PA Pills Anonymous For Prescription Drug Addiction

**Currently, Canada does not have Pills Anonymous groups. However, the danger of prescription drug abuse is prevalent and begs to be addressed.

Prescription drugs can be life savers to those who need them. Recommended dosages of these medications allow for some physical pains and mental challenges to be alleviated.  Danger arises, however, when an individual begins abusing pills that are prescribed to better his or her health.

Because a person is given medication by a medical professional, addiction can be hard to spot. After all, the individual is supposed to take these pills. The difference between a medical regimen and substance abuse is a fine line. As a result, addiction can sneak up on anybody.

An outside friend or family member may identify prescription pill abuse first. Still, it is common to debate this assumption because addictive pills are often prescribed to offset pain.

If curious about the pill use and possible abuse of a loved one, there are some signs that can guide further research on the issue.

Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse

When monitoring someone’s pill use, these signs may indicate addiction:

– An individual goes through medication quicker than expected.
– He or she may not take medication in front of others and avoid showing anyone how many pills are in his or her possession.
– There may be denial about taking pills, in addition to making up excuses for abnormal behaviour.

Once an individual begins taking more medication than prescribed, addiction sets in.  Like other forms of addiction, it is incredibly hard to reverse this cycle. An individual may need outside support to make necessary lifestyle changes.

Finding Help for Prescription Pill Addition

Canada does not currently have any Pills Anonymous groups. For this type of addiction, however, a 12 step program can be more than beneficial. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) caters to the needs of individuals addicted to prescriptions drugs. Continue to explore recovery options by researching NA meetings throughout Canada. http://www.canaacna.org/english/meetings.php.

People with addictions to prescription medications abuse pills that are meant to assist natural health functions. NA welcomes all people who acknowledge this destructive behaviour and want to work towards recovery.

Here are additional resources to assist research of recovery options:

– http://www.na.org/admin/include/spaw2/uploads/pdf/litfiles/us_english/misc/Why%20Are%20We%20Here.pdf
– http://addicthelp.org/addictive-drugs/living-with-a-prescription-drug-addict/

Misusing prescription drugs is an incredibly easy trap to fall into – especially for people with disabilities. Taking many types of medication is hard to keep track of, but it is wise to monitor dosage and use carefully. Those who develop addictions to prescription pills are not alone. It takes tremendous courage to seek support and recovery, but being free of pill dependency is ideal for maintaining a high quality of life.

Image made available by TheRogue on Flickr through Creative Common Licenses.