Prescription drug abuse is a widespread problem across the country. Misuse of medication may lead to serious short-term effects. It may also produce damaging long-term effects. One major possible outcome of prolonged medication abuse is addiction. There is also the ever-present danger of experiencing an overdose. In addition, long-term abuse may expose you to an array of physical and mental health problems. If you suffer from the impact of abuse, a prescription drug addiction program may help you recover.
Well-designed programs make it possible to overcome even the severe effects of long-term abuse. At Memphis Recovery Centers, we offer a prescription drug addiction program that gives people the tools that they may need for long-lasting recovery. We feature adult drug rehab services for both men and women as well as programs designed for younger adults and teenagers. Learn more about the long-term effects of prescription drug abuse by calling 901-272-7751.
Developing a Prescription Drug Addiction
Certain types of prescription drugs are misused more than others. The three most commonly misused classes of medication are opioids, stimulants, and tranquilizers or sedatives.
These medications also share something else in common. They are all addictive. If you follow the terms of your prescription, you can avoid running into problems. However, things change when you abuse an addictive medication. Abuse, sometimes known as misuse, may occur if you:
- Increase the amount or frequency of your doses without your doctor’s approval
- Modify your medication so that it enters your system faster
- Use your medication for purely recreational purposes
- Take a medication that was not prescribed to you
All of these actions put you at risk for addiction. That’s true because they make addiction-supporting changes in the way your brain works. The longer you abuse an addictive medication, the higher your chances of being affected by these changes.
If you are affected by addiction, you will need some form of prescription drug rehab. A prescription drug addiction program provides customized professional treatment. This treatment, which differs for each class of medication, makes it possible for you to regain your recovery.
Experiencing a Drug Overdose
As a rule, medications have a therapeutic range and a toxic range. If you take a therapeutic dose of a medication, it will produce its medically desired effects. However, if you take a higher dose, you may quickly enter the toxic range.
Toxic levels of a drug can lead to changes in some of your core brain and body functions. This is what happens in a prescription drug overdose. There is too much medication in your system for you to process safely. Every year, tens of thousands of Americans die after overdosing. A large percentage of those people were abusing a medication, not a street drug.
You can overdose after misusing a medication just once. Those risks never go away. This means that long-term abuse can also lead to severe or fatal outcomes.
Developing Mental or Physical Health Problems
The long-term effects of prescription drug abuse can affect every system and organ in your body. That includes possible damage to your:
- Brain
- Nervous system
- Heart lungs
- Blood vessels
- Skin
- Liver
- Kidneys
Harmful changes in any of these areas can seriously damage your overall health. There is a known link between substance abuse and mental health problems. Evidence also shows that long-term abuse may leave you with serious or even life-threatening physical problems.
Overcome the Effects of Prescription Drug Use at Memphis Recovery Centers
To avoid the long-term effects of prescription drug abuse, the best course of action is to seek help from a team of addiction specialists. At Memphis Recovery Centers, we have the expertise needed to recover from all forms of addiction and serious abuse. For more information about prescription drug rehab, contact us at 901-272-7751 or fill out our online form.
