Quesada 1

Can a Person Become Addicted to Medications Prescribed by a Doctor?

Thesis: Society thinks that medication cannot be bad for people. Many think prescription

medicine was made to be good, but in reality, prescribed medicines can be harmful to your body.

Taking too many medical drugs such as pain relievers, stimulants, and depressants can cause

physical dependence that could lead to addiction.

I. Prescription medicine was made to help improve your health.

A. When taking prescription drugs correctly it can alleviate pain and allows the person to

function in daily life.

1. Antidepressants help people be more focused and helps relieve symptoms of

depression, as well as other conditions.

2. Anxiolytic helps relieve tension and it helps promote sleep.

3. Antipsychotic helps reduce or improve the symptoms of certain psychiatric

conditions.

B. It can help improve your health

1. Prescription medicine can help with stress

2. It helps with suicidal thoughts

3. Helps to reduce pain

II. The harmful side effects of abusing medications

A. Taking more medication than prescribed can lead to overdose

1. People can get suicidal thoughts and get depressed by taking prescribed drugs.

2. High doses of stimulants can lead to abnormal heartbeats and fatal seizures.

B. Abusing medications can lead to long-term health problems

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1. Antibiotics can cause allergic reactions.

2. Prescription drugs can damage the liver, kidneys, and lungs.

3. It can also damage blood vessels and heart.

III. Most medications that can lead to addiction are prescribed by a doctor

A. Types of drugs that can be abused

1. Opioids that are used to treat pain

2. Benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders

B. Prescription medication is now costly

1. Due to people misusing drugs the cost has gone up.

2. Doctors now are careful when prescribing medications.

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Can a Person Become Addicted to Medications Prescribed by a Doctor?

Prescription medications can relieve pain or manage a disease. Doctors often prescribe

them to fight certain infections. They can even improve quality of life. Some people suffer from

serious illness, prescription medicines can help them live a fuller and happier life. Prescription

medications are consumed by millions of Americans each day. Half of all Americans do not use

their medicine as prescribed. A significant number of people take more of their prescribed

medications than their doctors intended. Many people take prescription drugs with no medical

consent at all. When people take an excessive amount of prescribed drugs or without knowing

the side effects it can be capable of producing life-threatening changes in a normal body

function. Many of the abused medications are opioid substances which are widely prescribed to

ease the effects of moderate and severe pain. Death is also a potential outcome for people who

misuse or abuse benzos tranquilizers.

If a person misused the medications they may show signs of involuntary movement, arms

and hands shaking, experiencing tremors, and the person may have difficulty forming words.

When a person who is high on opiates will usually have constricted pupils. They may appear

tired or sleepy and may seem confused or have memory lapses. If the drugs are snorted or

sniffed people will have frequent nosebleeds. Pain relievers which are a commonly prescribed

drug, can become fatal (or lethal or poisonous) if taken in excess. Most patients who overdose on

these drugs experience many symptoms like memory loss, slower breathing rate, and depression.

This is a problem worth discussing because 22,400 people die from this every year; this can be

prevented through promoting awareness to the people most likely to overdose.

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For many people, taking medications is a regular part of their daily routine, and these

medicines are relied upon to treat disease and improve health. Some benefits of taking

medications are lowering blood pressure, curing an infection, or relieving pain. Taking your

medications as prescribed in the right dose, at the right time, in the right way will help that

person’s body. Twenty-five to 50 percent of patients being treated who stop their therapy within

one year has up to 25 percent increased the risk for dying. (Kimberly DeFronzo).

Prescribed medication such as antidepressants can help relieve symptoms of depression,

social anxiety disorder, anxiety disorders, seasonal affective disorder, and dysthymia, or mild

chronic depression, as well as other conditions. Antidepressants were first developed in the

1950s. The percentage of people aged 12 years and over using antidepressants in the United

States rose from 7.7 percent in 1999-2002 to 12.7 percent in 2011-2014 (Paul Bogdan). Around

twice as many females use antidepressants as males. The antidepressants can be divided into five

main types called SNRIs (Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors), SSRIs (Selective

serotonin reuptake inhibitors), TCAs (Tricyclic antidepressants), MAOIs (Monoamine oxidase

inhibitors), and NASSAs (Noradrenaline and specific serotonergic antidepressants).

