Prescription drug abuse is on the rise among women across the nation. There are a multitude of reasons for the surge in drug addiction rates, including availability and poor regulation to name a few. Prescription drugs can have positive effects when taken within the specific guidelines of medical professionals. When drugs are taken outside the instructions given by the prescriber, the risks of drug addiction increase tremendously in women.
Prescription drug abuse is defined as taking any medication in a manner that is outside the prescribed dosing with the specific intent of getting high or escaping from reality. Taking prescription pain medications recreationally can result in opiate dependence which can quickly result in opiate addiction that requires treatment. For many women who find themselves dealing with opiate addiction the only alternative is inpatient opiate rehab programs. Prescription drugs are sometimes viewed as safer than illicit drugs simply because they are manufactured by big pharmaceutical companies and distributed by doctors.
The epidemic of prescription drug abuse in women has taken it’s toll on families. Recent research indicates that nearly 1 in 5 has abused prescription medication at some point during treatment. Many women to come to us for inpatient opiate rehab became addicted to painkillers following some sort of injury or illness. Women are much more vocal and proactive when it comes to seeking relief for emergent and chronic pain. As a result, women are also more likely to receive long-standing prescriptions for addictive pain medications. Opiate addiction and heroin addiction among housewives is surprisingly high.
It is important to understand that prescription drug abuse is just as destructive and dangerous as heroin addiction or other illicit drug addictions. Women often desire to help others and are more likely to share prescriptions with friends and relatives. Not only is this illegal, it can actually create new opportunities for opiate addiction in others.
Withdrawal from opiate addiction in women must be managed effectively. Women metabolize medications differently and a women’s body is often more sensitive to changes in brain chemicals. When women enter our opiate detox center in Huntington Beach, our intake staff takes a complete history and physical. This enables us to anticipate the need for any opiate antagonist medications that might help with drug withdrawal symptom severity.
The psychological response to opiate addiction withdrawal in women should be taken into account when preparing a drug detox program. Women are more likely to exhibit extreme emotional side effects during the oxycontin withdrawal process. Women are also more likely to self-medicate for mental health issues which could have led to the opiate addiction in the first place. Prescription drug abuse can alter basic brain chemical levels in women. When brain chemicals are not produced by the body following longterm opiate abuse, the crash experienced during opiate withdrawal can be severe.
Coastline Behavioral Health commits to providing women in our inpatient opiate rehab program exceptional mental and physical care. For true recovery from opiate addiction in women to take place, a women must first feel safe and secure in her surroundings. Coastline staff understand these needs and seek to surround women in our drug treatment program with all the compassion and support they need to regain and maintain sobriety.