Prescription drug abuse is the misuse or overuse of prescription medications that are intended to treat medical conditions. Prescription drugs are powerful and effective in treating various medical conditions, but they can also be addictive and can lead to serious health problems if not used properly.

Commonly abused prescription drugs include opioids, stimulants, and sedatives. Opioids are prescribed for pain relief, stimulants are prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy, and sedatives are prescribed for anxiety or sleep disorders.

The misuse of prescription drugs can have serious consequences, including addiction, overdose, and even death. People who abuse prescription drugs may experience a range of physical and psychological symptoms, such as drowsiness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, and slowed heart rate.

To prevent prescription drug abuse, it is important to use prescription medications only as directed by a healthcare provider and to never share or sell prescription drugs. It is also important to properly dispose of unused medications to prevent them from being misused or abused by others.

If you or someone you know is struggling with prescription drug abuse, it is important to seek help. Treatment options for prescription drug abuse may include detoxification, rehabilitation, counseling, and support groups. A healthcare provider can provide guidance and referrals to appropriate treatment options.

Teens and adults abuse prescription drugs for many reasons, such as:

• To feel good or get high
• To relax or relieve tension
• To reduce appetite or increase alertness
• To experiment with the mental effects of the substance
• To maintain an addiction and prevent withdrawal
• To be accepted by peers or to be social
• To try to improve concentration and academic or work performance

Prescription drug abuse may occur in people who need painkillers, sedatives or stimulants to treat a medical condition. If you're taking a commonly abused drug, here are ways to reduce your risk:

• Make sure you're getting the right medication. Make sure your doctor clearly understands your condition and the signs and symptoms. Tell your doctor about all your prescriptions, as well as over-the-counter medications, herbs and supplements, and alcohol and other drug use. Ask your doctor whether there's an alternative medication with ingredients that have less potential for addiction.
• Check in with your doctor. Talk with your doctor on a regular basis to make sure that the medication you're taking is working and you're taking the right dose.
• Follow directions carefully. Use your medication the way it was prescribed. Don't stop or change the dose of a drug on your own if it doesn't seem to be working without talking to your doctor. For example, if you're taking a pain medication that isn't adequately controlling your pain, don't take more.
• Know what your medication does. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the effects of your medication, so you know what to expect. Also check if other drugs, over-the-counter products or alcohol should be avoided when taking this medication.
• Never use another person's prescription. Everyone is different. Even if you have a similar medical condition, it may not be the right medication or dose for you.
• Don't order prescriptions online unless they're from a trustworthy pharmacy. Some websites sell counterfeit prescription and nonprescription drugs that could be dangerous.

Preventing prescription drug abuse in teens

Prescription drugs are commonly misused substances by young people. Follow these steps to help prevent your teen from abusing prescription medications.

• Discuss the dangers. Emphasize to your teen that just because drugs are prescribed by a doctor doesn't make them safe — especially if they were prescribed to someone else or if your child is already taking other prescription medications.
• Set rules. Let your teen know that it's not OK to share medications with others — or to take drugs prescribed for others. Emphasize the importance of taking the prescribed dose and talking with the doctor before making changes.
• Discuss the dangers of alcohol use. Using alcohol with medications can increase the risk of accidental overdose.
• Keep your prescription drugs safe. Keep track of drug quantities and keep them in a locked medicine cabinet.
• Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online. Some websites sell counterfeit and dangerous drugs that may not require a prescription.
• Properly dispose of medications. Don't leave unused or expired drugs around. Check the label or patient information guide for disposal instructions, or ask your pharmacist for advice on disposal.

Treatment options for prescription drug abuse vary, depending on the type of drug used and your needs. But counseling, or sometimes psychotherapy, is typically a key part of treatment. Treatment may also require withdrawal (detoxification), addiction medication and recovery support.

Counseling

A licensed alcohol and drug counselor or other addiction specialist can provide individual, group or family counseling. This can help you:

• Determine what factors may have led to the prescription drug abuse, such as an underlying mental health problem or relationship problems
• Learn the skills needed to resist cravings, avoid abuse of drugs and help prevent recurrence of prescription drug problems
• Learn strategies for developing positive relationships
• Identify ways to become involved in healthy activities that aren't related to drugs
• Learn the steps to take if a relapse happens

Withdrawal

Depending on the prescription drug and usage, detoxification may be needed as part of treatment. Withdrawal can be dangerous and should be done under a doctor's care.

• Opioid withdrawal. Opioid tapering involves gradually decreasing the dose of medication until it's no longer used. Other medications — such as clonidine (Catapres), a drug mainly used for high blood pressure — can help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine, buprenorphine with naloxone (Suboxone) or methadone may be used by doctors under specific, legally regulated and monitored conditions to ease symptoms of withdrawal from opioid painkillers. Drugs given by injection once a month by a health care provider may help people stay off opioids during their recovery. Examples include Vivitrol, a preparation of the drug naltrexone, or Sublocade, a preparation of the drug buprenorphine.
• Withdrawal from anti-anxiety medications and sedatives. If you've used prescription sedatives or anti-anxiety drugs for a long time, it may take weeks to slowly taper off them. Because of withdrawal symptoms, it can take that long for your body to adjust to low doses of the medication and then get used to taking none at all. You may need other types of medication to stabilize your mood, manage the final phases of tapering or help with anxiety. You'll need to work closely with your doctor.
• Stimulant withdrawal. There are no FDA-approved drugs used for treating stimulant withdrawal. Treatment typically focuses on tapering off the medication and relieving withdrawal symptoms — such as sleep problems, tiredness and depression.