Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment Centers

Various opiate drugs are used to treat moderate to severe pain and are prescribed after injury and surgery, or for long-term chronic conditions like arthritis. Opiate painkillers create a euphoric feeling and completely eliminate pain, which makes them highly psychologically addictive in addition to the physical addiction which may develop. Some users even crush and snort the tablets, or inject them, which makes any delayed responses act immediately and create a more intense high.

If opiate painkillers are mixed with alcohol, they are more likely to result in an overdose. They also sedate the user, causing a risk of choking on their vomit. Some choose to snort or inject crushed opiate painkiller tablets, which can result in powder in the blood stream. This can damage arteries and veins and lead to tissue infections.

Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Valium and Klonopin are used to treat anxiety disorders and insomnia. They depress the nervous system, decreasing brain activity and producing a calming effect. The addictive properties of benzodiazepines are particularly dangerous because they can become addictive even when taken at the correct dosage.

CNS depressants slow the body and brain down to such a point that it can cause respiratory problems. As with opiates, it’s very dangerous to consume alcohol while taking benzos, and can lead to overdose resulting in coma or death.

Commonly prescribed stimulants include Adderall and Ritalin, which mainly treat attention deficit disorder. They essentially give the body and brain a ‘kick start’, providing more energy and alertness. If abused and taken in higher quantities, stimulants can induce heart problems and higher than normal body temperatures.

Mixing stimulants and alcohol is also dangerous, but for slightly different reasons. Stimulants will disguise slurred speech and slowed movements, making excessive drinking much more difficult to detect – dangerous levels of alcohol consumption are much more likely because of this.