Painkillers, Prescription Drugs & Associated risks

Prescription painkillers are powerful drugs that interfere with the central nervous systems transmission of nerve signals that are perceived as pain while most painkillers also stimulate portions of the brain associated with pleasure, meaning that, in addition to blocking pain, they also induce the state of being “high”.

Contrary to popular perception that prescription drugs are safe because the are prescribed by a doctor, non-medical use to “self-medicate” or get high can be as devastating as ingesting or consuming illegal street drugs. More alarmingly, studies have further shown that a teen is more likely to have abused a prescription drug than an illegal street drug since they think it is rather safe but thus increasing serious mental and physical health problems amongst teens and young adults.

Since the use of painkillers and prescription drugs results in serious health hazards, they are to be taken under the guidance and care of a doctor and have also to be monitored to avoid addiction and other associated problems. Popping pills might seem an innocuous task on the surface level but it is extremely dangerous to take pills that one is uncertain about or are not prescribed since they can cause different reactions according to each person’s body biology and chemistry.

Therefore, painkillers and prescription drugs are only safe for those who actually have prescriptions by a legitimate health care professional otherwise they may prove risky or even fatal for someone else. That is why many prescription drugs and painkillers such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, OxyContin, Demerol and Roxanol are categorized in the same category as opium and cocaine by the US Drug Enforcement Agency.  More glaringly, many illegal street drugs were once used or prescribed by doctors/psychiatrists but were later banned when the evidence of their harmful effects became overwhelming. Their high potency further creates a high overdose risk which is particularly true for OxyContin and similar painkillers whereby the rate of overdose deaths has more than doubled over a five-year period.

(Examples include heroin, cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine and Ecstasy)

In some cases, the pitfalls of taking painkillers do not surface until it is too late. For example, in 2007, the abuse of the painkiller Fentanyl killed more than 1000 people and the drug was found to be 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

Also, it has to borne in mind that distributing and selling prescription drugs (without doctors permission) is a form of drug dealing and as illegal as selling heroin and cocaine whereby the dealers can face costly fines and even life imprisonment in case the drug dealing results in death or bodily harm/injury.

Various types of Prescription Drugs

• Depressants

Also referred to as “downers”, these drugs come in multicolored tablets, capsules and in liquid form. Since they are supposed to treat symptoms of mental illness, many drugs in this category (such as Zyprexa, Seroquel and Haldol) are known as major tranquilizers and antipsychotics. Some other depressants such as Xanax, Klonopin, Halcion and Librium are often referred to as “Benzos” (short for benzodiazepines) while other depressants such as Amytal, Nembutal and Seconal are classified as drugs that are used as sedatives and sleeping pills (barbiturates).

Some popular brand names of such drugs include Xanax, Alprazolam, Valium, Halcion, Ativan, Rivotril which slow down brain function, cause confusion and dizziness, disorientation, inability to urinate, lack of coordination sluggishness and slurred speech, depression, fatigue, difficulty in sleeping, breathing problems and poor concentration while higher doses can even cause paranoia, convulsions, hallucinations and suicidal thoughts while significantly damaging memory and judgment although some people also experience the opposite of intended effect such as agitation and aggression. When mixed with alcohol and other drugs, sedatives and tranquilizers can reduce the heart rate considerably and even lead to death.

(Data from Food and Drug Administration over a four year period showed that anti-psychotics were the main cause behind 45 deaths caused by heart problems, liver failure, choking and suicide)

• Rohypnol

Also known as roofies or Mexican valium or the “Date Rape Drug”, Rohypnol is a tranquilizer 10 times more potent than Valium and is available as a white or olive green pill which is sold in form of pills which are crushed and then snorted in powder form or by sprinkling it on marijuana and then smoking it or drinking it by dissolving or injecting it. Rohypnol has paralyzing effects and is used to commit sexual offenses by rendering the victim incapable of resistance. The persons who are given such a drug can even become so incapacitated that they collapse and lie on the floor with their eyes open but are completely unable to move.

Other experiences include loss of muscle control, confusion, drowsiness, amnesia or  the impairment of memory as one cannot recall what happened during and after usage.

