Signs and symptoms of prescription drug addiction

Prescription drug addiction is a serious medical condition that can affect anyone. If you or someone you know is struggling with a prescription addiction Life Works can help. We understand that prescription drug addictions often start with a prescription to treat a real problem and then slowly escalates into an addiction.

Once the addiction takes hold, people may visit multiple doctors, steal medication and lie to family to ensure they get the prescription they want. When someone is so focused on an addiction, they may neglect work, family and friends in order to focus more time and attention on a growing addiction.

Common symptoms of painkiller addiction

• Your continue to take medication after it is needed
• You have may lie or exaggerate pain or other complaints to get the medication you want
• You go to different doctors "doctor shopping" trying to get medication
• You go to different chemists to get more medication than you are allowed to buy
• You use online pharmacies to get drugs that you were not prescribed of you do not need
• You hide prescriptions bottles and packaging from friends and family
• You hide your drug usage from friends and family
• Your medication may leave you confused or groggy
• You use your medication to escape from reality
• You are having money problems because you are spending money on drugs, neglecting work or borrowing to fund the addiction
• You spend large amounts of time thinking about how to get more drugs
• You are neglecting friends and family to spend more time procuring or using drugs
• You spend less time doing the things you love like hobbies, spending time with friends and going out
• You do things that might be against your morals like stealing or cheating on a partner
• You withdraw from others and society
• Your home like and or work life has suffered as you neglect tasks and spend less time doing things that do not revolve around drugs

Symptomatic denial

Denial is a common prescription drug addiction symptom. You may deny that you have a problem both to yourself and to others, by:

• Downplaying the consequences of your prescription drug addiction.
• Telling others that they are overreacting when they confront you about your prescription drug usage.
• Hiding your prescription drug usage from friends and family.
• Lying to yourself or others about how much medication you take.
• Blaming stress or other people for your drug usage.

If you think that you or someone you know may have a prescription addiction, please feel free to contact Life Works in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help.