Prescription Drugs

There are many concoctions made using cough and cold medicine – these concoctions are typically known as “lean”, “purple drank”, “purple lean”, “sizzurp”, “dirty sprite”, and “lean drink”. These drinks most often are comprised of prescription-strength cough medicine, soft drinks, and hard, fruit-flavored candy. According to Drug Abuse, a website aimed at providing addiction information, those drinks that contain cough syrup present a major danger because they contain codeine, a dangerous opioid drug. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH) has noted two main medications that are most commonly abused: dextromethorphan (DXM), and promethazine-codeine cough syrup. Narconon, a website that provides drug and recovery health information, mentions that the hip-hop industry is a major endorser of these concoctions. Signs of drug abuse from cough medicine include slurred speech, blurred vision, euphoria, sedation, disassociation from one’s body, impaired motor skills, lethargy, and drowsiness. When taken in high doses, users may experience vomiting, weakness, headaches, itchiness, dry mouth, hives, chest pains, fainting, hallucinations, seizures, and tremors. While a cough and cold medications can be safe when used as directed for cold symptoms, it can affect the brain as a drug would if taken in large doses and more frequently. The NIH has noted that codeine found in cough and cold medications attaches to the same cell receptors that drugs like heroine attach to. These medications often act as depressants to the central nervous system, causing a person to feel relaxed and sedated. When abused, the medication can cause an increase in dopamine, the brain’s reward center. This can cause the brain to become dependent on the drug to feel happy, relaxed, and calm – leading someone down the road of addiction. Many people who abuse this drug feel a release from anxiety and tension. Cough medicine concoction are particularly popular among children in 8th -12th grade; the Drug Enforcement Agency reported in 2011 that 2.9% of 8th graders, 4.3% of 10th graders, and 5% of 12th graders abused cough and cold medicines that year. Thankfully, the NIH has been working diligently to decrease these numbers. Researchers from Georgia Southern University found in 2013 that cough and cold medicated drinks are also popular among young adults in urban areas, no matter their race or sexuality.

Benzodiazepines are a category of drugs including diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax), both of which are very well-known. Benzodiazepines have been prescribed to treat anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, panic attacks, insomnia, and other conditions. While helpful, these drugs can be incredibly addictive. Benzodiazepines are not typically prescribed for long-term use because of this reason, but many people have used these drugs for longer than intended to continue feeling less harsh effects of their condition. As an individual begins taking what are otherwise known as tranquilizers, their muscles tend to relax and their anxiety levels tend to lower. The person taking these drugs may feel as though the drugs greatly reduce their pain or anxiety, and may begin to abuse them over time, thus leading them to physical and psychological dependency. There are certain forms of benzodiazepines that are intended to last either a short or longer dosage period. Ensure that the person taking them knows the prescribed time length and amount to be taken to avoid overdose or abuse of the drug. There have been over 2,000 version of benzodiazepines created, but only 15 of those are FDA-approved. Individuals who pair this drug with alcohol or other medications are at serious risk – the effects can be extremely damaging, even lethal. When paired with alcohol, the person may risk shutting down their nervous system, as both alcohol and benzodiazepines are depressants. Signs that an individual is abusing benzodiazepines:

Ambien (also known as zolpidem) is a sedative/hypnotic used to treat insomnia. This type of drug affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people who have sleep issues. Zolpidem and other sedative medications have been used as an alternative to benzodiazepines because they are considered more appropriate for short-term use and are supposed to be “safer” than benzodiazepines. Other brand names consisting of zolpidem are: Edluar (a single tablet), Intermezzo (a single tablet with various dosages), and ZolpiMist (an oral spray medication). Ambien is fast-acting, and is composed of two layers: one layer that assist the person with falling asleep, and another layer that assists the person with staying asleep. However, Ambien can be highly addictive if taken for extended periods of time and with improper dosages. For example, someone can become addicted to Ambien within a span of 2 weeks - they may not realize it until they stop taking the drug and find that they have trouble sleeping without it. This may cause the individual to want to take more as their body continues to increase its tolerance to the drug. If a loved one is concerned that someone is addicted to Ambien, here are some initial warning signs that they should look out for:

