People often think that prescription medications and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are safer than illicit drugs, but that’s only true when they are taken exactly as prescribed and for the purpose intended. When abused, prescription and OTC drugs can be addictive and put abusers at risk for other adverse health effects, including overdose—especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol.
The classes of prescription medication most commonly abused are: opioid pain relievers, such as Vicodin or Oxycontin; stimulants for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), such as Adderall, Concerta, or Ritalin; and central nervous system (CNS) depressants for relieving anxiety, such as Valium or Xanax. The most commonly abused OTC drugs are cough and cold remedies containing dextromethorphan.
Prescription and OTC drugs may be abused in one or more of the following ways:
- Taking a medication that has been prescribed for somebody else. Unaware of the dangers of sharing medications, people often unknowingly contribute to this form of abuse by sharing their unused pain relievers with their family members.
- Taking a drug in a higher quantity or in another manner than prescribed. Most prescription drugs are dispensed orally in tablets, but abusers sometimes crush the tablets and snort or inject the powder. This hastens the entry of the drug into the bloodstream and the brain and amplifies its effects.
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms vary greatly depending on the type of drug and the amounts taken. Symptoms will be similar to their counterparts in the illegal drugs.
Stimulants:
- Hostility
- Paranoia
- Raised temperature
- Irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
Opioids:
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Shortness of breath
Depressants:
- Confusion
- Sleepiness
- Loss of coordination
A Success Story
“I had several step-fathers and we were constantly moving throughout my childhood. I felt I never fit in anywhere, until I discovered the “stoner” crowd. This started my love affair with drugs at fifteen. I quit school and moved out. That lasted until I was eighteen and then I decided I had to do something else.
“I got my GED and went to nursing school. I was an RN and led a normal life, basically drug free until I was twenty six. I moved to New Mexico and started dabbling again. Within eight years I had lost my home, my marriage, and my career. I abused just about every drug but my favorites were Vicodin and cocaine.
“My son saved my life when he was born. I was thirty five and again stayed clean for almost three years. Then I got tendinitis and the doctor prescribed Vicodin to me. That was all it took. Soon I was abusing them and cocaine too. I was doing things I had said I would never do again.
“I heard about Adult & Teen Challenge and knew it was my last chance. God gave me hope for a future with my son and He is answering my prayers. He has changed my heart.”
Effects of Use
Taken as intended, prescription and OTC drugs safely treat specific mental or physical symptoms. But when taken in different quantities or when such symptoms aren’t present, they may affect the brain in ways very similar to illicit drugs.
For example, stimulants such as Ritalin achieve their effects by acting on the same neurotransmitter systems as cocaine. Opioid pain relievers such as Oxycontin attach to the same cell receptors targeted by illegal opioids like heroin.
When abused, all of these classes of drugs directly or indirectly cause a pleasurable increase in the amount of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathway. Repeatedly seeking to experience that feeling can lead to addiction.
Stimulants can have strong effects on the cardiovascular system. Taking high doses of a stimulant can dangerously raise body temperature and cause irregular heartbeat or even heart failure or seizures. Also, taking some stimulants in high doses or repeatedly can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia.
Opioids are particularly dangerous, especially when they are snorted or injected or combined with other drugs or alcohol. More people die from overdoses of prescription opioids than from all other drugs combined, including heroin and cocaine.
Dextromethorphan can cause impaired motor function, numbness, nausea or vomiting, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. On rare occasions, hypoxic brain damage—caused by severe respiratory depression and a lack of oxygen to the brain—has occurred due to the combination of dextromethorphan with decongestants often found in the medication.
