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Addiction to Prescription Medication

Addiction to prescription medication is a serious and rapidly growing problem in Australia and can lead to financial, relational and physical and emotional issues.

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  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Disordered Eating
  • Sex Addiction
  • Gambling
  • Work Addiction
  • Gaming, Social Media and Device Addiction
  • Love and Avoidance Addiction
  • Dual Diagnosis

Understanding prescription medication Addiction

It can be difficult to admit that a medically prescribed medication which may have assisted your quality of life or helped you cope has now become a problem. Usage of prescription medicine often starts out as justifiable, necessary and important to improving quality of life, making it all too easy to excuse ongoing use.

Addiction can come in the form of either regular, consistent use, or in binge drug use behaviour with periods of non-use in between. Both situations are problematic and can create cycles of dependence, tolerance and compulsivity accompanied by negative health impacts and feelings of shame and guilt.

There are three primary groups of medication individuals often find themselves dependent on:

  1. Opioids used to manage pain, including oxycodone (Endone etc.), morphine (Kapanol, MS Contin, Ordine etc.) and codeine.
  2. Sedatives, depressants and anti-anxiety medications, including benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax, Ralozam, Kalma, Alprax etc.) and diazepam (Valium, Antenex, Valpam etc.) or hypnotics, such as zolpidem (Stilnox, Ambien, Dormizol, Zolpibell etc.), used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.
  3. Stimulants, including methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta etc.), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall etc.), and other medications used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sleep disorders.

How to tell if use has slipped into Addiction

Recognising when the use of medication has become problematic is important, and clinicians use two key indicators to identify prescription medication abuse.

The first is obsession, which refers to the way you think about the medication, the time you spend thinking about your next dose, and the effort you may go to in order to gain your next dose or prescription.

The second is compulsion, which refers to a reduced ability to control your impulses to take the medication, resulting in you continuing to take the medication when it’s no longer necessary, or when you have other good reasons for stopping.

Indicators of prescription medication abuse

There are a number of behaviours which indicate obsessive, compulsive behaviour related to medication use, any combination of which signal the need to reach out for professional advice and support.

  • Experiencing cravings for medication
  • Lying or exaggerating to a healthcare provider
  • Wanting to cut down, or planning to cut down, but failing to do so
  • Increasing the dosage to achieve previous levels of effect
  • Neglecting other areas of your life in favour of taking medication
  • Continuing to use medication despite problems it may cause for work or your relationships
  • Continuing to use medication against medical advice, or if it may put you in danger

As addiction progresses, negative consequences, which will vary depending on the medication, may begin to mount. These may include paranoia, aggressiveness, impaired judgement, impulsiveness, loss of self-control, financial losses and growing impacts on your social relationships and work life.

If you’re concerned you may have a problem with prescription medication use, you can use our self-assessment tool here to gain a better understanding of whether key indicators of addiction apply to your situation. To schedule a free, confidential, professional phone assessment, call our team seven days a week on 1800 063 332.

Your journey to recovery

South Pacific Private is an accredited private hospital, and we understand the serious nature of prescription medication addiction. We provide onsite supervised medical detoxification as well as an intensive therapeutic program geared toward treating the prescription medication addiction itself as well as the underlying drivers of addiction.

Admitting you have a problem with prescription medication can be a painful and frightening first step, but at South Pacific Private, we want you to know we’ll be by your side every step of the way.

If you’re ready to start your journey out of addiction call us on 1800 063 332 or contact us here to see which of our programs are right for you.

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With decades of experience, South Pacific Private is Australia’s leading treatment centre for addiction, trauma, depression and anxiety. Our uniquely comprehensive programs change lives, repair relationships and heal families by identifying and addressing the underlying causes laying the groundwork for sustained, long-term recovery.

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    • Alcohol Addiction
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    • Love Addiction
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The goal of our self-tests is not to provide you with a diagnosis for yourself or for someone you care about. Instead, they are an opportunity for you to better understand how a behaviour might be impacting upon your life or the life of your family. Use these tests to enhance your awareness of what the problem might be.

These tests should be answered honestly in order to provide accurate insight and are a chance for you to reflect upon the current situation.

WANT TO READ ON?

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Other Addiction Pages

Alcohol Addiction

At South Pacific Private, we know how difficult it is to take the first step and admit that alcohol has become a problem in your life. The idea of living without alcohol can feel daunting, overwhelming or even impossible.

Click here to read more >

Drug and Substance Addiction

At South Pacific Private, we recognise drug addiction as a particularly devastating and all-consuming disease which can destroy lives, fracture families and risk serious health impacts, including overdose.

Click here to read more >

Disordered Eating

The term ‘disordered eating’ covers a vast range of behaviours which can include over-eating, under-eating – annorexia binge eating and purging – bulimia, craving food or lacking control around food and an obsession with healthy eating, known as orthorexia.

Click here to read more >

Sex Addiction

Sex addiction – sometimes described as hypersexuality, porn addiction or sexual compulsive disorder – is a very common, very real and rarely discussed disorder which can have a devastating impact on individuals, relationships and families.

Click here to read more >

Gambling

Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, can be a dangerous, destructive and overwhelming disorder, with mounting debts and relationship conflicts often leading to severe stress and isolation.

Click here to read more >

Gaming, Social Media and Device Addiction

The rise of technology has resulted in new and detrimental addictive behaviours, variously called internet addiction, screen addiction, device addiction, social media addiction, video gaming addiction or gaming disorder.

Click here to read more >

Love/Avoidance Addiction

Love Addiction and Love Avoidance describe two dysfunctional relationship patterns that some of us repeatedly find ourselves falling into, often leading to significant emotional pain, distress and unhealthy intimate relationships.

Click here to read more >

Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis is a term used to describe a person who is experiencing mental health issues such as depression and anxiety alongside alcohol and drug addiction.

Click here to read more >

Work Addiction

Work addiction, also known as workaholism or burnout, is a relatively new issue in the field of psychological research, but we know it can have significant impacts on individuals’ families, emotional and physical health.

Click here to read more >

Stories of Recovery

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