What does a surgeon do when a patient presents their addiction history and there’s no effective alternative treatments available? Such is the conflict coming upon many surgeons today in the face of the opioid epidemic. Addicts in recovery learn how to live life on life’s terms. Sometimes that can include a traumatic injury, experiencing physical pain, or having to undergo serious surgery. Opioids are part of anesthesiology, they’re prescribed before and after surgery, and they’re taken home as a prescription to treat pain. When taken as prescribed, only as long as the pain exists, it isn’t considered a relapse for a recovering opioid addict. Unfortunately, chemical dependency is chemical dependency. Once a chemical is reintroduced there is a high risk for relapse, especially if someone is in the early stages of addiction and recovery. NPR wrote on the subject. Doctors feel that when they come into this situation, they should have an addiction specialist ready. “If a surgeon or anesthesiologist were treating a patient with serious diabetes, they’d consult an endocrinologist. Addiction...is no different.” Citing Dr. Stuart Gitlow, past president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the article emphasizes an important point. Doctors can’t control what their patients are going to do with their opioid prescriptions, or what they will do after the prescription is done. What doctors can do is work with patients, and an addiction specialist, to create a plan of action for safety and recovery. “The biggest question is what to do to ensure this patient’s safety going forward during the period for which he’s experiencing pain…” Problematically, “...there aren’t enough addiction specialists to meet the need,” the article explains. 2.5 million Americans are estimated to be addicted to either heroin or prescription opioids. To work with those 2.5 million people, there are only 5,000 addiction specialists available. Most addiction specialists work in treatment and therapeutic settings, not hospitals. Hospitals are often criticized for not being the place to treat addiction, yet emergency rooms are criticized for not doing enough to treat addiction. For those in recovery anticipating living with an opioid addiction, there is a simple philosophy which resonates throughout sobriety: don’t pick up no matter what. However, when opioids are introduced to the blood stream it’s easier said than done. Work with your sponsor and your immediate treatment team or support network to develop a plan of action for staying accountable while taking opioid drugs. Attend meetings, even if they’re online or on the phone. Let someone help you manage your medications. Stay honest about any cravings you are experiencing. Continue communicating about everything. Avalon By The Sea is dedicated to helping clients learn how to live life in a healthy and sober way. Incorporating life skills into clinical recovery in addition to holistic healing. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

Sleeping pills are meant to induce deep sleep for an extended period of 6-10 hours. While for some sleeping pills are hardly noticeable, for others, the next day can feel as though they’ve been demolished by a wrecking ball. Even if you get a full 12 hours of sleep or more you might feel drowsy as a result of sleeping pills. Sleeping pill “hangovers” are feeling the effects of a sleeping pill well after a full night’s rest. Side effects can include:

Young people are always at a higher risk for developing addiction. Today, in a marketing centered world, the word addiction is used rather loosely. For the tech-savvy millennial generation, addiction applies to the internet, to smart devices, to food, and anything they do. Rather than being a criticism on the influential youth, the addictive tendencies of the millennial generation are an indication of their neurochemistry.

Depression is a psychological condition that affects millions of people in the United States each year. The National Center for Health Statistics notes the 7.6 percent of the population over the age of 12 experiences depression in any 2-week period1. The causes and conditions that surround depression are varied and complex. Fortunately, a variety of treatments are available to help people manage this troubling condition.

Benzodiazepines are a class of medications, commonly called tranquilizers, which chiefly depress or slow down the central nervous system, causing sleep, partial loss of consciousness or reduced nervousness. They are widely used to treat anxiety, stress, panic disorders, insomnia and seizures. They also have other medical uses, such as treating depression, reducing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, easing nausea or as a muscle relaxant. In general, when prescribed for short-term use, benzodiazepines are considered to be safe and effective medications, but they do carry potential side effects and a high risk of addiction.

Prescription opioids, which include well-known drugs such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin, can provide safe and effective pain relief when taken as prescribed.

Serotonin syndrome occurs when you take medications that cause serotonin to accumulate in your body. Your body produces serotonin naturally. A certain amount of serotonin is essential for proper nerve and brain function but too much of this chemical can cause mild to severe symptoms. Taking certain medications can increase serotonin and cause symptoms that range from barely noticeable to severe. If not treated, serotonin syndrome may even result in death.

Prescription addiction is more common than many people think. Doctors will often prescribe medications that have a risk of addiction if they feel the benefits of these medications outweigh the risks. One commonly abused prescription medication is Ambien. This drug is used to treat patients who suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders.