People of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds misuse prescription painkillers. Other drug treatments for opiate withdrawal include methadone and the blood pressure medicine clonidine. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication. Be ready to answer these questions so that you can focus on points you want to spend more time on.

• Doctors recommend that people who misuse opioids keep naloxone, a medication that can reverse an overdose.
• He helped create an effective, holistic alcohol & drug treatment curriculum that has been in use at Elevate Addiction Services since 2015.
• Examples of stimulants are dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Dextrostat, ProCentra), lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), methylphenidate (Concerta, Daytrana, Methylin, Ritalin), and a mix of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall).

Clinicians, Patients, and Pharmacists

If you suspect someone has overdosed, the most important step to take is to call 911 so he or she can receive immediate medical attention. Naloxone is a medicine that can treat an opioid overdose when given right away. It works by rapidly binding to opioid receptors and blocking the effects of opioid drugs. Naloxone is available as an injectable (needle) solution and nasal sprays (NARCAN® Nasal Spray and KLOXXADO®). Physicians, their patients, and pharmacists all can play a role in identifying and preventing nonmedical use of prescription drugs.

Treatment and Public Policy Considerations

• Research in understudied subgroups, such as older adults and pregnant women, and those with concurrent pain and opioid dependence is needed to better understand the impact of prescription drug abuse on these groups.
• An intervention can motivate someone to seek help for addictive behaviors.
• For example, results of a meta-analytic review of studies examining the risk for developing stimulant abuse suggested that medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may actually protect against the development of substance use disorders (Faraone & Wilens, 2007).
• The NSS-2 Bridge is a small electrical nerve stimulator placed behind the person’s ear, that can be used for up to five days during the acute withdrawal phase.
• Matt supervises all the clinical staff at various levels of care, long-term & short-term residential and IOP (Intensive Outpatient), at multiple facilities.

These are drugs that may be prescribed to aid mental, emotional, and/or physical health. Teens may take medication from their parents’ medicine cabinets for themselves or their friends to use. Most young people have no idea what medications they’re taking and which ones may cause serious problems — even death — if used with other drugs or alcohol. They might also believe that the medicines are safe because they’re prescription. Some experts think that more people are abusing prescription medications because there are more drugs available.

• Camille Cox is the Family Advisor, Continuing Care Supervisor at Elevate Addiction Services South Lake Tahoe campus.
• Many kids assume that common household drugs or even prescription medicines are safer than street drugs because they’re legal.
• Prescription drug abuse has reached an epidemic level in the United States.
• Early identification of prescription drug abuse and early intervention may prevent the problem from turning into an addiction.

Prescription Abuse by Age

Lisa works as a one-on-one counselor Substance abuse at Elevate Addiction Services, helping clients develop new positive coping skills to address challenging emotions and situations. Her role is to help our clients develop and improve their physical and mental health well-being. She approaches her clients from a place of authenticity, genuine compassion, and believes that everybody deserves a rich and fulfilling life free of addiction and maladaptive behaviors. Leslie has been working with families of clients in the program for 13 years. She has strong communication skills, compassion for others, and a drive to provide the best services we can to each client and their family throughout their experience with Elevate. For the past 9 years, she additionally has been overseeing the detox area, health services, and office of family support.

Begin Your Recovery

Tranquilizers are more likely to be abused for the purpose of getting high. Pain relievers or painkillers are drugs designed to diminish or eliminate pain. Opioids fall under this umbrella term, as well as oxycodone, morphine, and fentanyl. Talk to the person about your concerns so they know that you’re aware of the problem. Many people with addiction must face serious effects before they recognize that they have a problem and want help.

Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your time with the health care provider. Encourage your loved one to be honest about drug use and to accept prescription drug abuse help if needed. A person is more likely to respond to feedback from someone who is trusted.

Much like for other drugs of abuse, the primary developmental risk period for the onset of prescription drug abuse is during adolescence (McCabe, West, Morales, Cranford, & Boyd, 2007). Data from the 2013 Monitoring the Future Study—an annual survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the U.S.—reported alarmingly high rates of nonmedical use of prescription drugs, particularly stimulant and opioid medications. Opioids were the most commonly abused medications, with almost 13% of 12th graders reporting lifetime prescription opioid abuse (McCabe, West, Teter, & Boyd, 2012). Abuse of prescription stimulants was as common as lifetime medically approved use (9.5%; McCabe & West, 2013), and abuse of benzodiazepines was also high (7.5%; McCabe & West, 2014). Rates of abuse are even higher among college students, with data from the Monitoring the Future Study suggesting that 23% of college students had a lifetime history of prescription drug abuse (Johnston, O’Malley, Bachman, & Schulnberg, 2007). Although much has been learned about the nature and treatment of prescription drug abuse in recent years, there are many pressing questions in need of further investigation.