Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs have always been a question mark when it comes to health. Now, in general, prescription drugs are health-inducing, especially when used with the approval and instructions of a doctor. However, when used without the supervision of a medical professional, these drugs can be harmful to one’s health.
In past years, non-prescription street drugs did all the damage. Illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin were the reasons why people got addicted and overdoses. These days, we are seeing the rise of addiction to prescription drugs.
Prescription drugs abuse is growing at an alarming rate. Statistics show that it is becoming as prevalent a problem as illegal drug abuse, if not more so. At the back of the entire predicament is a general lack of consumer education about the pros and cons of using these drugs.
The medical profession has a big part to play in this problem, but it does not necessarily mean that they are to blame. People with painful illnesses often need medication to keep the uncomfortable symptoms at bay. Because they are regularly exposed to certain drugs, they eventually develop dependencies on those drugs. This is not anyone’s fault – it is a natural outgrowth of treatment and the natural properties of the drug.
While under medical supervision, people who have developed drug dependencies have little to worry about. It is when they leave the watchful eyes of their doctors and nurses that they begin to have problems. Many of these erstwhile patients, after leaving the hospital, seek prescription drugs through their own means, feeding their addiction and increasing the chance for drug abuse. In this case, the drugs are no longer used for their original purpose -- they are used to stimulate the mind and provide pleasure. Ultimately, somehow or the other, the prescription drug will be used in the same as an illegal drug.
So yes, prescription drugs can be dangerous, especially in the hands of someone who is uninformed. In the hands of an educated person, however, prescription drugs can do a world of good. What type of person you will be in terms of handling medicine is entirely up to you.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
