How Prescription Drug Addiction Leads to Heroin Addiction

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(No Transcript)
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• A common misconception is that taking
  prescription drugs is always safe. Another
  misconception is that taking them recreationally
  is safer than abusing illicit drugs, simply
  because they were prescribed by a doctor. The
  reality is that prescription drugs should only be
  taken exactly as instructed by a doctor, since
  they can result in severe adverse health effects.

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• Prescription painkillers act on the same brain
  areas as heroin, and they can be very addictive.
  Just as with heroin, prescription drugs can lead
  to addiction, overdose, and death, especially
  when combined with other drugs or alcohol. Once
  addicted to painkillers, alternate sources of the
  high, such as the one felt while on heroin, are
  sought after.

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• Prescription medications are legal, so it is easy
  for people to abuse them and ultimately become
  addicted without ever feeling the sense of stigma
  that is commonly associated with using illegal
  drugs. When prescription medication runs out and
  doctors wont prescribe a refill, the addiction
  persists, and people turn to heroin for the high.

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• According to the National Institute on Drug
  Abuse, nearly half of people who inject heroin
  surveyed in multiple studies reported abusing
  prescription opioids before starting to use
  heroin. Many people who use heroin started off
  snorting the drug, and within weeks, most started
  shooting up.

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• Heroin is less expensive to obtain than
  prescriptions, so it is easy to fall back on when
  prescriptions run out. According to the National
  Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.,
  prescription pain pills cost 20 to 60, while
  heroin costs 3 to 10 a bag.

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• Addiction is a brain disease that can be treated
  effectively. The type of treatment to follow must
  take into account the type of drug used and the
  needs of the individual. Successful treatment
  leading to a full recovery may need to
  incorporate multiple methods of treatment,
  including detoxification, behavioral counseling,
  and medication.

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• Behavioral treatments teach strategies to
  function without drugs, deal with cravings, avoid
  drugs and trigger situations, and handle a
  relapse. Behavioral treatments, such as
  individual counseling, group or family
  counseling, contingency management, and cognitive
  behavioral therapies, can help improve a persons
  relationships and day-to-day functioning.

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• Pharmacological treatments counter the effects of
  the drug on the brain and behavior, and can
  relieve withdrawal symptoms, help overcome
  cravings, or treat an overdose. Although a
  pharmacological approach alone may be sufficient
  for treatment, combining it with a behavioral
  treatment has extreme benefits.

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Contact Us

• Yellowstone Recovery has been helping people
  break free from drugs and alcohol for over 15
  years and offers treatment as one of the most
  affordable drug rehab centers in Southern
  California. Treatment options include
  detoxification, in-patient care, extended
  in-patient care, and outpatient care.
• Visit us online at www.yellowstonerecovery.com

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• http//www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-rep
  orts/heroin/how-heroin-linked-to-prescription-drug
  -abuse
• https//ncadd.org/in-the-news/377-prescription-dru
  g-abuse-fueling-rise-in-heroin-addiction