Addiction to prescription drugs is becoming an increasingly large problem in the US and that’s mainly because what initially starts out as a necessary course of medication for genuine pain management can easily trigger damaging and unhealthy behaviors in people. The issue is further clouded by the fact it is almost an enabled addiction, as these are not street drugs or narcotics but medications that are commonly and legally used in daily life.
For these reasons, knowing when you are at the threshold of becoming addicted to a prescription drug can be enormously difficult to recognize. Here we take a look at five tell-tale signs to look out for that indicate the early stages of clinical dependence.
If you feel that you are showing some of these signs, keep in mind that there is help is all around you, including us here at Capo Canyon Recovery in Laguna Niguel, CA. You just have to reach out to the right people and help will be at hand.
1. You Take Different Amounts than Your Prescribed Dose
When you’re taking medications for pain, it can be easy to take more than you should to get greater relief. However, pain medications don’t work on the logic that the more you take, the more they work. In fact, it can be very detrimental to your overall health. If you feel that you need a stronger or more consistent delivery of your pain medication, it is essential you go to your doctor before taking things into your own hands and upping the dosage. Another sign of increasing dependence is to stretch out times between dosing and skipping prescribed times altogether, so that there’s an opportunity to take more later on in the day.2. You Shop Around for Doctors
If you find yourself going to more than one doctor for the same prescription, ask yourself why? Are you unknowingly aware that you are taking more than is recommended and so need to spread your sources around to mask your behavior? Maybe you have told a few ‘white lies’ to get another doctor to prescribe the same drug, such as losing the original supply and or being out of town. When excuses and justifications are being made to obtain your medications, you have an unhealthy relationship developing with the drug. If untreated, isolation usually follows as the symptoms of prescription drug addiction increase.3. You Find Other Sources for Your Prescription Drug
As addiction to prescription drugs increases, you might find yourself seeking other sources for your pain medication, such as:- The internet
- Stealing from family and friends from medications in their cabinets
- Buying prescription drugs from others
- Stealing script pads from your doctor and issuing your own prescriptions
- Causing yourself injury to get an emergency prescription
- Buying from street dealers
