Prescription Drug Addiction Help

For many people, prescription medication allows them to live fuller, healthier lives and can have a huge range of advantages. When prescription drugs are used correctly, and as instructed by a qualified doctor or health professional, they can result in a wide range of positive effects including:

• Alleviating pain
• Easing anxiety
• Increasing energy
• Enhancing focus

What are prescription drugs used for?

Prescription drugs are used by millions of people all over the world to help them to manage a range of psychological and physical conditions.

• Prescription painkillers (or opioids), including opiate medication, can provide relief from mild to severe pain, both acute and chronic
• Prescription medications that contain benzodiazepines, such as Valium and Xanax, can help individuals to cope with mental health conditions such as anxiety and stress
• Prescription medications that contain stimulants, such as Ritalin, can help people to manage the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other disorders
• Other prescription medications can help with depression, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and a range of other issues

However, these drugs are known to produce a range of effects, which can be highly addictive to some people. For example, prescription painkillers can result in feelings of euphoria and tranquillity, which can cause people to want to take them over and over again regardless of whether they actually need them.

What is a prescription drug addiction?

Prescription drug addiction develops when an individual repeatedly consumes prescription medication for a non-medical reason until they become physically and psychologically dependent on the drug in question and are unable to function without it.

Many people fall into the trap of prescription medication abuse after the drug in question has been prescribed for a genuine medical reason. This addiction can be very difficult to spot because individuals can often function normally for a period of time whilst taking the prescription medication, and only realise there’s a problem when they try to stop taking the drug and find that they’re unable to function without it or experience withdrawal symptoms. Other people may simply obtain prescription medication with no medical need, in order to use it recreationally.

It’s important to understand that when these drugs are abused or used recreationally, they have the potential to cause a wide array of devastating consequences and can have a detrimental impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing.

Treatment for prescription drug addiction at Manor Clinic, Southampton

The most important step in your addiction treatment journey is to seek help. Manor Clinic’s specialist Addiction Treatment Programme has been specifically designed to empower our patients to achieve wellbeing and recovery, and overcome their compulsion to abuse prescription drugs.

As an initial step, we offer a free addiction assessment to all prospective patients, which takes place with a member of our expert treatment team. The purpose of this free assessment is to provide you with the opportunity to discuss your challenges in confidence with a trained professional, learn about the different treatment options that are available to you and begin to develop an understanding of the journey that you could be taking towards overcoming your addiction.  

We are also able to offer an intensive medically assisted withdrawal detoxification programme for your prescription drug addiction, if this is required. This is the process by which all traces of the drug are removed from your body in a carefully controlled setting and under the care of experienced detox specialists.

In addition, our beautiful centre provides the perfect sanctuary in which you can relax and focus on your wellbeing. Complete with welcoming living areas, beautifully appointed en-suite bedrooms and extensive private grounds, Manor Clinic really is the ideal setting to achieve recovery.

An expert addiction treatment team

Our highly qualified team possess a wealth of experience in treating a wide range of drug addictions including prescription drug misuse, and are able to draw upon a whole host of tried and tested therapeutic techniques. Ultimately, our goal is to help you to tackle your prescription drug addiction symptoms, develop an understanding of why your addictive behaviours developed in the first place, improve your self-esteem, and support your every step of the way towards getting your life back on track.

Seek help for your prescription drug addiction today

Our Manor Clinic experts understand that prescription drug addictions can become gradually worse over time and have a hugely destructive impact on all areas of your life. They can have a negative effect on your relationships with others and performance at work, as well as on your general health and wellbeing.

In addition, with continued use, you may develop a tolerance to the prescription drug, meaning that you need to take increasingly higher doses in order to achieve the desired effects. Ongoing prescription drug misuse may also lead you to develop other substance and behavioural addictions such as addictions to alcohol, other types of drugs, and compulsive behaviours such as gambling.

That’s why it’s so important to reach out and seek support in timely manner. The sooner you get help for your addiction, the more likely you are to be able to beat it and return to the healthy, happy and fulfilling life that you deserve.

This page was reviewed by Sarina Wheatman (FDAP) in November 2019 and is scheduled to be reviewed again in November 2021.