Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

Prescription drug abuse statistics are showing a steady incline in the number of people abusing prescription medication. What is prescription drug abuse? Prescription drug abuse consists the use of sedatives, mood stabilizers, painkillers, etc prescribed by physicians other than the manner and dosage indicated by the physician. Quite a few people get addicted to medication prescribed by the doctor as they start self-medicating themselves. The history of prescription drug abuse dates back to the civil war era when wounded soldiers started abusing morphine which was prescribed as a painkiller. They kept on taking morphine shots even after their wounds healed and there was no pain. In those days there wasn't any regulation on the sale of prescription medication and there was rampant abuse of these medications. Today there are many laws regarding acquiring and sale of prescription medicine, yet there is a large number of population which abuses prescription medication.

The statistics indicate that it is showing signs of steady incline, in the year 1990 the number of prescription drug abusers stood at 600,000 and it jumped to over 2 million by the year 2000. Some of the most abused prescription drugs are made from morphine or its derivatives. The statistics indicate that anti-depressants and sleeping pills were some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs. People are known to abuse more than one drug at a time and there are many who use prescription drugs just to get high. It is also observed that some of the people who abuse prescription drugs also have an alcohol addiction.

Statistics have shown that the abuse of prescription drugs is prevalent in some states than others. Teenagers are at risk of being susceptible to the abuse of prescription drugs and are known to use them to get high during parties and social gathering. Marijuana and prescription drugs are two of the most abused drugs. States like Arkansas and Kentucky have the largest concentration of prescription drug abusers in the country. These states are followed by Montana and Oklahoma which also rank in the top 5 states of prescription drug abusers in the country.

OxyContin and Vicodin are two of the most commonly abused prescription drugs by teenagers. Prescription drug abuse among teenagers is on the rise, it is the most popular drug after marijuana. According to government drug abuse statistics Arkansas has the highest concentration of teenagers who abuse prescription drugs, with more than 10 percent of them abusing prescription drugs. More than 9 percent kids in Kentucky and Oregon are addicted to prescription drugs and in states like Tennessee and West Virginia 8 percent of teenagers are addicted to prescription drugs.

Symptoms of Drug Abuse

Signs of prescription drug abuse vary from drug to drug but there are some common symptoms which can indicate addiction. Irresponsible behavior at home school or office is one of the indicators of prescription drug abuse along with neglect of personal hygiene. If a person is taking prescription in spite of the risks involved for example driving under the influence of sedatives. Prescription drugs like sedatives will have effects like constipation, depression, speech impairment, etc. Irritability and hyperactivity are also some of the symptoms of prescription drug abuse.

Treatment

The treatment for prescription drug abusers may vary depending on the drug they are addicted to. Abuse of prescription drugs changes the chemical composition of the brain and its ability to make appropriate responses to situations making drug abuse prevention difficult. Along with this suddenly stopping medication can lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms in the user. Treatments for drug addiction usually concentrate on counseling the user and giving medication to relieve the withdrawal symptoms. There are rehabilitation centers which help people cope with their prescription drug abuse with professional counseling and psychiatric help. Attending meetings held by self-help organizations like Narcotics Anonymous have also proved to be effective in helping people deal with their drug abuse problems.

The statistics have indicated that kids as young as 12 are hooked to painkillers and stimulants. Older adults are also known to abuse prescription drugs and numbers have jumped so much so that there are more than 2.5 million prescription drug abusers in the United States. The National Institute of Drug Abuse is a resource for more information on statistics and treatment referrals.