The Vast Majority of ER Visits are Caused by Prescription Painkillers

A report that was recently published by JAMA Internal Medicine revealed that 68 percent of visits to the ER for overdose concerns were caused by prescription pills in the last ten years. This means that pills and medicines being prescribed by doctors to combat pain are actually causing people to become addicted which might result in overdosing more than any other form of drugs.

Why is this happening?

No matter what anybody’s personal opinion on the matter is, the fact remains that these numbers prove there is a crisis at hand which demands immediate attention. It is very easy for doctors to prescribe medication, the ones that are produced by big corporations – but eventually lead to drug problems and addiction amongst patients. Since these drugs are commercially, medically and legally distributed, patients being prescribed painkillers and other pills do not realize the potentially life-ending consequences of taking these pills, especially since doctors simply encourage their usability rather than properly educate their patients.As more and more of these drugs are prescribed to patients in the Western world, it is evident that we are now suffering from a problem that is being done out in the open and is being funded by big rich corporations who profit from people becoming addicted to their drugs.

How to combat the problem

Providing extensive information on the risk of using of these drugs due to their addictive qualities should be a standard practiced amongst prescribing doctors. There needs to be a concrete system of not only educating patients but also keeping a check and an eye out for signs of addiction. Medical authorities and communities alike need to make this effort. Families and communities should be educated on the prescription painkiller addiction epidemic, securing a better opportunity to prevent unnecessary overdoses.Picking up on the signs indicating a prescription drug addiction is made difficult under the guise of legality. Basic warning signs are: running out of pills more frequently than the prescription allows; minor withdrawal symptoms such as discomfort, pain, or an advertised need for a pill; taking more pills than prescribed; change in behavior, reactive states and attitude; sudden financial struggle or need for money more often; frequent changing of doctors and/or pharmacies.Suffering from prescription drug addiction is a problem. We have a solution. Call The Last Resort today for information on our addiction treatment programs. 512-750-6750.