Our nation’s addiction to prescription medication is alarming. Pain killers are the primary culprit. Often people who have a legitimate injury are prescribed these high-powered narcotics, which do such a good job of relieving the physical pain that patients continue their use long after the physical pain subsides.
Most of know someone who is addicted top prescription pain killers From Vicodin to OxyContin doctors are prescribing more heavy-duty medications and more of us are becoming addicted to them. As reported in well.blogs.nytimes.com.
If someone has a problem with prescription medications and refuse to seek help just what can be done? The requirements for involuntary substance treatment vary widely across the nation, from posing a serious danger to oneself, others or property, to impaired decision-making or even something as vague as losing control of oneself. States approach compulsory treatment for mental illness with far greater uniformity. All allow it, and almost all restrict it to instances in which a patient poses an immediate danger to himself or another.
Besides a lack of legal history involving involuntary admission for prescription abuse, another complicating factor is society’s disagreement about what addiction really is: a disease, a moral failing or something in between. Many (often patients themselves) see drug abuse as purely a choice. Under this view, justifying the lost autonomy and expense to taxpayers that accompany mandated treatment becomes a hard sell.
Dies mandatory admission make a difference? Still, while short periods of involuntary custody make intuitive sense — to provide protection until the effects of intoxication or withdrawal subside — surprisingly little evidence exists to suggest that a longer period of commitment will lead to abstinence or prevent the behavior that justified commitment in the first place. Science must guide the crafting of these laws, but for now the empirical jury is decidedly out.
If you or someone you know takes prescription pain killers, be careful. If you think there may be a problem seek help. A drug class is a good place to start. If you prefer to maintain anonymity there are online drug classes too.