Prescription drug abuse is a devastating problem in America today. More people die as a result of a prescription drug overdose than from car accidents. Prescription drugs are so dangerous because they seem harmless to many people since they are legal with a prescription. Many young people are especially unaware of just how powerful these drugs can be, or what their abuse can lead to.
Over the last decade, we’ve seen how prescription drugs become a gateway to heroin addiction. Often people first become hooked on pain pills and move on to heroin for a stronger and cheaper high. Unfortunately, heroin is even more deadly and dangerous. Experts are now saying that prescription drugs are becoming a gateway to heroin abuse. An individual might start out by abusing prescription drugs because they do not seem as dangerous or because the pills are easy to obtain.
Over time, the individual will become hooked on the drugs and will need to continue to find drugs to use in order to keep up the habit. Prescription drugs can cause serious side effects including increased or decreased heart rate, seizure, liver damage, and other physical symptoms.
The Crackdown on Prescription Painkillers
As many municipalities are now reporting, prescription drug addiction can also lead to other types of drug abuse. An individual might want a different kind of high, or a better high, and might try a harder drug. As the government cracks down on prescription painkillers, more people are turning to drugs like heroin. Heroin is now cheaper and easier to obtain than many prescription drugs, which seems to be driving addicts to use the illicit drug. Many prescription drugs that were once easy to abuse are now being reformulated so that the user cannot crush and inject the drugs, leading them to try heroin.
Drug addiction of any kind can cause chaos in a person’s life. Treatment for addiction is available, and programs can help an individual get back to a healthy lifestyle, no matter what kind of drug they are abusing. It is important for anyone struggling with prescription painkiller addiction or with an addiction to heroin to get help as soon as possible.
At Restore Health and Wellness, we specialize in both prescription drug addiction treatment and heroin addiction treatment. Synthetic pain pills and heroin both come from the family of drugs known as opioids which are extremely addictive. If you suspect that a loved one may be addicted, or if you can’t stop using it on your own, contact us for a confidential assessment today. Visit our drug rehab center in Encino, CA at 6918 Owensmouth Ave Canoga Park, CA 91303. 24/7 Admissions (818) 722-9019. On-Site Contact (818) 806-3914.
