Common Symptoms of Prescription Drug Addiction

There are many common signs that people addicted to prescription drugs often exhibit. Prescription drug addiction symptoms are pretty universal, occurring in most addicts, such as an increased tolerance for the drug, and physical dependence on the drug. Treatment can begin once the symptoms are recognized and the addict realizes that he or she has a problem. Kicking a prescription drug addiction can be difficult and painful, but it is infinitely better than a lifetime wasted on drugs.

One of the main signs of a prescription drug addiction is that the user develops an increased tolerance for the drug. This means that the user needs an increased amount of the drug to get the same effects that used to result from a smaller amount of the drug. When a person increases their tolerance for a prescription drug, more and more of the drug is required to get the desired effects. For example a person may need to take four times as much of a drug to get the same effect. This is a problem for a number of reasons. It can lead to death or hospitalization due to an overdose, it can cause the tolerance to continue to rise, and it can cause serious financial problems if an addicted person needs to buy a significantly larger amount of the drug.

Physical dependence is another prescription drug addiction symptom. Physical dependence is when a person needs a certain amount of the prescription drug in their system in order to function normally. The body adapts to the drug and needs it to perform. Withdrawal symptoms often occur when an addict quits using the drug. Some withdrawal symptoms include feeling physically ill, temporary loss of memory, and wild mood swings, which can sometimes culminate in physical aggression.

The main sign that a person is addicted to a prescription drug is if they are unable to quit using it, even if they try to go without. It is important for people showing prescription drug addiction symptoms to seek help with their addictions. It often takes a doctor’s advice to manage withdrawal symptoms in a healthy way. It is important that addicts do not complicate their health any further.