Over The Counter Drug Addiction - Treatment, Symptoms and Causes

Over the counter drug addiction is a real problem and an issue that plagues this society like any other form of addiction. While most OTC drugs are believed to be safe, some of these drugs have psychoactive properties, and are able to cause some to experience strange mild altering effects. This often acts as a trigger for the addiction, which can push the addict to use fake prescriptions, steal someone else’s medicine, use their prescription to purchase new medicines and all in the quest so that they can get high.

It is serious enough to be tagged as a separate addiction category, and often results in several thousand fatalities, each year. More often than not, users have been found dead as a result of overdosing themselves in OTC medication. OTC medication, in large doses can have harmful effects on your body and sadly, this often leads to fatalities, especially over prolonged usage. This is why it is essential that you help your loved one seek immediate treatment for their addiction to OTC drugs before it becomes too late.

Some of the root causes for the addiction could stem from discontent, stress and issues that causes anxiety. OTC drug addiction, like any other form of addiction is a disease, but one that is often compounded by the fact that prolonged usage of these drugs can actually lead to changes in the brain itself, which in turn makes it all the harder for the addict to break the cycle of addiction. This is why it is essential that you compel your loved one to seek treatment right away. You may be required to admit them at a rehab center for behavioural therapy, counselling as well as to detox the body of all the toxic effects of being addicted to over the counter drugs. You would also need to have the requisite patience to help provide support and help for your loved one, as they combat this pervasive form of drug addiction.

Some of the symptoms associated with OTC drug addiction happens to be –

• Change in personality; behavioural changes, including sudden and inexplicable behaviour, mood swings, irritation, agitation
• Depression; starts to disassociate himself from all those around him
• Physical changes include blurred sight, slurred speech, body shakes which can stem from fingers to other parts of the body.
• Spends inordinate amount of time at local pharmacies
• Fails to pay attention to the clothes they wear and starts to care less about personal hygiene as well

If you suspect that your loved one is addicted to OTC medication, then you need to get him admitted into a treatment program for the same right away. Initially, the addict will be admitted into a rehab facility where he will undergo rigorous treatment to help his body detox, and to assist him in combating the behavioural changes and withdrawal symptoms. After this, he would be given counselling, including cognitive behavioural therapy, which should help him kick his addiction for good. It is vital that you get your loved one admitted into a rehab at the earliest, before it becomes too late. More often than not, OTC addicts often turn to more hardcore drugs like heroin and cocaine.

It is vital that you get your loved one the effective treatment he needs, before he moves on to more hardcore substances to get his fix. It is essential that you handle the patient with patience and give him the love and support that he deserves, through this phase as he needs the same to make a complete recovery.

While there is no easy way to prevent loved ones from being addicted to one substance or another, various doctors recommend keeping a close watch on your loved ones to see if you can spot any behavioural changes which is often an indication of substance abuse. The one thing you can do is to ensure that your kids are educated about all the dangers of addiction, and the harm it can do to your health, so that they remain well informed about the dangers of substance abuse. It is important that you facilitate good communication between yourself and your kids so that you’ll have a good idea on what’s going on with them.

Some of the common withdrawal symptoms associated with OTC drug addiction happen to be –

• Being confused and disoriented
• Extreme mood swings within a short span of time
• Being inexplicably hostile to others for no reason at all
• Being depressed
• Sudden bouts of anxiety
• Feeling of something crawling along their extremities such as arms, legs
• Abdominal cramps,
• Headache
• Cotton mouth

These are some of the common withdrawal symptoms that’s associated with substance abuse, this is why it is vital that you get your loved one admitted to a rehab before getting him to quit his addiction so that he may receive adequate treatment to help him combat the withdrawal symptoms.