You may be one of countless others in New Jersey as well as other states who is currently taking prescription medication. Doctors in all states often write orders for prescription drugs to treat a myriad of conditions, including some that are chronic and others with acute onsets due to particular incidents. Such drugs are often beneficial for alleviating pain, filling a body with antibiotics to fight infection or helping those who suffer from anxiety.
The drugs doctors most commonly prescribe often include potentially dangerous side effects. Some are also highly addictive. If you or your family member are suffering from a substance abuse problem related to prescription drugs, you’ll want to know that there are many support options available to help you beat addiction. If a particular drug situation has landed you in trouble with the law, there are also support resources to guide you through that process as well. Taking advantage of the help that’s available may be a key to your success.
Caution: Dangerous drugs ahead!
The fact that a certain prescription medication may have adverse side effects is not necessarily a reason not to take it. You must weigh the pros and cons and determine a best course of action according to your circumstances. The following drugs, however, are common to prescriptions, and one should always take them with great caution:
- If you pull a back muscle or suffer injuries in a car accident, your level of pain might be through the roof. It would not be uncommon for a doctor to prescribe an opioid drug to help alleviate your pain.
- The most frequently prescribed opioid drugs include Hydrocodone, Oxycodone and Fentanyl.
- Someone in your family or you yourself might suffer from an anxiety disorder. Central nervous system depressant drugs are usually the prescription of choice to help alleviate symptoms of these conditions.
- Adderall and Ritalin are stimulants that doctors prescribe to treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Every day in the United States, more than 1,600 teenagers begin using prescription drugs. If someone told you that prescription drugs are safer to use than drugs illegally sold on the street, they misinformed you. Sadly, many people have overdosed on prescription drugs, especially those who follow current trends of participating in prescription drug parties where everyone brings pills and places them into a bowl to pass around and share. Such activities place you at high risk for serious health problems, perhaps even death.
If legal problems arise
If you are driving a car and happen to have a vial of prescription drugs in your car, this doesn’t necessarily mean you are breaking the law. However, this is the type of thing that often leads to drug charges, especially if the police officer who pulls you over believes you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The best thing you can do is try to remain calm, be conscious of your rights and know where to turn for support.