Getting Help for Prescription Meds Addiction

Developing a prescription medication dependence

It is common for anyone having been prescribed medication over a long period of time to have become body tolerant to that drug.  It is also quite common for the prescription to have been increased from its original dosage, to keep up with the tolerance and the body needing more of the drug to achieve the outcome for which the drug was prescribed.  Over a period of time though the body stops responding in a positive way to the drug and by now a complete dependence to that prescription drug has developed.

There was a time when the repeat of prescription medication was not so diligently checked as it is now.  GP surgeries are now very aware of the dangers of unchecked repeat prescriptions and that certain medications will lead to addiction or certainly the need for a slow reduction in the daily dosage in order to safely stop. Therefore, at The Haynes Clinic it would now be less common for someone to seek help with a long-term repeat prescription that has gone unmonitored.

Diazepam addiction and benzodiazepine addiction more generally

One group of drugs that do generally lead to long term repeat prescriptions are Benzodiazepines.  Commonly prescribed for anxiety and known as Diazepam (or Valium) and Chlordiazepoxide (or Librium) these drugs should be for short term use only but have been known to be prescribed long term. Individuals can become addicted to these drugs very quickly and will develop addictive behaviour and thinking around their use and, over time they will want to increase the daily dose as the body becomes more tolerant.  At this point, being faced with the GP refusing to increase the prescribed dose, some people turn to the internet, and purchase it there to top up what is already prescribed.  

Painkiller addiction

A further example of how prescribed medication becomes addictive would be individuals that become reluctant to stop using a medication that is only intended for short term use, for example a pain killer following surgery.  It is now so easy to get any medication, illegally, off the internet.  The fact that it was prescribed in the first place puts a different mental slant on it – that it is OK to keep using it even though it is now being purchased illegally.  

Acknowledging the medication addiction

Firstly, there is the need for the individual recognising that they are taking the medication out of an addictive need and not for the original reason that it was prescribed for.  Or, for the individual to acknowledge that they are buying medication from an internet source, and they are doing it just because of their addictive need for the drug. 

The addictive behaviour and thinking will have an impact on life, in general, and there will be a constant inner turmoil to ensure that we have sufficient supplies of the drug and that we are not going to run out, thus creating a daily unmanageability.  Having enough of a supply becomes the foremost thought of each day. Certain drugs will, over time, start to create personal feelings of paranoia and depressive episodes and constant mood swings. This change in our behaviour will affect our family and friends and they will not understand how we have changed so negatively.

Medication detox

If a medication / drug that we have been taking for a period of time is now having a negative impact on our lives, we will need to be detoxed from it. As we have been introducing a drug into our system every day, it would not be safe to suddenly stop taking that medication. 

Residential rehab for medication detox

The safest way to detox from medication is to reduce the dosage slowly over a period of time.  For example, taking any Benzodiazepine medication, there would need to be a slow reduction over up to approximately 6 weeks to safely get to zero (depending on the amount and duration of use).  This is probably one of the most difficult detoxes to go through as you are maintaining the drug in your system everyday but at a reduced level and the body is wanting more. 

The safest place to be detoxed from prescription medication is not in the home environment, but in the safety of a residential rehab or clinic where the detox and the reduction regime is overseen by a GP and a professional clinical team.

Generally, people will not go to their GP who had originally prescribed the medication for help, as they are worried about explaining how they have got additional tablets or not stuck to the daily prescribed dose as they are concerned that their addictive behaviour will be noted on their medical record.  This is one of the main reasons why an individual will contact a residential rehab for help and advice.  The main question is often “by how much should I be reducing my dosage each day”

How long is a prescription med detox?

When people are admitted to The Haynes Clinic for a residential prescription medication detox, they have already been given an indication of how long that they will need to be in treatment when going through their assessment and ascertaining what medication they have been using and what current dose that they are taking on a daily basis.  They are seen by our doctor and a reducing regime is then established with the sole intention that they will be free of that drug at the end of their detox period. 

Whilst it may take as much as a 6-week period for a Benzodiazepine or diazepam detox to be successfully completed (or sometimes longer), other medications can take a shorter period of time.  For example, any medication that is Codeine based and may have been prescribed for pain relief is an Opiate.  To detox from an Opiate you are not usually reducing using the same medication, but you would have a 10 – 14 day detox similar to a heroin detox which is also an Opiate. Not many people realise the dangers of prolonged use of medication containing Codeine and that a codeine detox will be required.

Within the safety of a residential rehab, most of the residents, if not all, will be undergoing a form of detox.  This is also a reassuring element and if struggling then there is not only the support of the Clinic’s professional team but also the support from other residents. This combined makes a detox within a qualified residential setting the safest and most comfortable option.