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Essay On Prescription Drug Abuse

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Prescription drug abuse Prescription drug abuse is defined as using prescription drugs in a way that is not prescribed by a doctor or using someone else's prescription. People abuse prescription drugs for a variety of reasons (Misuse of Prescription Drugs). Some people abuse them to get high, others keep using to avoid withdrawals from the drug. Whereas stimulants such as adderall are often abused by students to improve academic performance. The main types of drugs that get abused are Opioids, Central Nervous System Depressants and stimulants. Opioids are used often medically used to treat pain. Some examples of these drugs are Morphine, Codeine, Fentanyl and many more. The drugs act on the opioid receptors on the brain. A person becomes more tolerant to the drug the more they use it which leads to misuse to get the same …show more content…

The types are benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Benzodiazepines are the most abused overall though. Benzodiazepines have many medical uses and are often prescribed by doctors to treat panic disorder, OCD, Phobias, PTSD and more anxiety disorders. They are even used to treat insomnia, convulsive disorders and are even used in dentistry. The drug acts on the receptors of GABA neurotransmitters which is what helps relax patients. Some examples of drugs are Xanax, Ativan, Valium and Klonopin. Although most people don't die from abuse of benzodiazepines, if mixed with alcohol can be fatal. One of the most commonly abused substances of this class is a drug called Xanax. Abuse of benzodiazepines can lead to many side effects such as amnesia, disinhibition, emotional blunting and depression. Disinhibition from these drugs can decrease a person's self control and can lead to excessive anger and poor decision making. It is very similar to how alcohol can increase this also. Along with depression increases in suicidal ideation can occur (Longo and Johnson, pp.

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