I’m not here to tell you medicine is evil and you should chew on grass to cure your headache. I’m sure you’re right when you take a pill to relieve your headache and tell yourself this isn’t going to become a routine. And maybe you are fine; but there’s some idiot out there who’s drowning himself in painkillers because of a paper cut. These people don’t need to suffer like that. When taken strategically, pain pills are actually helpful and most people don’t get hooked on it.
First you have to recognize the addictive drugs and stay clear of them, as much as possible.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the three classes of prescription drugs that are often abused include:
- Codeine (Opioid) to treat pain
- Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, such as benzodiazepines; Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Klonopin to treat anxiety and sleep disorders
- Stimulants, such as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall) or methylphenidate; Concerta, Daytrana, Methylin, and Ritalin to treat attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) and narcolepsy (a sleep disorder).
Doctor’s Orders
Why would you even try to take any drug without consulting a doctor? If for any reason your doctor does in fact advise you to take these medicines, maintain the dosage assigned by your doctor. Any change in this routine should be discussed and doled out by a doctor.
Do Not Quit Cold Turkey
Don’t give it up all at once. Lower your dosage each day bit by bit and you should be back at a healthy balance. Quitting it all at once will make you restless and might drive you to the point where you give up and take a whole bunch all at once. This is how actually a few overdose cases have occurred.
Recognizing Addiction
You should be wary of addiction; they will consume you before you even realize it. To prevent addiction, you have to first distinguish the addicts.
- Frequently losing their prescription.
- Visiting multiple doctors for the same pain to get the medication.
- Recurrently running out of prescriptions
- Visiting the emergency room in between visits to the regular doctor.
Determine How Much You Need the Painkillers
Ask yourself if you still need pills to feel better. Try to be strong and pull through; because addiction is a black hole you can never come out of, even though it is hard to tell if you are addicted. This is where our main problem lies – we can’t tell who is actually in pain and who is just looking to score.
Look for Substitute Pain Relievers
Painkillers are not the only way to relieve pain. It may be the easiest and most harmful way but surely not the only way. For many limb-related pains or physiotherapy, massages are a great way to relax your muscles and ease up. Other than that, you always have your doctor buddies to take care of you.
With so many harmful drugs around, we often neglect the counter-top drugs that have been taking victims for years and years now. This is not a matter to be taken lightly and more people should know how to overcome such situations. Take care, be responsible and spread the word!
Photo by Sam-Cat 