Addiction
Addiction psychologically is when you are drawn to something out of habit or the strong compulsion to use something and develop a dependence on it. Pain pill addiction or prescription drug abuse is a commonly prevalent phenomenon and is seen in almost every household. Painkillers do serve the medical purpose of providing relief for various discomforts, but the constant use of these drugs also has some adverse effects. Relying on the prescription pills cause some changes in the brain which ultimately develops a permanent need for the pain pill and the person then starts depending on the drug for every discomfort whether it is medical or not. Most commonly abused drugs or pills are the ones containing opioids because these provide quick pain relief. Long-term prescription drug abuse has a bad impact on the medical as well as psychological well-being of a person. This can be avoided if you monitor the drug intake of your loved one. There are certain warning signs that indicate pain pill addiction and if you are watchful, enough you surely cannot miss these.
1. Taking more than the prescribed dose:
This means that the person is not getting relief from the recommended dose and is tolerant to the effect of the drug, and therefore he has increased the dose to relieve himself from the discomfort. If you notice a loved one increasing his or her drug dose over time, seek medical advice.
2. Feeling Tired all the time:
If you find a person in your family who isolates himself socially or feels tired and drowsy all the time, approach him and see if his is experiencing pain pill addiction. Pain pill addiction results in lethargy, lack of enthusiasm and the patient isolates himself socially and wants to be left alone.
3. Lack of Concentration:
People with prescription drug abuse have a difficult time concentrating and focusing. They seem to lose attention in whatever they do, and this affects their performance at work or in school. Such patients have difficulty learning and memorizing too.
4. Neglect of personal hygiene:
Constant use of opioids gives a feeling of euphoria. A person feels high and he becomes ignorant and neglects even his own personal needs. If you have a family member who suddenly seems to neglect his hygiene and appears unkempt all the time, do not ignore it. Immediately take notice of his drug intake.
5. Behavioral Changes:
Irritability, agitation, and mood swings are all signs that a person is going through some psychological disturbance. If your loved one is experiencing any of this make sure pain pill addiction is not the cause behind these behavioral changes.
6. Changes in appearance:
People who take high doses of painkillers experience itchy arms and legs, flushing of the face and are observed to have pinpoint pupils. They appear to have changes in their speech too.
7. Increased forgetfulness:
It is observed that people who have prescription drug addictions experience increased forgetfulness and at times forget important events of their lives. Many of these patients are known to experience blackout spells too.
8. Sensitivity:
Pain pill addiction causes increased perception of light and sounds. An addicted person can become emotionally fragile and extremely sensitive. Many patients with pain pill addiction also experience hallucinations.
9. Decreased tolerance:
Addicted persons become very defensive and will not tolerate it if they assume that they are being banned from drug usage. They become secretive and prefer staying alone. They experience low anger threshold and will fight for no reason.
10. Anxiety:
People with pain pill addictions are found to experience anxiety all the time. They seem to carry an impending feeling of doom and are fearful at all times.
If you observe any of these signs in your loved one, do not ignore them because fortunately, pain pill addiction is treatable and a person can go back to a normal, healthy life. A little care and lots of love can make a big difference. For more info visit www.blueskytreatment.com