Antidepressants are primary or approved to treat agitation, obsessive-compulsive disorder

(OCD), or bipolar disorder.

Antidepressants can take several weeks for it to work but some people stop taking it

because they do not see that the medications are working. Most people will feel no

benefits during the first or second week. The full effect will not be present until after 1 or

2 months of using it. Some studies have shown that a healthy, well balanced diet, plenty
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of exercises, and staying in touch with family and friends can reduce the risk of

depression and recurrences. (Yvette Brazier)

There are two other types of prescription medications that can help a person with their daily

functions one of this drugs is Anxiolytics or anti-anxiety, these drugs are categorized to prevent

anxiety and treat anxiety related to several anxiety disorders. Anti-anxiety drugs are used to

alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and associated disorders (panic attack, agoraphobia, etc)

(Steven W. Salyer). Anxiety is a normal and useful response to potentially stressful or

dangerous situations. For most people, anxiety is short-lived and normally goes away once the

situation has passed. This is not the case for an estimated 40 million adults in the United States

who have some type of anxiety disorder and experience ongoing and unwarranted psychological

distress. That distress may also manifest itself in physical symptoms such as muscle tension,

headaches, or chest pain. This medication for anxiety work primarily by affecting the balance of

certain chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. These chemicals are associated with

an individual’s sense of well-being or with the ability to relax. Anxiety medications cannot cure

an anxiety disorder, but by altering the level of these chemicals, antidepressants and anti-anxiety

drugs help control the psychological symptoms. These drugs work by blocking the receptors that

are associated with some of the physiological symptoms of anxiety, including rapid heartbeat.

The other type of prescription medications that can help with daily functions is

antipsychotics. Antipsychotics are psychiatric drugs which are available by prescription and are

licensed to treat types of mental health problems some symptoms include psychotic experiences.

These include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, some forms of bipolar disorder, and

severe depression. Some antipsychotics may also be used to treat severe anxiety, physical
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problems, agitation and psychotic experiences in dementia. These drugs can help the person feel

calm, help sleep, and helps stop racing thoughts and help blunt hallucinations (Steve Joe).

The amount of harm stemming from inappropriate prescription medication is staggering.

Almost 1.3 million people went to U.S. emergency rooms due to adverse drug effects in 2014,

and about 124,000 died from those events. The majority of people take medications as prescribed

by their physicians. However many prescription drugs that are abused provide a pleasurable

experience or a sudden “rush” which alters their mood. People who abuse prescription

medications often get them from physicians or people steal them from their friends or family. By

taking prescription drugs not prescribed by a doctor or in a way that has not been recommended

by a doctor, can be more dangerous than people may think. This, in fact, can be fatal (David

Smith).

Prescription drugs generally work by either suppressing or promoting chemical reactions

in the brain. If prescription drugs are taken for emotional problems without the supervision of a

medical professional, the only result of the drugs will be to mask or numb the upset feelings. The

abuse of prescription drugs often results in negative effects on a personal relationship,

employment difficulties and job loss, financial difficulties, legal issues, and psychological

problems. One of the most obvious side effects of prescription drug abuse is the alterations in the

user’s mood. This means that one moment the user could be very calm and relaxed and soon

after they may seem very irritable. Over time, their mood changes or alterations in behavior may

seem closer apart. This happens because users are developing a tolerance to the prescription and

need more of it to feel the same desirable feeling.

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Many prescription drugs cause a mental cloudiness, the person may seem to be slow at

answering questions or performing tasks. Another very common side effect of prescription drugs,

abuse is anxiety (Jason Delta). Anxiety will cause the user to seem uneasy, nervous, and worried.

