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Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse depend on the particular drug. The most commonly abused prescription drugs are:

• Opioid painkillers, such as oxycodone (OxyContin) and those containing hydrocodone (Vicodin)
• Sedatives and tranquilizers, such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan)
• Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), that are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sleep disorders

Prescription drug abuse symptoms

Other prescription drug abuse symptoms include:

• Stealing, forging or selling prescriptions
• Taking higher doses than prescribed
• Excessive mood swings
• Increase or decrease in sleep
• Poor decision making
• Appearing to be high, unusually energetic or revved up, or sedated
• Continually "losing" prescriptions, so more prescriptions must be written
• Seeking prescriptions from more than one doctor

When to see a doctor
Talk to your doctor if you think you may have a problem with prescription drug use. You may feel embarrassed to talk to your doctor about it — but remember that medical professionals are trained to help you, not judge you. Identifying prescription drug abuse as soon as possible is important. It's easier to tackle the problem early before it becomes an addiction and leads to more serious problems.

Helping a loved one
It can be difficult to approach your teen, family member or friend about prescription drug abuse. Denial and anger are common reactions, and you may be concerned about creating conflict or damaging your relationship with that person. Be understanding and patient. Let the person know that you care about his or her wellbeing. Encourage your loved one to be honest about his or her drug use and to accept help if needed.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Teens and adults abuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons. Some of these include:

• To feel good or get high
• To relax or relieve tension (painkillers and tranquilizers)
• To reduce appetite (stimulants)
• To experiment
• To be accepted by peers (peer pressure) or to be social
• To be safe — it's a false belief that prescription drugs are safer than street drugs
• To be legal — it's a mistaken thought that taking prescription drugs without a prescription is legal
• To feed an addiction

Obtaining prescription drugs
Most prescriptions are written for people who have a true medical need for these drugs. But many households have a drawer or cabinet filled with old prescription bottles containing leftover drugs. Because prescription drugs have medical uses, teens often believe these drugs are a safe alternative to street drugs.

In some cases, a doctor's prescription isn't even needed. Some countries don't require prescriptions for opioid painkillers or other commonly abused drugs, so they can be obtained from some websites without a prescription. Obtaining drugs online from pharmacies that don't require a prescription can be risky. Some websites sell counterfeit drugs that contain potentially dangerous substances.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Risk factors for prescription drug abuse include:

• Past or present addictions to other substances, including alcohol
• Younger age, specifically the teens or early 20s
• Exposure to peer pressure or a social environment where there's drug use
• Easy access to prescription drugs (such as working in a health care setting)
• Lack of knowledge about prescription drugs, or thinking that taking someone else's prescription drug is safe because it was prescribed by a doctor

Many people fear that they may become addicted to medications prescribed for legitimate medical conditions, such as painkillers prescribed after surgery. However, people who take potentially addictive drugs as prescribed rarely abuse prescription medications or become addicted.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Misusing prescription drugs can cause a number of problems. Prescription drugs can be especially dangerous when taken in high doses, when combined with other prescription medications, or when taken with alcohol or illegal drugs.

Direct consequences
The list below contains examples of some of the more serious consequences of prescription drug abuse.

• Opioid painkillers can cause an increased risk of choking, loss of menstrual periods and fertility, and a slowed breathing rate and potential for breathing to stop.
• Sedatives and tranquilizers can cause memory problems and abnormal body temperature. Overdose can cause coma or death.
• Stimulants can cause seizures or tremors, hallucinations, and increased risk of stroke.

Addiction
Because commonly abused prescription drugs activate the brain's reward center, it's easy to become addicted to them. People who are addicted continue to use a drug even when that drug makes their lives worse - just like people addicted to nicotine continue smoking cigarettes even when it harms their health and they want to quit.

Other consequences
In addition to medical problems and risk of addiction, consequences of prescription drug abuse can include sedation and poor judgment. Further consequences can range from motor vehicle accidents to decreased academic or work performance.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Your family doctor may be able to help you overcome a prescription drug abuse problem. However, if you have an addiction your family doctor may refer you to an addiction specialist or to a facility that specializes in helping people withdraw from drugs.

