Are you addicted to medicine?

Whether it’s antibiotics to fight off bacteria or a painkiller to get rid of a headache, the medicine we take can be addictive.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine like painkillers and cough mixtures contain some of the most commonly abused, containing codeine and alcohol. Others include appetite suppressants, which contain stimulants and are usually affordable and easily accessible.

Because prescription drugs are generally more difficult to get because they need a prescription, some people resort to using more than one doctor to make getting the prescription more simple.

Effects of medicine abuse

When you have an addiction to any substance, it means that normal bodily functions are suppressed or damaged. Long-term addiction can lead to liver and kidney damage no matter the type of medicine. In some cases, it can even cause heart and blood pressure problems.

Signs of addiction

Withdrawal symptoms include mild symptoms such as irritability and headaches, to cardiac arrhythmia and life-threatening seizures. The withdrawal from some medicine, such as tranquillisers and sleeping tablets, can be as traumatic as withdrawing from substances such as heroin. As a result, stopping such medicine have to be managed with the help of a medical practitioner.

Using medicine at breakfast to, for example, avoid getting a headache, most likely indicates that the person uses it to mask other non-physical problems. Denial is very common in those struggling with addictive behaviours.

Although headaches are the most common withdrawal symptom – even from substances such as caffeine – taking painkillers frequently actually causes headaches. However, there is a long list of other withdrawal symptoms from analgesics and benzodiazepines, including disorientation, constipation or diarrhoea, hot and cold sweats, irritability and raised blood pressure.

Source:

Health24. www.health24.com/Lifestyle/Street-drugs/About-recreational-drugs/Over-the-counter-and-prescription-drug-abuse-20120721. OTC and prescription drug abuse. Accessed 6 February 2019