People who suffer from severe anxiety will seem to be anxious almost all of the time. Some

people will get suicidal thoughts when they abuse prescribed drugs (Carmen Caylor).

Abusing medications can lead to long-term health and short-term health problems. Some

of the short-term effects can range from changes in appetite, wakefulness, heart rate, blood

pressure, and strokes. These side effects can happen after just one misuse of a drug. Some

long-term effects can include heart or lung disease, cancer, and mental illness. Prescription

medication such as painkillers, prescription sedatives, other types of opiates can have side effects

when they are misused. Using opiates, such as prescription painkillers can be particularly

dangerous because it often leads to respiratory depression. Opiate abuse can cause brain damage

due to respiratory depression. When the brain is injured as a consequence of being deprived of

oxygen, it can result in lasting neurological and psychological effects. Prescribed sedatives that

depress the central nervous system and induce sleep or reduce anxiety can be dangerous (John

Parker). Some side effects are mood swings, poor judgment, confusion, slurred speech, coma,

and cognitive dysfunction. Sedatives can slow respiration and heart rate. Sedatives are abused for

euphoric effects. Long-term treatment of sedative addiction requires counseling, often with the

help of an addiction treatment professional. When people abuse sedatives it can slow breathing

and heartbeat, especially if combined with other prescriptions, alcohol, or over the counter cold,

and allergy medications. It can also lead to withdrawal and seizures when discontinued after

prolonged use. The non-medical use of prescription drugs has been rising steadily for
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adolescents, particularly in the area of prescription pain relievers, anti-anxiety medications,

stimulants, and steroids. With a greater number of prescriptions being written, such drugs are

more widely available and abusers may mistakenly believe that such drugs because they come

from a doctor, are safer to take than street drugs. Overall men and women have roughly similar

rates of prescription drug abuse. Research has shown that women are an increased risk from

non-medical use of painkillers.

Prescription drugs are the third most commonly abused category of drugs, behind alcohol

and marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines. Some prescription drugs

can become addictive, especially when used in a manner inconsistent with their labeling by

someone other than the patient for whom they were prescribed, or when taken in a manner or

dosage other than prescribed. Overall, an estimated 48 million people have abused prescription

drugs, representing nearly 20% of the U.S. population (Taylor Anderson). People of all ages

abuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, including to feel good or high, to relax or

relieve tension, to reduce appetite, to experiment, and to feed an addiction. Addiction is a chronic

brain disease that often happens again. It causes compulsive drug seeking and uses despite

harmful effects on the addicted person and the people around that person. The abuse of

prescription drugs leads to a change in how the brain looks and works. For most people, the first

decision to take prescription drugs is voluntary. Over time changes in the brain caused by

repeated drug abuse affect a person’s self-control and ability to make sound decisions. While this

is going on, the person continues to have an intense impulse to take more drugs. Most

prescription drug use takes place under a doctor’s care and instruction. Non-medical drug use

occurs among about 52 million Americans at least once during their lifetime (Marissa Wilson).
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These are only two of the more common drugs undergoing prescription abuse with opioids,

stimulants, and depressants being widely used as well. Taken in larger than prescribed doses,

opioids can cause a sense of euphoria in the user. This euphoric response is so pleasuring that the

user often continues to take the drug for the sensation. If a user continues to take the opioid to

feel the connected euphoria, the user’s body begins to build a tolerance to the drug. In order to

receive the same euphoric response, the user must take a larger dosage of the drug. This is how

people get addicted to medication drugs.

