How Can Mis-Using or Abusing Prescription Drugs Hurt You?

Commonly abused prescription drugs belong to one of three categories, although there are many other categories of drugs:

• Narcotic Pain Medications (Opioids): often prescribed to treat pain. Vicodin® and OxyContin® are two well-known opioids.
• Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants: used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Valium® and Xanax® are both popular CNS depressants.
• CNS Stimulants: prescribed to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Ritalin® is a well-known example of a CNS stimulant.

• Produce drowsiness;
• Cause constipation;
• Depress breathing, depending on the amount taken. Even a large single dose could cause severe respitory depression and death;
• Interact with other drugs and are only safe to use with other drugs when under a physician’s supervision;
• (Repeated use can) result in tolerance to the drugs so that higher doses must be taken to get the same initial effects;
• Lead to physical dependence after long-term use. This means that the body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly;
• Produce withdrawal symptoms including restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and involuntary leg movements.

• Slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, which can be fatal. This is particularly true if CNS depressants are combined with the use of certain prescription pain medicines, over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, or alcohol;
• Be highly addictive, which leads to compulsive drug seeking and use;
• Lead to withdrawal symptoms after prolonged use, including seizures. When a person stops using CNS depressants after a period of abusing them, the brain’s activity rebounds and can cause this condition.

• Result in the development of an irregular heartbeat;
• Raise the body’s temperature to dangerously high levels;
• Lead to cardiovascular failure or deadly seizures;
• Create feelings of hostility or paranoia;
• Be particularly dangerous when combined with the use of anti-depressants or over-the-counter cold medicines containing decongestants. Anti-depressants may enhance the effects of stimulants. Decongestants, when combined with stimulants, may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular hearth rhythms.