• Opioids and Morphine

Opioid painkillers and morphine (derived from the name of Morpheus, the God of dreams) are used to relieve pain by acting on the nervous system and come in various forms of tablets, capsules and liquids under the brand name of OxyContin (Hillbilly Heroin), Demerol, Palladone, Diagesil , Oramorph, Physeptone and Duragesic with street names such as China Girl, Lollipops, Tango and Cash, TNT and others common names such as Morphine, Methadone, Codeine and Fentanyl.

Opioids and other morphine derivatives slow down breathing and cause drowsiness, constipation, nausea while continued long term use results in physical dependence and addiction as the body adapts to the presence of the drug and causes intense withdrawal symptoms such as muscle and bone pain, insomnia, cold flashes and goose bumps (cold turkey) when usage is reduced or stopped. At the same time, increased tolerance levels amongst users means that the dose has to be increased to achieve the same level of high thereby increasing the chances of overdose and painful, untimely death.

The signs and symptoms of persons experiencing dependency on opioid painkillers include change in personality as the shift in mood, energy and concentration results in shirking of everyday responsibilities, withdrawal from family and friends, increase in usage, black outs, forgetfulness, hallucinations and over stimulation at normal sights, sounds and emotions.

• Stimulants

Stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines are the most commonly used street drugs under the category of stimulants or “uppers”. However, prescription stimulants also come in the form of tablets, capsules which are crushed, swallowed and snorted or  injected in liquid form. Common brand names include Ritalin, Concerta, Biphetamine and Dexedrine which are highly addictive and the high is quickly followed by the downer which results in immediate and lasting exhaustion that causes apathy and depression. Eventually, the user teeters close to feeling any energy at all as he is only trying to get well and not high.

High doses of stimulants during a short period of time can aggravate feelings of paranoia and hostility along with dangerous increase in body temperatures and an irregular heartbeat.

• Anti-depressants

Anti-depressants are also one of the most commonly abused prescription drugs which include Prozac, Seroxat, Cipramil, Efexor, Zisprin and Lustral which come in the form of capsules and tablets. Frequent use of antidepressants cause insomnia, irritability, nervousness, anxiety, tremors, suicidal and other violent thoughts along with hallucinations, psychosis, paranoia and incoherent thoughts that often translate into aggression and criminal behavior.

There are many studies which show the prolonged use of such prescription drugs has resulted in aggressive and violent behavior such as extreme and irrational examples of people experiencing nightmares and shooting themselves, drowning their own children in bathtubs, a boy thrashing his own friend for no apparent reason and other examples of people becoming acutely suicidal.  

• Ketamine

Categorized as a “dissociative anesthetic”, Ketamine is used in liquid or powdered form as an anesthetic, usually in animals. It is often added to joints or cigarettes but can also be injected, snorted or consumed in drinks. Short and long term use of Ketamine can result in increased heart rate and blood pressure, vomiting, depression, amnesia, hallucinations and fatal respiratory problems while some users also experience what is known as the “K-hole effect” or an out of body and near death experience which increases its popularity amongst those inclined to experience such altered states of consciousness.

• Other over the counter drugs

Cold and cough medicines such as cough syrups containing Codeine, gels and tablets containing the drug DXM have also a high rate of abuse as they are found in more than 100 products of which Coricidin and Robitussin are the most common. They can result in immense cases of visual hallucinations, insomnia, lethargy and hyper-excitability while also damaging the central nervous system and aggravating heart problems and can even cause liver, brain damage, delusions and death when combined with alcohol.

The average age for first time users of prescription drugs is a paltry 13-14 years and while it is most prevalent in the US, it has also emerged as a bourgeoning problem in Europe, Southern Africa and South Asia. Consider, for example, the horrifying fact that in the US alone, more than 15 million people abuse prescription drugs, more than the combined numbers of cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants.

Moreover, teens who use prescription drugs are twice as likely to abuse alcohol, five times more likely to use marijuana and twelve to twenty times more likely to use illegal street drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and cocaine than those teens who do not abuse prescription medications and drugs. Also, prescription drugs such as depressants, opioids and anti-depressants are responsible for more overdose deaths (45 per cent) than cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine combined (39 per cent).