Prescription Drug Addictions on the Rise

Older adults face potential risks when taking prescription drugs
According to experts, prescription drug overdoses are on the rise in recent years. An alarming fact is that a percentage of these prescription drug overdoses are occurring in adults over 60 years of age, and some of these are deadly. Hanley Center in West Palm, Florida, is a rehabilitation sanctuary that has seen an increase in the number of older adults seeking treatment for the issue.

Specializing in addiction recovery, Hanley Center has seen an alarming shift from predominantly alcohol addiction to a clientele base of alcoholics, substance abusers and also prescription drug addicts. CEO and Medical Director Dr. Barbara Krantz explains,

“Better living through better chemistry, type attitude. That’s what we are seeing. Look at all the commercials on TV. They are all pharmaceutical commercials,” Krantz said.

The perception of prescription drugs has evolved along with main stream media. With the plethora of prescription drug commercials, advertisements and samples, many people are becoming overly desensitized to the potential dangers of prescription drugs, including dependence and addiction. People are also beginning to self diagnose. According to Krantz, people are using search engines to enter their symptoms, and coming in with a sheet saying this is what is wrong with me and this is the drug I need.

Another issue is over-medicating. When older adults are prescribed long-term narcotics like methadone or oxycontin to combat chronic pain, they may be unaware that these drugs have the potential to become a lethal cocktail when mixed with other drug combinations, as these drugs remain in the system for extended periods.

Other issues can arise when people fail to use the drugs as they were prescribed by their doctors. Some people feel they require a higher dosage to achieve the desired effects of the prescription drugs, and some are abusing the drugs to get high.

Experts at Hanley Center are available if you or a loved one have any questions or concerns on the topic of addiction, alcoholism, prescription drug addiction, substance abuse and more. Simply call Hanley Center at 866-4HANLEY today to speak with an addiction expert.