What Are Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs?

If you or someone you love has abused prescription medications, there are ways you can get help. Some of the most abused prescription drugs become a problem because regular people are given prescription medications without realizing that after one week of treatment, those medications can hijack your brain and lead to an addiction.

Contact Atlantic Recovery Center to learn more about how our substance abuse treatment in Florida can help you overcome addiction.

Why is Prescription Drug Abuse Prevalent?

Abused prescription medications are quite common because of how easily accessible they are. Most abused prescription drugs start as legitimate prescriptions for things like chronic pain, post-surgery pain management, or pain management after an accident.

It’s quite common to get a prescription refilled for legitimate pain without realizing that you have an addiction. If someone else in your family has a prescription in the house, getting your hands on another few pills can happen in a matter of minutes.

What Are Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs?

The most commonly abused prescription drugs include the following:

Opioids

Opioids are one of the most heavily abused prescription pills and have led to the development of the opioid epidemic throughout the United States. Opioids represent a category of pain management prescriptions that influence the way your brain and central nervous system function.

• Vicodin
• OxyContin
• Percocet
• Opana
• Kadian
• Avinza
• Codeine
• Fentanyl
• Hydromorphone
• Tapentadol

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for things like anxiety disorders, insomnia, and muscle spasms, but these are depressants that are almost as addictive as prescription opioids but function somewhat differently.

• Xanax
• Librium
• Tranxene
• Valium
• Paxipam
• Ativan
• Doral

Stimulants

Stimulants are another category of commonly abused prescription drugs, usually prescribed for things like ADHD. 

• Adderall
• Ritalin
• Concerta
• Dexedrine
• Vyvanse

How to Treat Prescription Drug Addiction

If you are struggling with prescription drug abuse, you can get help. Treating prescription drug addiction will look somewhat different for each person, taking into account your history of drug abuse, what types of prescriptions you are using, how long you have abused prescription pills, and more.

Professional Detox

Treatment for abused prescription pills starts with detox. For most of the commonly abused prescription drugs, you need what is called medication-assisted treatment or MAT. MAT is a form of detoxification where you are under 24-hour supervision, and you receive FDA-approved medications to help wean you from things like opioids or benzodiazepines while also receiving a prescription and over-the-counter medication to help you alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

Therapy

After your professional detox from abused prescription medications, it’s time to start therapy. Treatment requires individual and group therapy. In fact, if you undergo medication-assisted treatment, it’s a legal requirement for you to use FDA-approved medications during your professional detox.

Individual and group therapy can be curated to meet your needs. 

• For example, if you want your family and close friends to offer support during your rehabilitation, you can add things like family therapy. 
• If you are struggling with a mental health disorder at the same time as your prescription addiction, we can help you find dual diagnosis programs that treat both conditions at the same time. 
• If you have undergone trauma especially related to things like car accidents which may have necessitated a prescription for pain medication in the first place, trauma-centered therapy might be your preference.

Medication Management

In some situations, you might need ongoing medication management as part of your treatment. It might take a few months of other, less addictive medications for some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs before you can kick the habit. If you are supervised by supportive medical staff at facilities like Atlantic Recovery Center, you can figure out which medication works best for your situation.

Atlantic Recovery Center Offers Prescription Drug Treatment in South Florida

Atlantic Recovery Center provides prescription drug treatment. At our drug and alcohol treatment center in Davie, we work hard to individualize the treatment you receive so that you have the highest chance of long-term recovery. You don’t have to travel far to get treatment from the support of staff members who make you feel like part of the family.

We appreciate how unique your experiences with commonly abused prescription drugs can be, and in some situations, you might have abused a prescription for opioids and then found yourself using heroin when the prescription ran out. These are all factors we consider when designing a personalized treatment program. Contact Atlantic Recovery Center today to learn more about our prescription drug treatment.