Addiction to Medication: When do you seek help?

What drugs are the highest risk of addiction, how to recognize the first signs and what to do if you feel that you can no longer live without them, Harry Jakavičius, a medical doctor at the Center for Addictive Diseases.

– How many prescription drugs are prevalent in Lithuania?

– Basically, it remains tendentally high – the number of applicants is not decreasing, although the tendency should decrease, as control mechanisms are stricter when it comes to prescribing medication and the consciousness of doctors is improving. At the same time, the stigma is decreasing, there are increasing opportunities for treatment, so more and more patients are seeking existing problems with the use of medicines.

– What drugs are the highest risk of addiction?

– There are several groups of medicines that cause addiction for long periods of time. The largest group is made up of anxiety medicines – inhibitory, sedatives. Mostly patients taking these medicines are referred to such addiction. We also have patients seeking medication used to relieve pain.

Ž. Photo by Gedvila / ELTA

– What are the first signs that a person becomes dependent on medication?

– Medicines are usually prescribed for specific symptoms – anxiety, sleep disorders or the like. However, the patient starts taking them regularly and sometimes at higher doses than prescribed. When there is a mild anxiety or sleep, it feels that the usual dose no longer helps and starts taking more. When the drugs end and the person no longer has them, the body, accustomed to a constant dose, sends signals: anxiety, sleep disorders, tremor, sweating – symptoms that cause great discomfort. This is one of the first signs that a person is accustomed to those drugs.

The psychological effect occurs when a person feels that they can no longer suppress these symptoms, as the symptoms disappear after taking the tablet and psychological fears automatically appear without pills. As I mentioned, the ability to get such drugs is not easy due to the tightening control mechanisms, which results in symptoms that are difficult for the patient to lift and remain calm.

– Is it possible to become addicted to medication even following the doctor’s instructions?

– All medicines, essentially for a long time, cause risk and addiction and develop even at prescribed doses. We live in an environment where there are enough stressful factors, other stimuli that can psychologically provoke a person to take an additional tablet that will calm him down. Even with tendency and neat use, there are moments when a person takes an additional medicine and becomes an additional risk factor.

– What does the treatment process look like? How much does it last?

– Maybe it will sound ironic, but the same sedatives are used in the treatment of medicines – only with very strict mode and dose reduction. Our goal is to control the symptoms as much as possible in a long period of time to reduce the dose of medication. Therefore, we prescribe essentially the same class of medicines, simply developing strict regimen, taking patients regularly visiting the medication, and over time – I emphasize, over time – because everyone comes and expects to cure the addiction that has developed for 2-3 years within a week or two.

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– How long does treatment last?

– depends on the strength of the medicines used, doses. It is impossible to do so in less than a month. There are patients who visit half a year or a year, but most importantly, the result is to stop medication.

– Could it be the case that it is impossible to get rid of addictions completely?

– Opportunities are always there. However, it is not only dependent on the doctor, which is a plan, supervises, and adjusts the medication. Much depends on the patient himself – how much discipline he has, how much the plan he has. If we see that the patient is on an outpatient basis but does not follow the plan, we recommend inpatient treatment to ensure a safe hospital environment.

A shorter time is the fact that you will not be able to stop completely, but at least in a safe environment, you will at least reduce your dose. After that, we will finish out of the outpatient basis. There are several options – depending on the patient himself, who is best suited to him.

– What to do for someone who suspects that he or she can no longer be without a particular medicine?

– Mostly, patients feel it themselves – when they begin to feel symptoms and realize that the medication does not work as they should. A family physician who prescribes such medicines warns of potential addiction and explains how to recognize it. The patient himself may try to control, but it is often difficult.

Therefore, the first step is to go to the family doctor. You need to say frankly that you are consuming more than prescribed. Then your doctor may try to reduce the dose gradually, and even some guidelines are formed. If you fail, you send for a specialist consultation to the Center for Addictive Diseases, where we continue to work with patients.