Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding

Drawing from personal experience, this newly revised third edition delves into the most widely abused narcotic in the U.S.prescription drugs. The book offers help to those suffering from this type of addiction as well as their families. Topics discussed include dynamics of addiction and the newest treatment options, who is at risk for addiction, why more teens are abusing prescription drugs, the symptoms of withdrawal, and methods of intervention for family members. Also included are personal stories from addicts who describe their journeys into recovery. These anecdotes are accompanied by advice from addiction medicine specialists. Americans, it seems, have a history of self-medicating for pain. The high profile and increasingly widespread cases of prescription pain medication abuse that we're seeing today serve as the latest chapter in America's long-standing love/hate relationship with painkilling drugs. In this fascinating, informative, and timely book, Dr. Drew Pinsky and other leading experts in the fields of addiction and recovery discuss why Americans are using drugs such as OxyContin and Vicodin, how American's used and abused other painkillers in the past, what makes some people vulnerable to addiction, and how to get help for yourself or a family member in trouble with drugs. Prescription drug addiction is now one of the nation's most serious drug problems. More Americans are abusing controlled prescription drugs more than cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and heroin combined. With the exception of marijuana, prescription painkillers are the most widely abused drug in the U.S. Many who are addicted to prescription drugs are "unwitting addicts"they have no history of drug abuse, but become addicted after taking a drug for legitimate reasons. Rod Colvin understands this problem. His 35-year old brother died as a result of his long-term addiction to painkillers and tranquilizers. Drawing from his personal experience and his background as a counselor, Colvin offers help to those suffering from addiction as well as their families. In this new, third edition, Colvin discusses dynamics of addiction and the newest treatment options; he also offers compelling personal stories from addicts who describe their journeys into recovery. These anecdotes are accompanied by advice from addiction medicine specialists. The Book Answers These Questions: How does addiction "rewire" the brain? What are the symptoms of addiction? Who's at risk for addiction? Why are more teens abusing prescription drugs? When does proper medical use of a drug turn into addiction? What happens if the drugs are stopped abruptly? What are the symptoms of withdrawal? What is the difference between addiction and physical dependence? What are the top 20 most-abused prescription drugs? How Can You Leave Prescription Drugs Behind? Read stories of recovery from individuals who are in recovery Learn how they become addicted Find out how they made it into recovery &Colvin, Rod is the author of 'Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding', published 2008 under ISBN 9781886039889 and ISBN 1886039887.