more alert, anxious, and energetic. They include dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin), which are used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The National Drug Rehab Referral Alliance says stimulants are usually safe when taken as directed. But users can develop a range of uncommon side effects, including dangerously rapid heartbeat, burst blood vessels, fever, and fatal seizures.
How do you know if you’re addicted?
One report from NIDA says that only four of every 12,000 patients taking opioids for pain become addicted, so if you’re following your doctor’s directions, you shouldn’t have to worry. But if you need larger amounts of a drug to produce the same effects, or if you’re asking your doctor for larger doses, that may be a sign that you’re developing a tolerance. If you’re concerned about being addicted, ask yourself a few simple questions:
- Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your use of prescription drugs?
- Have you ever felt annoyed when friends or loved ones made remarks about your prescription drug use?
- Have you ever felt guilty about taking prescription drugs?
- Have you ever used prescription drugs as a way to pep yourself up or to calm down?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, have a frank talk with your doctor to see if you have a problem.
Work with your doctor if you think you’re becoming more tolerant to a drug, or even if you think you no longer need it. Becoming tolerant to a drug isn’t a good reason to stop taking it. It may mean your disease is worsening and you need a higher dose. Don’t try to go off prescription medications on your own — your doctor can help you taper them slowly so you don’t develop severe withdrawal symptoms.
How can you recognize the signs of addiction in others?
If you’re concerned that a loved one may be abusing prescription medication, be alert for certain warning signs. According to Cancer Pain Release, a publication of the World Health Organization, the following changes in behavior may signal an addiction.
- Taking drugs compulsively to alter one’s mood
- Lying about drug use
- Stealing drugs and/or forging prescriptions
- Buying prescription medicine illegally
What is withdrawal?
Once a person becomes physically dependent on a drug, certain symptoms — called withdrawal — will set in if the body doesn’t get the drug. For addicts, that may be reason enough to continue taking drugs illegally, even when they know it’s harming them. The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment says opioid users in particular shouldn’t stop taking the drug abruptly. Instead, they should seek professional treatment to determine how best to taper off the drug. When a person withdraws from a painkiller such as OxyContin, for example, he or she may feel restless, and experience muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and involuntary leg movements.
According to Gruber, withdrawal from benzodiazepines is generally mild. The most common symptoms are insomnia, nervousness, and restlessness, which can be eased by quitting the drug gradually. Rarely, people who have been taking benzodiazepines at very high doses for prolonged periods will experience extreme anxiety, a psychotic reaction, or a seizure, if they go off the drug abruptly.
Withdrawal from other less commonly prescribed depressants, such as barbiturates, can be life-threatening. Symptoms include