Pain Pill - A National Crisis

A national crisis partynuts.com - Prescription drug abuse is at an all time high in the United States. While tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives can be misused, pain relievers are the class of drugs most often abused, and abuse can lead to addiction. The drugs usually prescribed for pain relief come from the opioid class and include oxycodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, diphenoxylate and hydrocodone. Addiction can result from the unintentional overuse of a legitimate prescription, or it can come from illegally obtained medications. On the street, these drugs go by the names 40, 80, cotton, oxy and blue. Pain pills Pain medication can be an absolute godsend to people with chronic pain disorders or for those recovering from surgery or dealing with cancer. Opioids provide pain relief by acting on the central nervous system. They slow the transmission of pain signals between the body and the brain. Even when taken at the prescribed dosage and for legitimate reasons, they can have side effects. Those side effects include nausea, vomiting, anxiety, lightheadedness, itching, mood changes and constipation. If taken in large amounts or for too long a time, they can quickly lead to physical dependence and addiction. Other dangerous side effects of abusing these drugs include slowed brain function, depressed breathing, irregular heartbeat, hyperthermia -- a dangerously high body temperature -- paranoia and seizures. Taken with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol or sleeping pills, they can reduce breathing and heart rate to the point of death. Prescription drug abuse ruins lives The social and emotional implications of prescription drug abuse can be just as devastating as the physical ones. Many people become addicted to pain pills when they take a legally-prescribed drug for a valid health problem. But pain killing drugs are very potent and can quickly become addicting. Others may have become addicted when they were encouraged by friends to try the drugs or as a means of stress relieve. Children and young adults are most at risk because they are very susceptible to peer pressure.