The abuse of prescription drugs plays a large and frightening role in society. Some people shop around for doctors to continue receiving prescriptions, and others will take drugs from their relatives and friends. Still others have learned how to feign illness so that they can maintain their addictions. Tackling this type of addiction is often difficult because of the many ways that people can obtain prescription drugs, but certain actions can help to fight against it.
Stronger tracking of medical records
Sometimes, people go from doctor to doctor waiting to see which one will prescribe the desired medication. Stronger tracking of medical records can help alert doctors to patients who might be shopping around for medication. When new patients sign up for appointments, the practice can request a transfer of medical records from the old practice. Offices can also work toward a better referral system to protect against this issue.
Talking to children
Many children are diagnosed with conditions that require them to take prescription drugs. They might tell their friends about the effects of the medication, or they might think that they can make money from selling the drugs to interested parties. These issues often come more into fruition when kids become teenagers. Parents should talk to their children about the dangers associated with taking medications that are not prescribed for them.
Monitoring usage
Doctors can better monitor the drug usage of their patients by tracking their improvements when taking the drug. During routine blood tests, they may notice that the blood is too highly saturated with a particular medication. Parents can monitor their children’s usage of medications by checking the bottles on a regular basis to ensure that only the appropriate number of pills have been removed.
Alternate treatments
Looking to other methods of treatment is a way to keep an excessive number of prescriptions out of the system. Instead of taking pills to deal with a particular problem, individuals may attend therapy sessions. Many different types of therapy, including religion-based therapy and art therapy, are available now to meet a multitude of needs.
Predisposition to addiction
Doctors should also be aware of patients who have a predisposition to addiction. For example, if someone has recently been in rehab for an alcohol or drug addiction, doctors may want to consider choosing a low dosage or prescription of a smaller amount if doing so is possible.
Uncovering the problem
Prescription drug abuse seems to be a problem these days, partially because so many people are diagnosed with conditions. It appears that certain conditions are diagnosed in many more individuals than they were in the past. Instead of putting efforts into constantly medicating people with these problems, the medical and scientific worlds may want to concentrate on figuring out why these conditions are more prevalent now.
Encouraging rehab programs
When people are addicted to prescription drugs, their loved ones should encourage them to attend a drug treatment facility. When they go to drug rehab, they can learn about the reasons why they abuse the medications in the first place. A drug treatment plan can teach them about other options for restoring their health and tackling tough medical situations. In addition, they can form motivating and inspiring bonds with other people during their stay in drug rehab.
The abuse of prescription medication is a serious problem that plagues the world. Instead of allowing the problem to grow worse and watching the problems increase, individuals and the community can come together to help prevent the abuse of prescription drugs from growing worse.