“What is being done to ween people off addictive prescription drugs?”
I am a 23 year old female. I have seen what prescription drug overconsumption can do to people. I want to know what is being done to ween people off addictive prescription drugs?
2 Answers
Getting doctors to wean patients off mediations that they are dependent on is pretty much like expecting the restaurant industry to make people to eat healthier. You can do promotions and make regulations but not everyone is able to or wants to follow them.
Your question is hard to answer for two reasons. First, what do you mean by "addictive prescription drugs?" Opiates and sedatives are the most common answer, but many people take their insulin or antihypertensive medications for decades and get into trouble if they stop. Other potentially lifesaving medications cause side effects or withdrawal symptoms if you stop them too quickly.
Second, the way you ask your question sounds like you automatically know the right thing to do and cannot be disagreed with. Really? Should all people stop taking all their drugs? All the drugs you consider addictive?
What you MIGHT mean is why are opiates and sedatives overprescribed? The answer is lots of reasons. Patients really like them and demand them, and many doctors are rated by their patient satisfaction scores. Annoy too many people by refusing to give them what they want and you might be out of a job. Other doctors don't see what all the fuss is about and why one needs to be careful in prescribing medications that are easy to start but often extremely difficult to stop. And medical indications vary. Example: the one proper use I know of for Xanax, a terribly addictive sedative, is to take it a few times a year when you're getting on an airplane but are terrified of flying, assuming you don't have an underling risk for addiction.
Second, the way you ask your question sounds like you automatically know the right thing to do and cannot be disagreed with. Really? Should all people stop taking all their drugs? All the drugs you consider addictive?
What you MIGHT mean is why are opiates and sedatives overprescribed? The answer is lots of reasons. Patients really like them and demand them, and many doctors are rated by their patient satisfaction scores. Annoy too many people by refusing to give them what they want and you might be out of a job. Other doctors don't see what all the fuss is about and why one needs to be careful in prescribing medications that are easy to start but often extremely difficult to stop. And medical indications vary. Example: the one proper use I know of for Xanax, a terribly addictive sedative, is to take it a few times a year when you're getting on an airplane but are terrified of flying, assuming you don't have an underling risk for addiction.
