Prescription Medicine Misuse: Treatment Options

[Host] There are three parts to treating prescription medicine misuse: One Stop misusing the medicine.

Two Adjust to life without the medicine.

And three Get support to stay drug-free.

The first one may seem obvious, but it may not be easy or safe to do this on your own.

In fact, it can be dangerous or even deadly to stop taking some medicines suddenly.

[Serrina] "My doctor said that getting off Xanax could be risky.

So she helped me cut back on how much I was taking over a few weeks to get it safely out of my system."

[Host] With some medicines including depressants like Xanax and Ativan it's best to work with a doctor who can safely lower your dose.

That's called medically supervised withdrawal or sometimes "detox."

In other cases, there are medicines that can make it easier to quit.

[Jett] "I tried quitting opiates on my own, but I felt so sick and shaky that I couldn't handle it.

This time my doctor prescribed a medicine.

I wasn't too sure about that taking another drug when I've got a drug problem but it's helping me get through withdrawal without feeling so sick and it dulls the cravings that made it hard to quit."

[Host] Next is adjusting to life without the medicine.

Behavioral counseling like CBT cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you prepare for problems like situations or people that might tempt you to start using again.

You can practice these skills through one-on-one counseling family therapy or group therapy.

Therapy may be part of inpatient treatment meaning you stay in a facility like a treatment center or part of outpatient treatment so you can fit it around your job or other responsibilities.

[Jett] "Opiates were my daily crutch and once I quit, I had to figure out how to handle life without being numbed out.

So I got into an outpatient treatment program.

For a few months, I went four days a week after work."

[Host] The third part is getting ongoing support for your drug-free life.

Many people find support by going to meetings like Narcotics Anonymous NA or SMART Recovery.

This type of support can help you feel less alone and more motivated to stay away from the medicine.

[Misty] "I was court-ordered into a treatment program, and after that I had to attend meetings.

So I found an NA group.

I still go three times a week not because I have to but because I want to.

I have a sponsor, and I have friends there people I know I can count on when things get hard."

[Host] So put those three parts together, and you've got a plan for putting medicine misuse behind you.

To get started, some people call a doctor or do an online search for local treatment programs.

Or they might tell someone who cares that they need help.

How will you start your journey?