Using a prescription medicine in a way not intended by the prescriber can lead to drug abuse. Learn about risk factors and treatment for drug misuse.
About 20% of the U.S. population has abused prescription meds. Learn more about what defines an addiction and which drugs people get addicted to.
This WebMD slideshow features pictures of commonly abused prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including depressants, pain relievers, and stimulants.
Recreational use of prescription drugs is a serious problem with teens and young adults. National studies show that a teen is more likely to have abused a prescription drug than an illegal street drug. Many teens think prescription drugs are safe because they were prescribed by a doctor. But taking them for nonmedical use to get high or “self-medicate” can be just as dangerous and addictive as taking illegal street drugs. There are very serious health risks in taking prescription drugs. This...
Prescription drug addiction is always accidental. Whether occurring by taking medication as prescribed or recreational abuse, overcoming it can be difficult.
February 15, 2014 · 2:18 PM ET · By Leana Wen ; On the surface, the 39-year-old construction worker looks like any other patient with back pain. He came to the Washington, D.C., emergency room, where I work, in severe discomfort after moving heavy cinder blocks a few days before. The pain gets worse with twisting and bending, but he has no numbness or weakness in his legs. There's no tenderness along his spine, no difficulty urinating, no fever, so there's nothing to suggest a fracture, infection, spinal cord mass or anything other than a mus ...
The rate of heroin use is up, and federal data show that nearly 80 percent of people using it had previously abused prescription painkillers. The drugs have similar effects, and curbing painkiller...
Moreover, a consumer culture amenable to “taking a pill for what ails you” and the... drug abuse. Prescription drug abuse is not a new problem, but one that deserves renewed attention....
There are several different types of detox options available for individuals struggling with prescription pill abuse. Depending on the type of medications, the duration of one’s use, the frequency of one’s use and the amount abused, different types of detox may be recommended. One option is for individuals who undergo detox at home and simply quit using pill “cold turkey.” This can be manageable for some individuals with minor pill use, alth ...
Facts and data about prescription drug abuse and misuse nationwide, including opioids and opioid derivatives, such as fentanyl.