Most of the time people go to a doctor to get some medication for pain relief and ironically these painkillers that are prescribed by a doctor can turn to be vicious tool of addiction. Painkillers are sometimes called narcotics or opiates and they provide an intoxicating high when they are taken in high doses orally or injected into the body. These pain pills work as strong anxiety relievers and give an individual a feeling of high or euphoria. This fact about painkillers makes them one of the commonly abused drugs in the U.S.
When people take these drugs for sole medical purpose of relieving pain short term, then it is unlikely for a patient to become addicted. However, when these prescription painkillers are taken for long periods of time without the proper guidance of a doctor then there are high chances of a person getting addicted to them. These drugs give a person an instant high or feeling euphoria when they are taken and this property of painkillers make them highly addictive, as well as dangerous.
Painkiller Addiction Statistics
According to studies and health surveys painkiller addiction in adults age 18 or above us estimated at 37%. Apart from age – gender difference also plays an important role in the trend. Addiction in men is seen twice as high as in women (.49 percent compared to .26% respectively). The lowest rate of addiction is seen in people over the age of 64 (.09%) and the highest rate under the age of 30 (.29%).
Rehab Programs for Painkillers
As mentioned above, painkiller addiction is destructive and can snatch away all semblance of normal life from an individual. This is why prescription drug rehab and an aftercare program for this problem is mandatory to get rid of this dark web and get back on the road of recovery and health. Rehab programs are available as both inpatient and outpatient programs and includes counseling session, group therapy, 12 step program and cognitive behavior therapy.