When the war on drugs started it seemed like the fight was going to be on the streets of lower income areas city areas. Cocaine, meth, heroin, marijuana and other street drugs were the primary focus of the US government and law enforcements in its initial fight against drugs. Now the focus of the “war” has drastically changed as has the area where the “war” is being fought. Prescription drugs such as Vicodin, Xanax, Percocet, OxyContin, Ritalin and Adderall are all drugs that are commonly abused. Many who have become prisoner to prescription drugs started by simply taking a pill with the thought process of, “it is prescribed by doctors so it can’t be bad for me.” Others addiction to prescription medication begin with a legitimate injury and need for the medication only to end up in abusing the drug and eventually not being able to function without it.
Prescription drug addiction, like cocaine or heroin is a very expensive habit. Even though drugs like OxyContin and Xanax are prescribed by doctors they are every bit as capable of destroying an individual like any illegal street drug. The social, economic, physical and emotional effects of prescription drug abuse are the same as any illegal drug.
Prescription drugs have changed the face of addiction. It has become the drug of choice for many high functioning mothers, white collard men and woman, young adults in college… Just like cocaine or heroin in order to put an end to prescription drug abuse the professional help of an addiction treatment center is likely going to be needed. Without the proper help prescription drug abuse will undoubtedly lead to devastating negative consequences including death. The sooner that help is sought out for addiction the better chance there is at having a long, successful recovery.