Prescription Drug Information

Prescription drug information usually focuses on the benefits of the drug but you might find it difficult to find prescription drug information about their dangerous side effects. Prescription drug information is usually provided by the drug manufacturer itself and is declared to be the miracle worker of its day. Much of the prescription drug information you might find is probably accurate but often they neglect to inform users of the consequences of abuse and addiction. You will not find on any pharmaceutical manufacturers website prescription drug information about the over nine million people in America who are taking prescriptions for non medical purposes. Prescription drug information does not usually include the loss of a job, divorce from the wife, isolation from the kids- these things are not discussed.

At Puente House Foundation we do discuss these consequences because for millions of people they are very real. Many people taking prescription drugs do so legitimately and with little problem but a percentage of the population cannot do so safely. Such individuals become addicted to the prescription drug and begin to abuse it far beyond its original purpose. A prescription addict becomes consumed with obtaining a steady supply of the drug and spends a lot of time doing so. Sources for prescription drugs include the black market, street sales, forged prescriptions, and juggling several doctors.

Unfortunately the physician supplying the prescription may not be a safeguard against abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly half of all doctors surveyed have difficulty discussing prescription drug information such as abuse and addiction with their patients. This is ironic for the medical community has recognized that addiction is a disease with specific symptoms and progressive in nature. This means that addiction usually leads to severe medical problems and will end in death if not treated.

The latest prescription drug information shows that abuse is most common in three different areas: opioids, central nervous system depressants and stimulants. Opioids are used to manage pain by blocking pain receivers in the brain. In addition they can create feelings of pleasure by affecting these sensors in the brain as well. Opioids can easily become addicting. The body adapts to the dosage of the drug very quickly and creates a tolerance for its effects. The result is that larger dosages must be taken to feel the same pain reducing, pleasure enhancing effect that once came with a small dose. Deaths caused by opioids abuse result from this process as dosages increase until the body literally stops breathing and shuts down. Opioids include the following prescriptions:

Morphine
Codeine
Oxycodone(OxyContin)
Propoxyphen (Darvon)
Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
Meperidine (Demerol)
Diphenoxylate (Lomotil)

Central nervous system depressants are different than opioids in that they slow down the brain and the nervous system. Prescription drug information shows that these drugs are used legitimately to overcome anxiety, tension and sleep problems but similar to opioids tolerance and addiction is a common consequence of continued use. CNS depressant prescriptions include:

Mephobarbital (Mebaral)
Pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal)
Diazepam (Valium)
Chlordiazepoxide HCl (Librium), and a
Alprazolam (Xanax)
Triazolam (Halcion)
Estazolam (ProSom)

Stimulants do exactly the reverse of the previous categories. They enhance brain activity and physical activity such as blood pressure and breathing. Stimulants are, according to prescription drug information, prescribed more conservatively for they have fewer proven uses and a very high likelihood for addiction. They are used to treat attention deficit disorders, severe depression and as an appetite suppression for the obese but all of these uses are usually short-term treatments. Like all drugs, stimulants affect normal brain activity by flooding it with neurotransmitters that increase stimulation of pleasure centers. Tolerance is nearly instantaneous and the brain seeks to trigger the pleasure centers over and over leading to compulsive usage and obsession. Prescription stimulants include:

Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

The Puente House Foundation, California Sober Living, has a high success rate treating opioids, CNS depressants and stimulant addiction. Our treatment approaches are highly structured and very effective for the motivated client who wishes to live life without dependency. Our Live-In Centers are very affordable and are infused with the principles of the 12 step recovery process that eases our residents into a life without prescription drugs. We also offer a separate Recovery Program with classes that are intensive and include many different therapeutic approaches.

Give us a call today for more information. We also offer an 800 number if you are interested in checking in immediately.