Prescription Drug Abuse: Not All “Drugs” Are Illegal (Part 3) October 17
We continue to share with you prescription drugs that are now being abused. It is not entirely surprising that this list is long, which is basically the reason why we had to break the list apart into several parts.
We leave depressants and pain relievers behind, and move on to another type of medication – stimulants. These drugs help people become more alert, active and focused; a drug that falls under this category is one that we have featured quite a number of times in previous posts – Adderall. It, along with the drug Dexedrine are amphetamines, and are used by people recreationally to either achieve a sense of euphoria or to get added energy and focus on the work at hand.
Ritalin and Concerta, like Adderall, are used for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These two drugs share the ingredient methylphenidate in common. When taken in excessive quantities, especially be people who have not been prescribed with the medicines in the first place, it can result in a dangerously high body temperature, an irregular heartbeat, or cardiovascular failure or seizures.
Abuse, however, is not restricted to prescription drugs. Perhaps more concerning is the fact that over-the-counter drugs, which can be accessed more easily and conveniently, can also be habit forming and prone to abuse. One of the more common are drugs that contain dextromethorphan, the common active ingredient shared by over the counter cough and cold medicines. When taken in excessive quantities beyond its intended use – which is basically to treat common colds and cough – it can cause euphoria and impaired judgment, and may eventually result in nausea and vomiting, loss of coordination, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and brain damage.
Non-prescription cold medicines also contain the ingredient pseudoephedrine, an ingredient that is also shared by an illegal drug – methamphetamine or meth. This is the reason why there is a limit to the amount of drugs that contain this ingredient that can be bought at a time; otherwise, makeshift meth labs would have a manufacturing field day.
Tags: abusing prescription drugs, celebrity prescription drug abuse, danger of prescription drugs, prescription drug abuse, prescription drugs, prescription meds