Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Dangers Of Dependence On Drugs

Prescription painkillers are often a necessary part of treatment following surgery or injury. However, when not used correctly, they can become very dangerous drugs. Possession and use of these painkillers without a proper prescription is not only illegal, it can also lead to an addiction that is just as life-threatening and hard to break as an addiction to any other illegal narcotic.


Withdrawal


Certain popular painkillers can become addicting frighteningly fast. They work by preventing the brain from secreting certain chemicals in order to block the pain they are treating. This feeling becomes almost euphoric, and soon the body feels it cannot function without this effect. It is because of this that painkiller addiction is so dangerous and hard to break. In some of the more powerful medicines, dangerous withdrawal symptoms can begin to occur in as little as six hours from the last dose. The withdrawal is painful, and can include muscle spasms, chills, vomiting and panic attacks. Furthermore, if the use of painkillers is too great, sudden stopping--often referred to as "going cold turkey"--can lead to seizures and heart damage, which are just as dangerous as continued addiction.


Effects on the Body


Painkillers are extremely powerful drugs and as such aren't meant to be taken in large quantities. Because of this, an addiction to them can quickly lead to negative side effects that wouldn't be seen with normal use. Heart palpitations and slower breathing are quick to occur. On their own these are extremely dangerous conditions, but when mixed with the additional, more traditional side effects such as sickness and depression the results can be fatal. Often painkiller addicts will slip into a coma or even die without warning.


Acetaminophen Overdose


One of the primary ingredients of prescription painkillers is the chemical acetaminophen. This is the same pain-reducing agent found in common over-the-counter pain relief medication. However in prescription-level painkillers it is present in extremely large amounts along with other pain-numbing chemicals. Acetaminophen in the amounts found in painkillers isn't meant for heavy consumption. Too much of it can cause irreparable liver damage that can lead to death within days. Other results of acetaminophen overdose include convulsions, jaundice and severe internal pain.









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