Prescription Drug Abuse in Hackensack, NJ – (201) 450-9668

Prescription drug abuse is a large and growing problem in American society, including the abuse of opiates, sedatives, and stimulants. Prescription drug abuse involves the overuse or misuse of prescription medications, many of which can cause serious physical or psychological problems when regularly abused. There are many ways to treat prescription drug abuse, with the substance and extent of abuse greatly affecting treatment options along with the operational philosophy of each treatment center. For example, some treatment facilities in Hackensack adhere to the disease model of addiction and some adhere to the free will model of addiction.

Types of Prescription Drug Abuse

A wide range of prescription drugs are abused on a regular basis, most of which fall into three distinct categories. Opiate painkillers are the most widely abused medications, including morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Vicodin, methadone, fentanyl and many others. These drugs are typically abused for their euphoric properties, with some people overusing existing prescriptions and others obtaining prescriptions for recreational reasons. Opiates can be incredibly addictive when taken on a regular basis, with dependence and addiction often creeping up on people over time as a result of regular drug exposure.  

Sedatives are the second most widely abused class of prescription drugs, including both barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Also known as tranquilizers or central nervous system (CNS) depressants according to the literature, sedatives including the popular drugs Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin among others. Sedatives are taken for their hypnotic and sedative properties, with regular abuse often leading to dependence and addiction over time. CNS stimulants are the third most common prescription drug class, including Concerta, Adderall, and Ritalin. Stimulants are taken to improve mood and increase energy levels, with some people also abusing these drugs to enhance physical or mental performance.  

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

In order to understand the extent of prescription drug abuse in the United States, it’s important to take a look at some statistics released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). According to NIDA, Americans consume roughly 75 percent of the global supply of prescription drugs despite accounting for just 5 percent of the global population. Over 52 million adult Americans have overused or misused prescription drugs at some point during their lifetime, including 8.76 million during the past year and 6.1 million during the past month. Opiates are the most widely abused drugs by far, representing 5.1 million cases each year. Sedatives are the second most widely abused with 2.2 million cases, followed by stimulants with 1.1 million cases. According to NIDA, over 50 percent of people who abuse prescription drugs obtain their medications freely from friends and family members, with others getting them from doctors or drug dealers.

Treatment for Prescription Drug Abuse

There are many ways to treat prescription drug abuse, including medical detox, pharmacotherapy if needed, behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, family counseling, 12-step support groups, relapse prevention systems and techniques, and aftercare support programs. If you know anyone in Hackensack who is dealing with a prescription drug abuse problem, just call Hackensack Drug Treatment Centers at (201) 450-9668 today.