Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication used in a way not intended by a doctor. Prescription drug abuse is a major problem around the world. Prescription drugs is the most commonly abused substance by Americans age 14 and older. Girls and boys tend to use drugs in different ways. “Boys tend to use it just to get high, and girls use it mainly to stay alert or lose weight” (Brown). Research conducts that boys are more likely to abuse prescription drugs than girls. Everyday in the US, 2,500 teens abuse a prescription drug for the first time, and in the US alone, more than 15 million people abuse prescription drugs. We ask ourselves why people take drugs? The answer is because people want to fit in, escape or relax, relieve boredom,
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Common symptoms of abusing prescription drugs is confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, poor coordination, anxiety, and panic attacks. They can even cause serious problems including seizures, irregular heartbeat, loss of consciousness, and death. “People usually go for prescription drugs because they’re easily accessible, they are cheap, and they are legal. Because they are legal, it’s easy for kids to transfer them to one another” (Underwood). More than 70% of people who abuse prescription drugs say they got it from friends and relatives. Parents could also be the problem because sadly, only about one third of parents talk to their kids about abusing prescription drugs. Abusing prescription drugs is caused by many other things, such as genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological. Genetic causes means that an individual closely related to a relative might inherit drug addiction to that family member. Biological causes means someone who becomes addicted to prescription drugs are often prescribed medication for a biological reason, such as pain killers, and become addicted to the side effects. Environmental causes means children who grow up in an unruly households where addiction takes place, might be at greater risk for developing addiction later in life. Psychological causes means individuals who struggle with untreated mental illnesses …show more content…
It’s important that doctors use scientific knowledge, rather than patient satisfaction, as a driving factor to whether a patient needs prescription drugs. “My goal when I’m treating a patient is not for the patient to be satisfied, my goal is for the patient to get better” (Hughes). There are also programs which allows the medication to be changed as the withdrawal symptoms change which keeps the patient comfortable through the process. You can prevent prescription drug misuse by going to clinicians, which means going to see a health care professional. Other ways to prevent prescription drug abuse is to know what prescription drug abuse is before you start doing it. People should make health decisions about prescription medications by getting the right medication, seeing your doctor regularly and understand the drug’s effects. People may abuse prescription drugs without even knowing they’re doing it. For example, people may take a higher dosage as prescribed, combine their drugs with alcohol, or snorting a pill instead of swallowing it. All these are examples of drug abuse. In 2010, the DEA passed the Responsible Drug Disposal Act which provides for a permanent solution for the safe disposal of controlled substance of prescription drugs. It will not, however, end people abusing prescription drug for good. Another way to prevent prescription drug
Common symptoms of abusing prescription drugs is confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, poor coordination, anxiety, and panic attacks. They can even cause serious problems including seizures, irregular heartbeat, loss of consciousness, and death. “People usually go for prescription drugs because they’re easily accessible, they are cheap, and they are legal. Because they are legal, it’s easy for kids to transfer them to one another” (Underwood). More than 70% of people who abuse prescription drugs say they got it from friends and relatives. Parents could also be the problem because sadly, only about one third of parents talk to their kids about abusing prescription drugs. Abusing prescription drugs is caused by many other things, such as genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological. Genetic causes means that an individual closely related to a relative might inherit drug addiction to that family member. Biological causes means someone who becomes addicted to prescription drugs are often prescribed medication for a biological reason, such as pain killers, and become addicted to the side effects. Environmental causes means children who grow up in an unruly households where addiction takes place, might be at greater risk for developing addiction later in life. Psychological causes means individuals who struggle with untreated mental illnesses …show more content…
It’s important that doctors use scientific knowledge, rather than patient satisfaction, as a driving factor to whether a patient needs prescription drugs. “My goal when I’m treating a patient is not for the patient to be satisfied, my goal is for the patient to get better” (Hughes). There are also programs which allows the medication to be changed as the withdrawal symptoms change which keeps the patient comfortable through the process. You can prevent prescription drug misuse by going to clinicians, which means going to see a health care professional. Other ways to prevent prescription drug abuse is to know what prescription drug abuse is before you start doing it. People should make health decisions about prescription medications by getting the right medication, seeing your doctor regularly and understand the drug’s effects. People may abuse prescription drugs without even knowing they’re doing it. For example, people may take a higher dosage as prescribed, combine their drugs with alcohol, or snorting a pill instead of swallowing it. All these are examples of drug abuse. In 2010, the DEA passed the Responsible Drug Disposal Act which provides for a permanent solution for the safe disposal of controlled substance of prescription drugs. It will not, however, end people abusing prescription drug for good. Another way to prevent prescription drug