Medication Addiction Treatment at Hope Rehab

Welcome to Hope Rehabs medication treatment program. Drugs come in many forms both illicit and legal however they can all be abused, and all create dependency issues. In fact, all substances are the same, medications, alcohol and drugs, they change the way you feel and take away painful difficulties in life. Unfortunately, substances in any form are a temporary solution to problems and often create a whole new set of problems.

We are increasingly working with clients who have suffered greatly due to prescription drug addiction. Many clients come to Hope fed up with having to rely on medications and all the associated issues, doctor visits, dose management and tolerance issues. It can be painful and disillusioning to watch a loved one sink lower and lower while on legitimate medications that are designed to help. At Hope, we provide a sanctuary where these people can regain control over their lives.

On this page is detailed information that may help you understand the difficulties and challenges caused by medication addiction. This may help you better understand the solution needed and offered by Hope Rehab.

3 x the amount of people die from prescription pills than illegal drugs

Most medications can be purchased online these days or obtained from private doctors. Doctor shopping is a term used when a patient visits more than one doctor to collect medication for recreational use. This is also known as drug diversion, i.e. not using the meds for the purpose prescribed. Diversion is also the term used when someone sells their medication to a third party. Many drug dealers who sell illicit drugs also sell some medications such as Valium for comedowns and sleep after the high.

The most widely abused pharmaceuticals fall into three categories:

Recently highly addictive opioid medications such as codeine and morphine have increased to epidemic proportions.

Medication treatment – Potentially addictive prescription drugs can be necessary to treat conditions such as pain, anxiety, and insomnia. However, there are always going to be risks associated with taking this type of medication, and this is why it is only available on prescription. Your doctor should be aware of the potential dangers and be able to direct you on how to use these substances in a safe way.

One of the risks with certain prescribed drugs such as opiates and stimulants is that they have certain side effects that you can start to enjoy. You can start off taking a drug like codeine for pain as directed by the doctor, but you notice that it makes you feel chilled out. Then after a particularly hectic day, you decide to take this drug to help you relax – after all, what’s the harm?

Before you know it, you are caught up in addiction, and you are contemplating all types of unethical behaviour to get your hands on more of the drug, you need Medication treatment.

Even if you only take these drugs as prescribed, you can still cross the line into addiction. This is why it is so important that your doctor carefully monitors your dosage and use of the drug. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen the way it should.

Prescription drugs contain highly addictive substances and the user can easily form a dependency

No matter how or why the narcotic medication is acquired they are highly addictive substances and the user can easily form a dependency in a short period of time. This, in turn, means developing a tolerance and then needing an increased dosage as well as being preoccupied with the drug.

Fact: In the last ten years overdose deaths by narcotic medications have tripled in the US, far more than heroin or illicit drugs. And according to one survey pain is the most common reason for visiting a doctor. Women are believed to be most at risk of becoming addicted to prescribed medications.

Rehab Centers today providing medication addiction treatment see similar consequences for the user of medications to that of illicit drug use, regardless of the original complaint being medicated.

If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, it could mean that you have developed an addiction to prescription medication.

Send Us Your Status, Get Advice!

Pre-Admission Questionnaire

If the underlying reasons are not addressed the patient will face the same issues all other addicts face

Oxycontin otherwise known as Hillbilly heroin on the street is prescribed for pain. However, its effects are similar to heroin having many addictive side effects that keep users needing more and more even when the pain goes away just like Vicodin and many other trade name opioid medications.

Opioid-use-disorder is now a formal diagnosis in DSM 5 – opioids like morphine depress the central nervous system, heroin is a derivative of morphine. Opioid use disorder is characterised by continued use despite direct or indirect harmful consequence.

The medication may bring relief to the diagnosed problem initially however if the underlying reasons or causes of the issues are not also addressed then over time the patient will face the same addiction issues that all addicts face.

Stopping using the medication is often the worst fear and a sense of panic sets in at the thought of not having the daily pill or dose that has become a crutch and justifying thoughts like “it’s only medication and not illegal” keep the addiction alive.

Behaviour change is the most disturbing effect that loved ones witness: social withdrawal and isolation, volatile behaviour, sometimes uninhibited behaviour, low moods and mood swings, self-neglect, loss of interest and lack of ambition are just some examples.

Three days before Christmas, Shane Hassett, 29, died after overdosing on prescription drugs…His family maintained that until Shane was prescribed painkillers a couple of years ago for an infected ear and wisdom tooth, he rarely took a tablet or had a drink.

The detox from the medication of choice usually takes about two weeks

Important notice: Do not attempt to stop taking Benzodiazepines without getting advice as you could have a seizure.

Detox and a reduction plan are the first steps toward reversing the direction your life has taken. Withdrawal symptoms for many medications at various stages include fits and seizures, muscle spasm and pain, restlessness, diarrhoea, insomnia, sweating, emotionally sensitive, fatigue and flu-like symptoms and need to be managed carefully.

For most of our clients, the detox is over a two week period – depending on the level and length of time of usage and your individual medical history, it could take longer.

After multiple years of medication dependency, the user has become dependent not only physically and psychologically but for their motivation and energy to complete ordinary daily tasks so a recovery period is necessary to restore a healthy lifestyle.

Addictive behaviour will not magically vanish – there is healing work to do

In addition to the physical detoxification process post acute withdrawals or PAWS can last up to a year, this includes many challenging symptoms and potential relapse triggers. Exploring the underlying issues, or the self-defeating thinking and behaviour that leads to such a serious addiction is fundamental to medication addiction treatment.

After detox, it is important to complete a program of treatment as the physical dependence or effects are not the whole problem. The primary condition is also no longer the underlying problems that originally created the desire to escape by using medication. Now that you have established a pattern of substance misuse and addictive behaviour it will not magically vanish after detoxing from the medication use itself. There is healing work to do using our program.

So if you want help stopping or reducing prescribed or non-perscribed medication please consult us immediately. We will assess you and explore your past issues as well as the original issues you were prescribed medication for (e.g. pain, depression, sleep, anxiety, etc.).