Center for Addiction Medicine

01/10/2008 - Las Vegas Review Journal: January 9, 2008 article

While most people take medications only for the reasons a doctor prescribes them, an estimated 48 million people (some 20 percent of the U.S. population) have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes.

Prescription drug abuse is not a new issue, however, growing misuse of and addiction to prescribed medications makes it a problem that deserves new attention, as prescription drugs are the most abused drugs in the state according to the Nevada Department of Public Safety.

"Prescription drug abuse isn't about bad drugs or even bad people," said Dr. Michael Levy, founder and medical director of The Center for Addiction Medicine. "It involves misconceptions about drug abuse, a myriad of medical and behavioral factors and the disease of addiction."

Prescription drugs make up 16 of the top 20 most abused drugs in the United States. Among these are opioids, or pain medications, including Oxycontin and Vicodin; sedatives, such as Valium or Xanax; and stimulants, like Ritalin, used to treat ADHD.

Women, teens and the elderly are most vulnerable to prescription drug addiction. Women are two to three times more likely to be prescribed drugs such as sedatives; they are about twice as likely to become addicted.

Whether an attitude that prescribed medications are safer than street drugs, or the availability of prescription drugs in most medicine cabinets and from illegal online pharmacies, prescription drug addiction is growing issue in Southern Nevada.

According to Levy, people improperly use prescription drugs for a number of reasons - to get high, to calm down, even to lose weight. However, even those that use medications based on a physicians advice may be at risk, as taking some medication over an extended period of time may lead to physical dependence as the body adjusts to the medication. Once dependence develops, changes in brain chemistry make it impossible to stop taking the drugs without developing symptoms of withdrawal.

"Addiction is a brain disease," Levy said. "Although initial drug use, whether it is advised by a physician or prompted by friends, is voluntary, the result is uncontrolled craving. That craving combined with the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms when the drugs are not taken can lead to a person's inability to function at home, on the job or even in society."

A person suffering from prescription drug addiction generally displays behavioral, social, and/or physiological symptoms as a result. Some of these symptoms may include:

• Mood swings, irritability, or paranoia
• Secretive or suspicious behavior, like frequent trips to the restroom
• Frequent absences from work or school; drop-off in quality of work or grades
• Neglect of family responsibilities
• Using increasing doses of a medication
• Abandoning or spending less time on activities such as hobbies, sports, and socializing
• Estrangement from friends and loved ones
• Slurred speech
• Withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, tremors, and sweating

Because withdrawal symptoms are often painful and difficult, those with prescription drug addiction will likely need help. A growing understanding of addiction has led to more effective treatment.

“We have to remember that addiction in any form is an illness that requires treatment,” Levy said. "Addiction specialists have a number of excellent treatment options for prescription drug dependence or addiction."

The Center for Addiction Medicine in Las Vegas offers outpatient treatment with new medications like Subutex and Suboxone, which help break the addiction cycle by blocking the receptors in the brain that produce a euphoric feeling from prescription painkillers. The center also offers an outpatient program that addresses the psychological and social components of addiction.

"Prescription addiction is a problem, and it's not going to go away without some attention, education and medical intervention," Levy said.

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