Prescription drugs prices in America are among the highest in the world. An estimated

$200 billion per year is spent in the U.S. on the unnecessary and improper use of medication, for

the drugs themselves and related medical costs, according to the market research firm IMS

Institute for Healthcare Informatics. Doctors are now very careful when they prescribe

medication drugs. People can get overdosed when the individual takes too much of a drug, and

the body is unable to metabolize the substance, so the increase in the drug begins to shut down

organ systems. When people overdose it slows or stops breathing and changes in blood pressure

or blood flow, or ruptured vessels lead to a lack of oxygen in the brain. This can change an

individual's behavior and cause the person to pass out, lapse into a coma or even die. Many

individuals do not take medications as prescribed by their doctors, this makes it possible for

patients to become addicted to, abuse and, overdose on prescription medications. This is because

many medications are widely prescribed to treat pain or psychiatric disorders. Americans have

greater access to a wider variety of strong drugs. Some people have medication left over after

they do not need the drug anymore, and they may take the medication recreationally. In some

instances, people who become addicted to a substance also develop a tolerance for it and need
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stronger prescriptions to feel “normal”(Bill Whiteman). About 20 percent of the adult population

of the United States has self-reported that they have taken prescription medication recreationally,

abused the medications, or taken them for a purpose other than as prescribed (Kacy Monte).

When the medication is combined with alcohol these prescription drugs can be very dangerous.

If people take these medications outside of a doctor’s recommendations or without supervision

they are more likely to suffer an overdose. Patients can get an overdose without being addicted to

their prescription when they take too many pills.

Prescription medications can be both harmful and helpful. It can be helpful because the

drugs can fight infections. Prescription medications are consumed by millions of Americans each

day. For people taking medications is a regular part of their daily routine, and these medications

are relied upon to treat disease and improve health. Medications such as antidepressants can help

relieve symptoms of depression, social anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder, seasonal affective

disorder, and dysthymia or mild chronic separation, as well as other conditions. Other types of

prescribed medications that help with daily life are anxiolytics or anti-anxiety and antipsychotics.

Anxiolytics medications help control the psychological symptoms. This drug works by blocking

the receptors that are associated with some of the physiological symptoms of anxiety, including

rapid heartbeat. Antipsychotics are psychiatric drugs which are available by prescription and are

licensed to treat types of mental health problems whose symptoms include psychotic

experiences. Even though prescription medications are made to health improve health it can also

be bad for the body if consumed in the wrong way. Half of all Americans do not use their

medicine as prescribed. When people take an excessive amount or without proper knowledge, it

can be capable of producing a life-threatening change in a normal body function. Many of the
 Quesada 11

abused medications are opioid substances which are widely prescribed to ease the effects of

moderate and severe pain. Death is a potential outcome for people who misused or abused

benzos tranquilizers. Another drug is pain relievers which is a commonly prescribed drug, which

can become fatal if taken in excess. Most patients who overdose on these drugs experience any

symptoms like memory loss, slower breathing rate, and depression. This is a problem worth

discussing because more than 22 thousand people die from this every year. People that are likely

to get addicted should get help and try to find help or medical help.
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Works Cited

Carr, Teresa. “Too Many Meds? America's Love Affair With Prescription Medication.”

Consumer Reports, 3 Aug. 2017,

www.consumerreports.org/prescription-drugs/too-many-meds-americas-love-affair-with-prescrip

tion-medication/​.\

Free, Drug. “Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics - Overdoses & Deaths - Drug-Free World.”

Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2018,

www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription/abuse-international-statistics.html​.

International, Narconon. “Prescription Drug Abuse History.” Narconon International, Narconon,

2018, ​www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/prescription-drug-history.html​.

Konkel, Lindsey. “Which Medications Are Best for Anxiety Disorders?” Everyday Health,

Everyday Health, 31 Jan. 2018, ​www.everydayhealth.com/anxiety/guide/medications/​.

Life with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) | Mind, the Mental Health Charity -

“Antipsychotics.” Help for Mental Health Problems,

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/antipsychotics/#.Ww71V0gvzrc​.
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Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, “Prescription Drug

Abuse.” 19 Sept. 2015,

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-203768

13​.

National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Bipolar

Disorder.” ​www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml​.

WebMD, WebMD,“Depression Medicines.”

www.webmd.com/depression/guide/optimizing-depression-medicines​.

Wilcox, Stephen. “Prescription Drugs.” National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence,

27 June 2017, ​www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/drugs/prescription-drugs​.