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Most times after using prescription medicine for a while, and the condition it was supposed to deal with appears not to be disappearing, some people are tempted and actually overdose.
This is in the hope that more medication will deal with the problem rapidly and more effectively. Unbeknown to them, the behaviour could snowball into an addiction to prescription medicine.
An overdose is a biological response when the human body receives too much of a substance or mix of substances and it can either be intentional or accidental. It is of immense importance to point out, from the onset, that overdosing is not allowed and it can lead to death. In some cases, patients feel that the original dosage no longer works, and progressively increase their dose, building tolerance that eventually leads to dependency.
Commonly abused drugs are depressants which affect the central nervous system, (CNS). They include Benzodiazepines, Opioids and alcohol. These depressants lower blood pressure and body temperature, and slow the heart rate and eventually breathing.
This is why they cause sedating effects, which in turn results in the reduction of anxiety and increase in a calm and euphoric effect. When consumed in high dosages depressants can lead to adverse side effects such as overdose, coma, respiratory failure or even death.
In some other cases, a patient finds that when they no longer need the drug that has been prescribed by a physician, they experience such intense withdrawal symptoms that they continue taking it.
It is also true that a significant number of those who abuse prescription medicine do not have valid medical prescriptions, pointing to lapses in dispensing outlets. For teenagers, for instance, easy access to their parents’ medicine cabinets could be the first step towards the dependence on this medication.
Other times those looking for an easy high or rapid relief from psychological pain, or sometimes even simple good night’s sleep may self-medicate. This may be by way of borrowing or stealing a loved one’s prescription. There are people who also lie to get access to prescription drugs, especially given that some mental health conditions such as anxiety and insomnia are diagnosed based on their symptoms.
There are cases of those who also self-diagnose to get medication which they ultimately end up abusing. For example, someone who wants to stay up all night studying might say to their medic they have symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to get medication used to treat the ailment.
Alternatively, another individual who struggles with the usual concentration challenges we all sometimes face might misdiagnose themselves with ADHD. If the doctor does not carefully screen them for symptoms, they might end up with a potentially addictive prescription drug that they do not actually need.
Medics thus need to be very keen so as not to facilitate abuse of these drugs, especially in cases where there are no clear medical records among their patients.
— Mwangi is Manager Corporate Communications while Twala is Manager Counselling and Rehabilitation at NACADA
