NCJ Number
165944
Date Published
1995
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Individuals addicted to prescription medications represent a significant percentage of persons seeking drug treatment; they share some common characteristics but can also be differentiated into several subtypes.
Abstract
A survey of 100 Texas drug treatment programs revealed that 5-10 percent of the clients were addicted mainly to prescription medications. Persons addicted to prescription drugs were primarily female aged 50 or older. A review of more than 200 persons in drug treatment who were addicted to prescription medications revealed six distinct subgroups. Each subgroup presents a different clinical picture and has special problems to be addressed in treatment. Pure iatrogenic individuals use only the medications prescribed by their physician and take them exactly as prescribed. Iatrogenic pain avoiders have used on prescribed medications, but not as prescribed. Iatrogenically impaired professionals have easy access to medications and begin to take them without true medical need. Iatrogenic drug-euphoria motivated persons gradually begin to use the drug not only to treat a medical disorder but also to obtain an enjoyable intoxicated condition. Those dependent on alcohol as well as prescription medications initially come to treatment for alcoholism. Street drug manipulators use prescription medications exclusively to become high. The pure iatrogenic and the iatrogenic pain avoiders do not respond well to the prevalent treatment models. Matching individuals to treatment requires attention to both initiating and maintaining functions of the use of prescription medications. 22 references