What you can do

• Make a list of all the medications you're taking, including the amount of medicine in each dose and how often you take each one
• Write down any symptoms you may be experiencing
• Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes

Questions to ask your doctor may include:

• What are my treatment options?
• Should I see a specialist?
• How can we manage my other health conditions during treatment?

What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and may ask some of the following questions:

• How long have you had this problem?
• What, if anything, prompted it?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• Do you have a past history of drug abuse or addiction?
• Has anyone in your family had a history of drug abuse or addiction?

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Doctors generally base a diagnosis of prescription drug abuse on a medical history and answers to other questions. In some cases, there are signs and symptoms that may also provide clues.

The use of many types of drugs can be detected by blood or urine tests. These types of tests can help track the progress of a person undergoing treatment.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Treatment options for prescription drug abuse vary.

Medications

• Opioid withdrawal. Buprenorphine (Buprenex, Subutex) or methadone may be used to ease the symptoms of withdrawal from opioid painkillers. However, the use of these medications to ease withdrawal from opioid addiction in the absence of pain problems is tightly regulated and subject to strict guidelines and at times special licensure. Other drugs — including clonidine (Catapres), a medication primarily used for high blood pressure — can be used to help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms.
• Sedative withdrawal. If you've used prescription sedatives for a long time, it may take weeks or even months to slowly taper off them. You may need other types of medications to stabilize your mood or help with anxiety, and you'll need to work closely with your doctor.
• Stimulant withdrawal. There are no approved drugs used for treating stimulant withdrawal. Treatment typically focuses on relieving withdrawal symptoms — such as sleep, appetite and mood disturbances.

Counseling
Counseling — whether it be individual, group or family counseling — is often useful. In addition to helping determine what factors may have led to the prescription drug abuse, counseling can also help people learn the skills needed to help prevent its recurrence.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Overcoming prescription drug abuse can be challenging and stressful and often requires the support of family, friends or organizations. Here's where to look for help:

• Family members or friends whom you can trust
• A 12-step program, such as Narcotics Anonymous
• Your church or religious organization
• Support groups, either on the Internet or in person
• Your employee assistance program, which may offer counseling services for substance abuse problems
• Healthy activities — choose activities that aren't focused on recreational substance use

Ask family members and friends for understanding
You may be embarrassed to ask for help, or may be afraid that your family members will be angry or judgmental. You may worry that your friends will distance themselves from you. But in the long run, the people who truly care about you will respect your honesty and your decision to ask for help.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Just being prescribed a medication doesn't put you at risk of abusing it or becoming addicted. Prescription drug abuse is rare in people who need painkillers, sedatives or stimulants to treat a medical condition. However, if you are taking a commonly abused drug, here are a few things you can do to decrease your risk:

• Make sure you're getting the right medication. When you see your doctor, make sure the doctor clearly understands your condition and the signs and symptoms it's causing. Ask your doctor whether there's an extended-release version of a medication or 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 for use carefully. Don't increase the dose of a medication on your own if it doesn't seem to be working — for example, if you are 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 the medication you're taking, so you know what to expect.
• Never use another person's prescription. Everyone's different. Even if you have a similar medical condition, it may not be the right medication or dose for you.

Preventing prescription drug abuse in teens
Young people are at especially high risk of prescription drug abuse. Follow these steps to help prevent your teen from abusing prescription medications:

• Discuss the dangers with your teen. 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 about your child's prescription medications. Let your teen know that it's not OK to share his or her medications with others — or to take medications prescribed for others. Let your teen know he or she needs to take the prescribed dose of medication and talk to the doctor before making changes.
• Keep your prescription drugs safe. Keep track of quantities and keep them in a locked medicine cabinet.
• Properly dispose of medications. Flush opioid painkillers down the toilet. However, it's unsafe to flush many other types of medications. Instead, take them out of their original containers and mix them with coffee grounds, used kitty litter or another undesirable substance. Then, place them in the trash. Before throwing away medicine bottles, remove the label or mark out any information such as your name, patient ID or prescription number.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.