Drug Rehab | Alcohol Rehab | Addiction Treatment | Journey Healing Centers In response to alarming statistics and recent press coverage of celebrity deaths caused by addictions, Journey Healing Centers' licensed doctors and therapists announce Prevention Tips for Rising Pres
News-Antique.com - Apr 03,2010 - In response to alarming statistics and recent press coverage of celebrity deaths caused by addictions, Journey Healing Centers' licensed doctors and therapists announce Prevention Tips for Rising Prescription Drug Abuse. The 2010 National Drug Threat Assessment (released 3/25/10) highlights abuse of prescription drugs as a serious and increasing problem with pain relievers on the top of the list.
(PRWEB) March 30, 2010 -- As a result of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reporting 50% of new admissions to drug addiction treatment centers in Phoenix, Arizona, are now for prescription drug abuse, Journey Healing Centers (AZ and UT) announces Prevention Tips to educate everyone on the warning signs, health dangers and sobriety solutions. While Hollywood continues to lose stars to prescription drug abuse (Corey Haim, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Brittany Murphy), it's not just celebrities who are dealing with these addictions. More than 50 million Americans -- about 1 in 6 -- have admitted to abusing prescription drugs, according to a CBS Evening News report.
The signs and symptoms of substance abuse may be subtle at first, but eventually the addiction takes over and becomes more important than family and work. Commonly abused prescription drugs are narcotics similar to heroin or morphine, including Valium, Ativan, Xanax, Oxycontin and Vicodin. Once someone's tolerance goes up and abuse becomes dependency, doctor shopping can become a way of life to maintain a "stash." According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, doctor shoppers cost insurers $10,000 to $15,000 per year (per patient) in office visits, ER treatment, and drug rehabilitation.
"Prescription drug abuse does not occur overnight. It develops over time. In the same way, recovery from prescription drug, alcohol or illicit drug dependencies does not occur overnight," explains Dr. Ravi Chandiramani, Journey Healing Centers Medical Director. Journey's licensed doctors and therapists want to share these tips now to help anyone dealing with an addiction get help before it's too late. Here's how everyone can identify prescription drug abuse and get their loved ones help:
1) Watch for these Prescription Drug Abuse Warning Signs
- Someone who is "doctor shopping" for prescriptions tends to have many doctor appointments with different doctors
- Prescription bottles in pockets of clothes, purses or in vehicle(s)
- Frequent calls in to various providers to schedule visits or to refill prescriptions
- Observation of "pill popping" behavior on more than one occasion
- Uses pain medications more frequently and at a higher dosage than prescribed
2) What are the Health Dangers with Prescription Drug Abuse?
- There is a higher potential for dangerous side effects when someone starts mixing drugs (and especially for someone doctor shopping for drugs)
- When tolerance levels build, higher dosages are required to ease pain or symptoms.
- The user may find that taking the pill covers up day-to-day pain and it becomes easier to take pills than deal with what's going on in reality.
- Over time, there is an increased overdose potential.
- If someone takes too much medicine when they go to
