Case Study Prescription Drug Abuse - 1885 Words

Research Paper Focus: Prescription Drug Abuse Abuse is a pattern of substance use that results in negative consequences and impairment (Bukstein and Nquyen). Misuse is the use for a purpose not consistent with medical guidelines or without a prescription for the individual using the medication (Bukstein and Nquyen). Abuse of prescription opioids has been cited as the fastest growing drug problem in the United States, and has surpassed the use of cocaine and heroin combined as a cause of mortality (Singhal ). In 2013 alone, nearly two million Americans abused prescription opioids and 16,235 deaths were caused by prescription opioids representing almost a fourfold increase since 1999 (Singhal ). Two million people reported using†¦show more content†¦Doctors prescribe medications to people with certain doses and forms because of how fast or slow the drug goes through the body. The drug will move to the stomach where it is dissolved, then it will release the drug into the blood, and then finally traveling to the brain. When the drug is abused it changes the speed and the way the drug travels throughout the body and to the brain. For example, when someone abuses the stimulant, Adderall, by crushing the pill and snorting it through their nose, a dose that would normally work over the course of a 10-12-hour period hits the brain all at once creating a high and drastically increasing the risk for overdose, addiction, or death (Prescription Drugs). There are many reasons people misuse or abuse prescription drugs like for instance they think it’s a safer way than to use illegal drugs, they are â€Å"not addictive†, or they are easier to acquire than illegal drugs. Approximately 40% of adolescents reported that they thought prescription drugs are much safer to use than illegal drugs, even if they are not prescribed by a doctor (Bukstein and Nquyen). The accessibility to prescription drugs is at a high. People acquire the drugs through diversion which is the most common means of obtaining prescriptions for unintended purposes (Elliott). Diversion is the channeling of prescription drugs from legal use to illegal use (Ford and Watkins). Getting drugs from siblings,Show MoreRelatedEffects Of Opioid Abuse On A Community Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesVarious Effects of Opioid Abuse on a Community The relationship between the rising rates of prescription-opioid abuse and heroin use has led to increases in crime, incidences of HCV and HIV, and drastic increases on overdose and death. In fact, between 1999 and 2010 opioid-related mortality increased 415% among women and 265% among men (King et al, 2014). According to King et al (2014), the main causes of this increase in deaths can be attributed to prescriber error, user behavior and characteristicsRead MoreRichard Fee Was A Potential Medical Student1496 Words   |  6 Pagespotential medical student, an athlete on the baseball team and sophomore class president. In 2008 he began to struggle with focusing on his studies and went to see a doctor who believed he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The doctor immediately prescribed him Vyvanse for his ADHD. In 2008 after he graduated with a degree in biology, he began to study hard for the medical school entry exams. (Schwarz 1) This caused him to make an appointment to the nearby Triad Psychiatric and CounselingRead MoreNon Medical Use Of Prescription Drugs Among Treatment Essay1290 Words   |  6 PagesNon-medical use of prescription drugs among treatment seeking population in Singapore: the impact on life and services (temp title) Asharani PV, Mythily Subramaniam, Edimansyah Bin Abdin, Guo Song, Christopher Cheok Prescription medications have improved the overall well beings of patients worldwide with many new drugs hitting the market in the past decade. These drugs which are prescribed by the general practitioners and specialist to treat various ailments were diverted and abused by people leadingRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse1298 Words   |  5 Pagessick. Prescription drugs are being taken for reasons other than the ones they are being prescribed for, fueling an addiction that impacts as many as 48 million Americans (Prescription Drug Abuse WebMD). According to MedLinePlus, an estimated 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. This is prescription drug abuse. While a considerable amount of time, resources, and attention are focused on the problems associated with illicit drugs, prescriptionRead MoreTeenage Prescription Drug Abuse Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesTeenage Prescription Drug Abuse Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugsRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse990 Words   |  4 PagesPrescription drug abuse is not a new problem within our society. Prescription drug abuse has in fact been an ongoing problem that is currently spinning out of control. There are many people within our society that are currently dealing with prescription drug addiction. Prescription drug abuse is the intentional use of a medication without a prescription; in a way other than as prescribed; or for the experience or feeling it causes (The Science o f Drug Abuse Addiction, 2014). Prescription drugsRead MoreKyle Craig and his Abuse on Adderall1698 Words   |  7 PagesWhat no one knew is that Kyle illegally looked to Adderall to keep up his â€Å"I’ve got it all together† act. Adderall is a stimulant prescription drug for those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD (FDA). Kyle took Adderall illegally and abused it much too often just to perform better academically and socially. While abusing the drug, Kyle slowly began spiraling into a dangerous state of psychosis that no one seemed to catch on to. That dangerous spiral led KyleRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse1483 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis The audience I will be addressing is parents, caregivers and school educators about the dangers of prescription drugs and how we can better educate teenagers and young adults on the dangers of abusing them. There are many ways that we can teach and educate our teenagers and young adults, but it’s important that families, schools and communities are involved. The rate of prescription drug overdose among teenagers and young adults have sky rocketed over the past several years. This has becomeRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On America1350 Words   |  6 PagesDrug abuse in America is evidently a huge problem, yet remains to be misunderstood by many people. Elizabeth Foy Larsen writes a strong, informative article about a young woman named Brittany who has fallen to drug abuse. Brittany was a drug free, well rounded student with great potential just like many other young adults in America. However, one occasion flipped her life completely upside down. She had gotten her wisdom teeth removed and received prescription medication to reduce her pain. She soonRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Opioid Addiction1678 Words   |  7 Pages The United States currently faces an unprecedented epidemic of opioid addiction. This includes painkillers, heroin, and other drugs made from the same base chemical. In the couple of years, approximately one out of twenty Americans reported misuse or abuse of prescriptions painkillers. Heroin abuse and overdoses are on the rise and are the leading cause of injury deaths, surpassing car accidents and gun shots. The current problem differs from the opioid addiction outbreaks of the past in that