People, including professionals, are using drugs like opioids, stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers without a doctor’s prescription. For example, in the health sector, the number of health professionals struggling with narcotics such as Fentanyl and Oxycodone is rising every day. Learn more about prescription drug addiction among professionals and its treatment.
Professionals working in sectors such as finance, legal, and health care are susceptible to prescription medication like anyone else. Lawyers, for instance, face complex court cases, long work hours, demanding clients, and tight deadlines. Some may self medicate with alcohol and prescription drugs as a way to decompress from the stress associated with these responsibilities.
Medical professionals also work under pressure with tiring, unpredictable working hours. Sometimes medics make spontaneous decisions concerning their patients’ health, and they may later have feelings of regret or responsibility after an unexpected result. Many medics have thus turned to Opioids to counter these feelings and emotions.
Many doctors today prescribe opioids as pain relievers to patients suffering from chronic pain following significant surgery. Prescriptions can make it easier for abusers to find the prescribed drugs. It is even easier for medical personnel to abuse prescription drugs as they may have access them at work.
Prescription drug addiction within high demanding professions is a significant concern. Most abusers confess to taking drugs for stress and anxiety relief. The primary sources of stress in the work environment include wrangles among co-workers, demanding clients, inability to balance work and family life, heavy workloads, and job insecurity.
To help you understand prescribed medicine, we have outlined the three main classes of the most abused prescription drugs below.
- Opioids: They are prescribed to treat coughs or relieve chronic pain—for example, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl.
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants: They are prescribed to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, and panic attacks.
- Stimulants: They treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
Effects of Prescription Drug Addiction in Workplaces
It is illegal and risky for professionals to use drugs in workplaces. It is even more dangerous for medical personnel as it risks the lives of their patients. Some surgeon addicts, for instance, may leave the theater in the middle of an operation to attend to their drug addictions.
On the other hand, lawyers may commit errors that may put their jobs, practice and clients at risk.
Treatment of Prescription Drug Addiction
Anyone can fall victim to drug addiction; people you would never expect, like lawyers, doctors, nurses, and managers, can become addicted to prescription medicine. Seeking treatment for addiction may be difficult for them due to embarrassment and the stigmas our society associates with drug addition. It is for this reason that many are silently suffering from prescription drug addiction.
Many lawyers, for instance, hide their addictions for fear that their colleagues will know about them; they are embarrassed that others will view them as lawbreakers rather than law protectors. Another reason why they could also delay seeking professional help is fear of giving up the addiction and suffering withdrawal symptoms.
To recover from prescription drug addiction, you must first recognize that drug addiction is a disease and seek professional treatment. Don’t wait until your addiction affects your profession and practice when you can ask for assistance.
It is difficult to recover without professional assistance. You need specialists to help you overcome your addiction and prevent you from experiencing relapses. Some programs will also help you restore your practice, help you reestablish yourself back to work, address the root cause of the addiction, and follow you until you conquer addiction.
Learn More About Prescription Drug Addiction
At Fairwinds Treatment Center, we have several programs that assist professionals in recovering from addiction to prescription drugs. Our treatment programs are flexible, and after accessing your situation, we will come up with the best treatment plan for you. Contact us today and free yourself from drug addiction.
