Prescription Painkiller Addiction: High Risks for Women
Painkiller addiction is a problem that swept the nation over the past decade and continues to rise in significance every year. For men and women, teenagers and the elderly, prescription drug addiction is a huge problem, resulting in thousands of deaths due to overdose or related accident every year. Women, however, are one of the groups at highest risk to develop prescription painkiller addiction. Why is this the case and how can we treat this issue?
Why Women are at High Risk for Prescription Drug Addiction
Statistically, women are twice as likely to develop an addiction to prescription drugs like sedatives and painkillers because they are two to three times more likely to be prescribed these drugs than are men. Why are women prescribed highly addictive drugs like Valium, Xanax and Klonopin more often than men? Because they are more likely to seek medical help for emotional issues than are men.
Acute emotional issues related to a specific, traumatic event (i.e., death of a family member, loss of a relationship, loss of a job, sexual abuse) commonly result in an addictive prescription and women are more likely than men to seek that out. Chronic emotional issues that result in depression are another problem that results in addictive prescriptions and an issue that women seek help for more often than do men.
Prescription Drug Addiction is Deadly
For women and men, prescription drug addiction is a deadly disease. If you or someone you love is physically and psychologically dependent upon a prescription painkiller or sedative, it is imperative that you seek a doctor’s assistance. Attempting to quit “cold turkey” without stepping down slowly over time without medical supervision can be just as deadly as continuing to take the drug.
Overdose is a constant concern for those taking prescription medications, even if they have been addicted for years. Accidents related to overuse and abuse of prescription sedatives and painkillers is one of the most common reasons for emergency room visits. More deadly than any other single addictive drug, addiction to prescription painkillers and sedatives requires immediate and full service treatment at a prescription drug rehab.
Women and Prescription Drug Rehab
Even though women are more likely to go to the doctor when they are struggling with emotional issues, they are less likely than men to seek drug rehab or treatment once they realize that they are dangerously dependent on a drug of addiction. This means that though the numbers of men and women seeking medical treatment at a drug rehab facility for prescription drug addiction are about the same, there are a large number of women out in the world trying desperately to function with a painkiller or sedative addiction unnecessarily.
If you or a someone you love is living with OxyContin addiction, Percocet addiction, hydrocodone addiction, oxycodone addiction or addiction to sedatives or a combination of drugs, get help today. Call The Orchid to find a prescription drug rehab designed specifically to assist women living with addiction.