0% interest financing available (call for details)

Prescription drug abuse awareness increases every year as prescription drug abuse cases climb and grab national attention. Prescription drug abuse made the news again recently with the arrest of President Bush's niece for an allegedly illegal Xanax prescription. It would appear sometimes that celebrities go to rehab more for prescription drug abuse than even alcohol or cocaine.

Compared to illicit drugs, there is little research and studies on prescription drug abuse. This is due in part because prescription drug abuse often starts by treating a legitimate ailment and then warps into an obsession and addiction that overshadows its original purpose.

If you feel you have a problem with prescription drug abuse, Dr. Paul's at the Bay can help. Often those visiting our site already recognize that they or a loved one have a problem with prescription drug abuse. The following are some questions derived from a drug use questionnaire that is used to reveal usage problems:

1. Have you ever used prescription drugs other than for the prescribed purpose?
2. Can you go several days in a row without prescription drugs?
3. Has prescription drug abuse caused a problem with spouse, family or other loved one?
4. Do you feel guilty or ashamed about your prescription drug abuse?
5. Have you ever done anything illegal or lied to a doctor to get prescription drugs?
6. Have you ever felt physically sick when you tried to stop taking prescription drugs?

These questions are of course geared to help you recognize a prescription drug abuse problem even when a part of your mind wants to deny it and continue the downward spiral of abuse. Previous attempts to control or stop the abuse didn't succeed and you may now understand that you cannot do it alone. The fact is that if you are taking opioids or central nervous system depressants withdrawal symptoms can be very serious and life-threatening if not medically supervised.

We have successfully treated clients who suffered with prescription drug abuse in one or more of the three most popular categories.

Opioids are pain-relievers that include recognizable problem drugs such as morphine and codeine but many are surprised to learn that Vicodin, Demerol, Dilaudid, OxyContin, and Lomotil are all opioids as well and can lead to physical dependence, high tolerance and addiction.

Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders because they slow down mental processes to create drowsiness and calmness. Barbiturates and Quaaludes are part of this group as are the popular prescriptions Mebaral, Nembutal, Valium, Librium, Xanax, Halcion and ProSom. Prescription drug abuse of these medications can lead to high tolerance which makes discontinuing the drug dangerous in that it can lead to possible seizures or panic attacks and it is advised that withdrawal be medically supervised.

Stimulants have become less popular as a prescription because of their likelihood of abuse but are still used for narcolepsy, attention-deficit disorder, obesity and asthma. Street drugs like cocaine and speed have similar effects to their pharmaceutical counterparts Dexedrine, Ritalin, and Meridia. Though not as physically addicting as the other two types listed above, stimulants are abused compulsively and abuse can lead to hostility, paranoia and cardiovascular complications.

At Dr. Paul's at the Bay, prescription drug abuse is treated like the serious disease it is. We offer proven techniques to conquer this illness and help to free yourself of the burden of prescription drug abuse.

Give us a call today, we're standing waiting to answer your questions.