While many prescription drugs can be abused or misused, these 3 classes are most commonly abused:
Opioids
What It Is: These drugs are commonly prescribed because of their effective analgesic or pain relieving properties. If taken exactly as prescribed, opioids can be used to manage pain effectively. Among the drugs that fall within this class, sometimes referred to as narcotics, are morphine, codeine, and related drugs.
Morphine- Used before or after surgery to alleviate pain.
Codeine- Used for milder pain
Other examples of opioids that can be prescribed to alleviate pain include oxycodone (OcyCotin-an oral, time release form of the drug); propoxyphene (Darvon); hydrocodone (Vicodin); hydromorphone (Dilaudid); and meperidine (Demerol), which is used less often because of its side effects.
Type of Drug: Prescribed Opioid (Narcotic) Drugs
Method of Use: Pills usually taken orally, but some pills are crushed and snorted.
What It Does: In addition to relieving pain, opioid drugs can effect regions of the brain that controls what we perceive as pleasure, resulting in the initial euphoria (a feeling of extreme happiness) that many opioids produce. They can also produce drowsiness, cause constipation, and, depending upon the amount of the drug taken, depress breathing.
Health Risks: Opioids will interact with other drugs and are only safe to use with other drugs under a physician’s supervision. (WARNING: Opioids should not be used with substances such as alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazephines. These drugs slow down breathing, and their combined effects could risk life-threatening respiratory depression.) Long-term use of this type of drug could lead to physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. Withdrawal symptoms may include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia (inability to sleep), diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and involuntary leg movements.
Legal Status: Legal in the United States when prescribed by a doctor and used as directed
Central
Nervous System Depressants
What It Is: These prescription drugs slow down normal brain function. They are divided into 2 groups, based on their chemistry and pharmacology (the science dealing with the effects of drugs on living organisms):
Barbiturates: This includes Mebaral and Nembutal, used to treat anxiety, tension, and sleep disorders.
Benzodiazepines: such as Diazepam (Valium), Chlordiazepoxide (Librium), and Alprazolam (Xanax), which can be prescribed to treat anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic attacks. Benzodiazepines that have a more sedating effect, such as Triazolam (Halcion) and Estazolam (Prosom) can be prescribed for short-term treatment of sleep disorders.
Type of Drug: Prescribed Central Nervous System Depressant Drugs
Method of Use: Pills taken orally
What It Does: Although different classes of central nervous system depressants work in unique ways, ultimately this drug produces a drowsy or calming effect. Despite these beneficial effects for people suffering from anxiety or sleeping disorders, barbiturates and benzodizepines can be addictive and should be used only as prescribed.
Health Risks: (WARNING: Central nervous system depressants should not be combined with any medication or substance that causes sleepiness, including prescription pain medicines, certain over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, or alcohol. The effects of the drugs can combine to slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, which can be fatal.) Discontinuing prolonged use of high doses of central nervous system depressants will lead to withdrawal. Because they work by slowing the brain’s activity, a potential consequence of abuse is that when one stops taking this type of drug the brain’s activity can rebound to the point that seizures may occur. Therefore, it is very important for a person who is thinking about ending their use of the drug to speak with a physician or seek medical treatment.
Legal Status: Legal in the United States when prescribed by a doctor and used as directed
Central
Nervous System Stimulants
What It Is: A class of drugs that enhance brain activity causing an increase in alertness, attention, and energy that is accompanied by increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. They are now prescribed for treating only a few health conditions such as narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression that has not responded to other treatments. Stimulants may also be used for short-term treatment of obesity, and for patients with asthma.
Type of Drug: Prescribed Central Nervous System Stimulant Drugs
Method of Use: Pills taken orally
What It Does: These drugs increase blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, increases blood glucose, and opens up the pathways of the respiratory system. In addition, they cause a sense of euphoria (a feeling of extreme happiness). (WARNING: Research indicates that people with ADHD do not become addicted to stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, when taken in the form prescribed and at treatment dosages. However, when misused, stimulants can be addictive).
Health Risks: The consequences of stimulant abuse can be extremely dangerous. Taking high doses of a stimulant can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or lethal seizures. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia (a mental disorder characterized by delusions causing a person to feel like someone is out to get them or talking about them) in some individuals. Stimulants should not be mixed with antidepressants or over-the-counter cold medicines containing decongestants. This would enhance the effects of a stimulant and cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular heart rhythms.
Legal Status: Legal in the United States when prescribed by a doctor and used as intended
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