What is the term for the body's response to long-term use of a drug?
Physical dependence (also called tolerance) is the body's response to long-term use. People who are physically dependent on a drug may need higher doses to get the same effects and may experience withdrawal symptoms when cutting back or abruptly stopping the drug.
What is prescription drug abuse?
Overview. Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug abuse or problematic use includes everything from taking a friend's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high.
What are the risk factors for prescription drug abuse?
Risk factors for prescription drug abuse include: Past or present addictions to other substances, including alcohol and tobacco. Family history of substance abuse problems. Certain pre-existing psychiatric conditions.
What are the pre-existing conditions of psychiatric patients?
Certain pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Exposure to peer pressure or a social environment where there's drug use. Easier access to prescription drugs, such as having prescription medications in the home medicine cabinet. Lack of knowledge about prescription drugs and their potential harm.
How to prevent accidental overdose?
Keep your prescription drugs safe. Keep track of drug quantities and keep them in a locked medicine cabinet. Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online.
Why are older adults at risk of drug abuse?
Having multiple health problems and taking multiple drugs can put seniors at risk of misusing drugs or becoming addicted.
Can prescription drugs cause death?
Prescription drugs can be especially dangerous — and even lead to death — when taken in high doses, when combined with other prescription drugs or certain over-the-counter medications, or when taken with alcohol or illegal or recreational drugs.