, confrontation is care-frontation.