Medication abuse – Are you abusing your medicine?

What is drug abuse?

It is estimated that about 100,000 people in Denmark have a drug addiction. It can be an abuse of anything from common painkillers to prescription sedatives. Either way, drug abuse is a slippery slope, so if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from drug dependence, it is also important to act as soon as possible.

The vast majority of people, of course, have a good reason for using various forms of medication. It is therefore important to emphasise that there is a difference between drug use and drug misuse. We’ll look at that in more detail later in this article.

As a family member, it can be difficult to determine whether a person is using or abusing, and if the latter, the addict is likely to try to hide it. As a relative, you may feel powerless and find it difficult to talk to the addict about the problem.

The same goes for those who actually abuse medicines: it’s hard to admit that there’s a problem and that you need help, but this realisation is the first step on the road to an addiction-free life.

Whether you or someone you know needs residential treatment, we can help. Contact us by phone +45 48 40 40 60, or send an email to sikkerpost@alfa-fredensborg.dk if you want to know more about drug addiction treatment.

What defines a drug addiction?

Drug abuse is when you take medicine to achieve some kind of high. Similarly, taking medication to keep problems at bay can be classified as addiction, as can alcohol and drug abuse.

Typically, the medication will play a central role in your daily life if you have an addiction and cravings for the drug(s) in question will be widespread. If you try to stop taking the drug, you will probably experience some form of withdrawal, so it is important to be aware of withdrawal treatment if you are to be successful in your withdrawal.

Addiction to pills can have serious consequences and result in social problems, for example. Similarly, you can develop physical ailments as a result of overuse of various preparations, just as many forms of medication can affect you psychologically.

What are drugs and what are medicines?

When people talk about “addiction”, they immediately think of drugs or alcohol. However, you can also be dependent on many other things – including medicines. The basic difference between drugs and medicines is that the primary purpose of medicines is to correct a disease or disorder, whereas drugs are more intended to affect one’s mental state or bodily sensations.

In some cases, there is a fine line between being a drug and being a medicine, as there are many medicines that – like drugs – can change your state of mind. Similarly, there are examples of euphoriants which, when used correctly, can be used medically to treat both mental and physical disorders.

So when you ask the question “what are drugs?”, the answer depends on how a drug is used. For example, a drug like ketamine was originally developed for anaesthetic use, but today it is widely used as a narcotic, so it can fall into both the “drugs” and “medicines” categories.

What is abuse and what is consumption?

Many people have to take medicines every day for long periods of their lives and perhaps even for life. Of course, this does not mean that you have an addiction. On the other hand, you have a necessary consumption of medication, and even if you have a drug dependence, it is not an abuse.

For there to be abuse, consumption must be inappropriate in some way. For example, because the addict does not really need the drug, but takes it to achieve some kind of high.

Similarly, a person may have a problematic drug dependence if they take a larger dose of medication than necessary.

If you are in doubt about whether you have a problem, you can always talk to your doctor about your use/abuse of medicines.

What is addiction?

The very word “addiction” can be understood in two ways. On the other hand, you may be dependent on medication because you suffer from an illness that requires constant treatment. This can be an addiction in the most literal sense of the word, where you really can’t do without your medication.

Another form of addiction is when you get used to taking various drugs – typically over a long period of time – that you don’t really need. Once you’ve become addicted to medication, you’ll probably feel that you can’t live without it, but in reality it’s “just” about weaning your body off. This type of addiction can be compared to alcohol or drug abuse.

The question “what is addiction?” has a two-fold answer, as it can be both a necessary and an unnecessary addiction, so to speak.

What kinds of medicines can you be addicted to?

You can become addicted to almost any medicine. This applies to both prescription medicines and ordinary medicines that can be bought over the counter. Either way, it’s something that needs to be taken seriously.

Usually, pill abuse is divided into the following three categories:

1. Abuse of prescription painkillers
2. Abuse of prescription sedatives
3. Abuse of over-the-counter medicines.

As well as many people with pill addiction getting prescription drugs, some also supplement with black market pills.
Below, we will review a number of the types of medications that many people develop an addiction to.
If you have any doubts about whether you or someone you know is dependent on medication, you can always contact us on +45 48 40 40 60 or by email at sikkerpost@alfa-fredensborg.dk.