Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment in New Haven, CT

Prescription drugs such as Valium, Percocet, Oxycontin, Adderall and Phenobarbital, to name a few, are highly addictive. Prescription drug addiction can be much more difficult to stop than abuse of illegal drugs, such as heroin or cocaine.

Often, physicians who prescribe the medication as an appropriate course of action for the patient's condition don't adequately explain the risks associated with taking the medications, even for a short period of time. Prescription drug addiction has quickly become a nationwide epidemic, responsible for more deaths than car accidents in 2012.

It is strongly advised that clients who suffer from a prescription drug addiction receive medical supervision while they are going through detoxification. Withdrawal symptoms can be very intense for some depending on the type of drug they abuse and the length of time they have abused it for.

Withdrawal symptoms can also vary depending on the dose patients are taking at the time of cessation and their physical health. They can include mild symptoms such as anxiety, drug cravings, perspiration and a runny nose. Severe symptoms may include bone and muscle pain, vomiting, rapid breathing, high blood pressure, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

The medical staff at the rehabilitation centers monitors clients 24 hours a day while they are detoxing and may prescribe artificial opiates, which will help to reduce the symptoms and cravings during treatment and recovery.

Drug Addiction Treatment

Depending on the intensity of the drug addiction, you may need a 30-day residential treatment program, though some clients require longer addiction rehab treatment. While treatment options for some substances can be done on an outpatient basis, where clients can live at home with support from family members, others with severe addictions, may require inpatient rehabilitation. The dedicated and understanding staff at treatment centers will help you choose the option that best suits your needs and circumstances.

Effects

Opiates prescribed by doctors for pain relief can quickly become addictive. Some examples include Oxycodone, Vicodin and morphine. Short-term effects of such medications include memory loss, constipation, euphoria, impaired thinking, depression and drowsiness. More dangerous, long-term effects can include liver damage or severe respiratory depression.

Possible Signs of Prescription Drug Addiction

Here are some questions that could help you determine if you or a loved one need treatment for prescription drug addiction:

• Do you visit more than one physician to get a prescription for the same medication?
• Have you found yourself lying to health care professionals in order to get prescriptions?
• Do you feel negative consequences of the medication such as nausea, dizziness or fatigue, but still continue to take it?
• Have you been taking more medication than what is prescribed?
• If you answered affirmatively to more than one of these questions, you may have a problem.

No matter what your circumstances, cessation from prescription medications requires professional treatment, like other addictive substances. Centers in New Haven, CT provide prescription drug detox and treatment for addiction.