Prescription Drug Abuse
Get high on life, not on drugs.
Drug Statistics
52 million in the US over the age of 12 have used perscription drugs non-medically in their lifetime. The three most abused perscription drugs are painkillers, tranquilizers, and stimulants. In 2010, The number of people who abused prescription drugs were 8.76 million people. As of 2012, overdose deaths involving painkiller perscription drugs has increased to almost 17,000 deaths a year in the United States.
The short term effects on your body
The short term effects of abusing prescription drugs is dizziness, relaxation, lack of energy, unable to concentrate, and vomiting. If you take one single large dose it could lead to the shortness of breath and then possible death. When prescription drugs are taking in high doses or combined with alcohol it becomes very dangerous.
Long term effects on your body
When you take prescription drugs they have a large effect on the brain which cause them to become highly addictive when used for non-medical purposes. If the drug was prescribed to you for a long time your body could become accustomed to it and cause you to have severe withdrawal symptoms form stopping it. Withdrawal symptoms could include anxiety, insomnia, and muscle tremors.
The social consequences
Drug abuse causes stress on all of your family and friends. It causes them to constantly stress where you are and if you are making better decisions. I feel like it could change all of your relationships even though they want you to find help and get better you may disagree. Unless it is the people who surround you who pressured you to abuse these drugs I feel like they most likely will not want you to continue if they now the problems it causes. The best thing to do is get educated on how these drugs will effect you and your family and eventually want to receive help as soon as possible.
Sources
"Popping Pills: Prescription Drug Abuse in America." Popping Pills: Prescription Drug Abuse in America. N.p., 02 Jan. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
"Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics." CLAADorg. N.p., 03 Jan. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
"Prescription Drugs - Above the Influence." Above the Influence. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.