Prescription Drug Abuse

Health → Substance Abuse Problems →

Basics

Summary
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Diagnosis and Tests
Prevention and Risk Factors
Treatments and Therapies

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Specifics

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Summary

If you take a medicine in a way that is different from what the doctor prescribed, it is called prescription drug abuse. It could be

Taking a medicine that was prescribed for someone else
Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to
Taking the medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. This might be crushing tablets and then snorting or injecting them.
Using the medicine for another purpose, such as getting high

Abusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. These include opioids, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.

Every medicine has some risk of side effects. Doctors take this into account when prescribing medicines. People who abuse these drugs may not understand the risks. The medicines may not be safe for them, especially at higher doses or when taken with other medicines.

NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Start Here

Prescription Drug Abuse (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Drug Testing (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Mental Health Screening (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Signs of Painkiller Abuse and Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

How Can Prescription Drug Misuse Be Prevented? (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

How Can Prescription Drug Addiction Be Treated? (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish
Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish
What to Do If Your Teen or Young Adult Has a Problem with Drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Specifics

Anabolic Steroids: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Benzodiazepines (Drug Enforcement Administration)
Stimulant ADHD Medications -- Methylphenidate and Amphetamines (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

Abuse of Prescription (Rx) Drugs Affects Young Adults Most (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Emergency Department Visits Involving Nonmedical Use of Central Nervous System Stimulants among Adults Aged 18 to 34 Increased between 2005 and 2011 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
Popping Pills: Prescription Drug Abuse in America (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF
State and Substate Estimates of Nonmedical Use of Prescription Pain Relievers (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Which Classes of Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Misused? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Drug Enforcement Administration
Food and Drug Administration
National Institute on Drug Abuse Also in Spanish
Partnership at Drugfree.org (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Teenagers

Depressants (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Misuse of Prescription Pain Relievers: The Buzz Takes Your Breath Away. Permanently. (Food and Drug Administration)
Prescription Drug Abuse (Nemours Foundation)
Prescription Drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Study Drugs (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
What to Do If You Have a Problem with Drugs: For Teens and Young Adults (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Patient Handouts

Substance use -- prescription drugs (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish