Prescription Drug Addiction
Prescription drugs can be just as addictive as illicit substances.
Although prescription drugs may be legal when prescribed by a doctor, they can be just as dangerous and addictive when abused as illegal drugs.
What are the dangers of being addicted to prescription drugs?
Health risks: Prescription drug addiction can lead to severe health consequences, including organ damage, respiratory depression, cardiovascular problems, seizures, and overdose, which can be life-threatening.
Impaired cognitive function: Prolonged use of addictive prescription drugs can impair cognitive abilities, memory, judgment, and decision-making skills, impacting an individual's overall functioning and quality of life.
Mental health issues: Addiction to prescription drugs can exacerbate or trigger mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis. Dual diagnosis of substance abuse and mental health disorders can complicate treatment and recovery.
Social stigma: Prescription drug addiction often carries a social stigma, leading to isolation, discrimination, and barriers to seeking help and support.
Relationship strain: Prescription drug addiction can strain relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Trust may be eroded, conflicts can arise due to erratic behavior, and communication breakdowns are common.
Financial burden: The cost of sustaining a prescription drug addiction can be significant. Individuals may spend substantial amounts of money on obtaining drugs, leading to financial strain, debt, and even resorting to illegal activities to fund their addiction.
Legal consequences: Engaging in illicit activities to acquire prescription drugs, such as forging prescriptions or buying them on the black market, can result in legal problems and criminal charges, leading to a criminal record and further complications in life.
Accidental exposure: Prescription drugs are often accessible within homes, making them vulnerable to accidental exposure, particularly to children and others who are not prescribed the medication. This can lead to unintended poisoning and serious health consequences.
Overdose epidemic: In recent years, the misuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioids, has contributed significantly to the opioid overdose epidemic, resulting in a substantial number of fatalities and devastating communities.
Signs & Symptoms of Prescription Drug Addiction
Increased tolerance: The individual requires higher doses of the prescription drug to achieve the desired effect or experiences diminished effects with the same dosage.
Withdrawal symptoms: When the drug is abruptly discontinued or reduced, the person experiences physical and psychological symptoms such as restlessness, nausea, irritability, and anxiety.
Compulsive drug seeking: The individual exhibits an intense and persistent desire to obtain and use the prescription drug, often engaging in risky or illegal behaviors to acquire it.
Loss of control: The person finds it challenging to limit or stop their drug use despite negative consequences in their personal, social, or professional life.
Neglecting responsibilities: The individual may disregard important obligations, such as work, school, or family, due to their preoccupation with obtaining and using the prescription drug.
Increased secrecy: They may go to great lengths to hide their drug use, such as lying to doctors or loved ones, concealing pill bottles, or visiting multiple healthcare providers to obtain more prescriptions.
Social withdrawal: The person may isolate themselves from family and friends, preferring to spend time alone or with others who share their drug use.
Changes in appearance or behavior: Prescription drug addiction can lead to physical changes, such as weight loss or gain, poor hygiene, or a decline in grooming. The individual's mood and behavior may also fluctuate, becoming more irritable, anxious, or depressed.
Doctor shopping: They may visit multiple doctors or pharmacies to obtain multiple prescriptions for the same drug, either by exaggerating symptoms or by hiding their existing prescriptions.
Financial problems: The person may experience financial strain due to spending a significant amount of money on obtaining prescription drugs, sometimes resorting to illegal activities or borrowing money.
If you know someone who is struggling with addiction, we can help. Our team of experts will build you a personalized treatment plan supported by evidence-based treatments that will help you tackle the problem. We can also provide a safe space to focus on getting clean and achieving sustainable sobriety.
Benefits of Inpatient Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment
- A safe and comfortable environment for the duration of your stay
- On-site counselors and health experts
- Gender-specific programs
- Family programs
- Individualized treatment plan
- Experiential therapies
- 24/7 monitored medical support
- Nutrition and exercise program
- Medication education and treatment
- Personalized health educator
- Daily interaction with others
- Discharge planning for when return home for continued care
Our Approach to RX Drug Addiction
At the Walker Center, we value the unique needs of each individual and design personalized programs tailored specifically to them. Our commitment to building a supportive community is an integral part of the recovery process. Through group therapy sessions, team-building activities, and fostering open communication, we create an environment that nurtures and uplifts individuals on their journey to recovery.
We understand that treatment extends beyond the residential program. Our support continues before, during, and after treatment, ensuring that everyone receives comprehensive care throughout their recovery journey. Whether it involves connecting them with local resources to help rebuild their lives, facilitating access to sober meetings, or arranging outpatient treatment to maintain progress, we are dedicated to being there for you every step of the way.
What to Expect During Treatment
Initial Contact
The hardest part of coming to grips with your addiction is admitting you have a problem. Sometimes, that admission can come internally during a candid moment. Other times, you can tell that your addiction or abuse affects your marriage, your job, or something else dear to you.
That’s why we’re available to answer questions about the process, services, and more. We can understand what kind of care you need and what you’re looking for.
Detox
After admission to our facility, you might be going through withdrawal symptoms. We’ll be there with you the whole way, with close medical monitoring and specialized medication, exercise, and nutrition changes.
Rehabilitation
As your time at our facility progresses, withdrawal symptoms may begin to lessen, but that doesn’t mean we can relax our approach. This is the time to build you up and set a new routine. It’s time to focus on your mental and physical health. Through our programs and specialized treatment programs, we can help move you along.
Post-treatment Support & Outpatient
Just because you walk out the door doesn’t mean our work is finished. Once you’re nearing the end of treatment, we’ll build a discharge plan for you. You’ll know all the medications you need, what doctor’s appointments to expect, and everything you need afterward.
Length of Prescription Drug Treatment
Our prescription drug treatment program is designed to be eight weeks. That is the average time that individuals stay, but the time may vary depending on you and your progress.
Some people stay shorter, and others stay longer. It varies on a person-by-person basis. Our goal is to help you become and STAY clean when you leave our center.
The Family Program for individuals in residential treatment is two days during the middle of your treatment stay and will be scheduled by the counselor based on your individualized needs. Family members to attend is defined by the client and can include other people that are their sober support. The Family Program is a counselor-facilitated program that provides families an opportunity to communicate and begin the healing process with education lectures and group counseling for the family and the client.
The Family Program is in addition to family visitation, which occurs during the eight weeks treatment stay. Family and other support people will be able to visit each Sunday afternoon for connection time.
Cost of Prescription Drug Treatment
Treatment cost varies based on length of treatment stay, whether an individual needs withdrawal management (detoxification) and cost of medications.
We work with most insurance providers in the US to provide you with the necessary support and tools to recover.
We can refer you to options for Idaho residence to cover the cost of treatment based on eligibility.
If you want to check out your payment options, contact us today. We can speak with your insurance company and see if your plan covers your treatment.
Do you or someone you know need help?
Addiction is a chronic disease, much like asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and many others. If you were diagnosed with stage 1 cancer, would you not seek some form of treatment to prevent it from getting worse? You don’t have to be at rock bottom to need treatment. Get help before it gets out of hand. If you are at rock bottom or have a severe diagnosis, it’s never too late to get the help you need.
