How prescription drug addiction leads to heroin addiction

A common misconception is that taking prescription drugs is always safe. Another misconception is that taking them recreationally is safer than abusing illicit drugs, simply because they were prescribed by a doctor. The reality is that prescription drugs should only be taken exactly as instructed by a doctor, since they can result in severe adverse health effects.

Prescription painkillers act on the same brain areas as heroin, and they can be very addictive. Just as with heroin, prescription drugs can lead to addiction, overdose, and death, especially when combined with other drugs or alcohol. Once addicted to painkillers, alternate sources of the high, such as the one felt while on heroin, are sought after.

Prescription medications are legal, so it is easy for people to abuse them and ultimately become addicted without ever feeling the sense of stigma that is commonly associated with using illegal drugs. When prescription medication runs out and doctors won’t prescribe a refill, the addiction persists, and people turn to heroin for the high.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly half of people who inject heroin surveyed in multiple studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin. Many people who use heroin started off snorting the drug, and within weeks, most started shooting up.

Heroin is less expensive to obtain than prescriptions, so it is easy to fall back on when prescriptions run out. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., prescription pain pills cost $20 to $60, while heroin costs $3 to $10 a bag.

Addiction is a brain disease that can be treated effectively. The type of treatment to follow must take into account the type of drug used and the needs of the individual. Successful treatment leading to a full recovery may need to incorporate multiple methods of treatment, including detoxification, behavioral counseling, and medication.

Behavioral treatments teach strategies to function without drugs, deal with cravings, avoid drugs and trigger situations, and handle a relapse. Behavioral treatments, such as individual counseling, group or family counseling, contingency management, and cognitive behavioral therapies, can help improve a person’s relationships and day-to-day functioning.

Pharmacological treatments counter the effects of the drug on the brain and behavior, and can relieve withdrawal symptoms, help overcome cravings, or treat an overdose. Although a pharmacological approach alone may be sufficient for treatment, combining it with a behavioral treatment has extreme benefits.

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http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/heroin/how-heroin-linked-to-prescription-drug-abuse

https://ncadd.org/in-the-news/377-prescription-drug-abuse-fueling-rise-in-heroin-addiction