Prescription Drug Addiction and Provigil
Provigil is a prescription drug that does exactly what it sounds like; it’s pro-vigilance. It helps you stay awake. The marketing spouts off on Provigil’s ability to keep you awake without getting you hooked, but some are saying that that may not be true. The concern is that Provigil is yet another route to prescription drug addiction.
What is Provigil?
The generic name is modafinil, but it’s sold on the shelves as Provigil. It’s FDA approval is for helping those who struggle with sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and sleep disorders associated with working the graveyard shift. But many who get a prescription for it don’t suffer these disorders. Because of its reputation as being non-addictive, it is often prescribed for those who are just tired and need a pick-me-up… with the result that they’re now awake, but unable to wake up without the drug.
Who Thinks Provigil is Addictive?
According to Daniel J. DeNoon at WebMD Health News, there may be a big prescription drug addiction risk with Provigil. Some researchers agree.
Nora D. Volkow is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She is one of the lead researchers who think that Provigil may be more addictive than previously thought. She says:
“There is an increasing use of this medication, and people have promoted the off-label use of stimulants and Provigil as cognitive enhancers with the belief that these drugs are safe. But these drugs have side effects, and their use without proper medical oversight could lead to abuse and addiction.”
Provigil, Cocaine and Crystal Meth?
The side effects to which she is referring and the chemicals released as a result of the drug resemble the effects of cocaine and crystal meth, though on a much smaller scale.
Volkow says: “The changes we are observing in dopamine concentrations with modafinil are equivalent to those we have reported for [Ritalin] in the human brain. So not only does [Provigil] increase dopamine in the human brain, but does it by similar mechanisms to Ritalin and cocaine, by directly blocking the dopamine transporter. It is not working by some distinct, different mechanism.”
Who Thinks Provigil is Not Addictive?
There are many researchers who disagree with Volkow, only because they feel that ‘addiction’ is too strong a word. David Weinshenker, PhD, is an associate professor of human genetics at Emory University, Atlanta.
He says: “What is Provigil’s street value? It is zero. There are not addicts walking around buying and selling modafinil. Most people who take Provigil don’t report euphoria or being high. They don’t even report feeling particularly stimulated, like caffeine. In terms of addiction and withdrawal, it just doesn’t do that.”
Provigil as a Cure for Cocaine Addiction and Crystal Meth Addiction?
Daniel J. DeNoon at WebMD Health News says: “Weinshenker and Vogel both note that because it blocks the brain receptors needed by cocaine and methamphetamine, researchers are exploring whether Provigil might help wean addicts from these life-threatening addictions.”
Just like methadone, which is an addictive opiate in its own right, is used to treat those addicted to opiates, Provigil may be a good medication to treat those addicted to stronger stimulants. What do you think?
Tags: Prescription Drug Addiction, prescription drug addiction treatment, prescription drug rehab, Provigil addiction
Why is Provigil so dismissed as nonaddictive?? I am going to rehab due to it?? Anyone else try provigil?? I read up on provigil it is chemically identical to ritalin which I battled w/yrs. ago and had to detox for. has been created.
I decided that after much consideration and gaining confidence for you all and my hubby and my best?
… friend I would reach out an addiction specialist for much needed help. Well I called about 20 of these specialist and so got about 10 return calls. Of these calls 6 of them said they didn’t take my insurance or went taking new patients. The other 4 said they couldnt work with me because I was an addictive users so it wouldn’t be productive but they would see me once I went to detox and they told me I had to detox before any specialist could meet w/ me which actually made sense to me. So I called the mental health clinicans with my tufts health plan and they told me to detox at norcap in norwood, ma so I called them and told them I was an active drug abuser and then she asked me what drug it was so I told her and she said “oh hmm I am not sure what that is and now that i rethink this you can wean yourself down” and I got mad so I said “don’t u think if I could simply do that I would” she said well I really don’t know this med I am going to talk to our nurse practitioner about this and call u back well after a hour I called her back and she said ummm yeah I told to the people here and they said you really should just go to a NA group. She said we really only work with people who have addictions such as cocaine or heroin. Again I got mad and said so let me get this right you will not even assess me because I don’t have a needle dangling out of my arm and u don’t even know what provigil is!! She h/u on me!!! I was crushed!!! I cried badly! So then I tried calling my therapist and she left for the day… figures. I called my insurance again & told them what happened so she told me to call norwood hospital and they also dismissed the exact same way norcap did so I h/u and bawled so bad again but this to I worked myself into a panic attack and vomited and worked myself into a serious nervous breakdown. Then I called my PCP because I didnt know who else to call. They said they would love to help but its not their speciality which I really understand really. It was awful that day it was literally my worse fears coming true which was being dismissed when I finally got the courage to reach out to the mental health community so it tore me apart when i was dismissed. Next day I met with my therapist and she called the crisis hotline and get back to me she did and arranged with my local er that I go there to be assessed mentally and physically due— physically due to stopping cold turkey they want to monitored my heart thoroughly. Also, I have started telling my family out of necessity as this wknd is fathers day and i have to tell my dad why i am absent and he is not the person to not be extremely noisey about why you can’t come to this “HUGE” celebration in his honor as a father (fucking bad dad). So my mom called last night and said I sounded tired and then quickly followed it up w/up “are u on drugs”??? So I seized the moment knowing it would end badly because I have the family from hell. Anyway, I told her everything she yesed me to death each time she sounded more and more pissed. So finally I said so what do you think because u sound mad!!! She said nope its whatever. Then she said I have to gather my thoughts about this and pick up your sick grandmother so not only do I have to deal with your poor grandmother now I am going to have worry about you so I stifled my sobs and said ok and we said bye and h/u so I quickly before hubby could see grabbed a steak knife and went into bathroom and cut my leg apart bad, bad, badly very very close to needing stitches. So I am holding my breath to go to er tomorrow and having them dismiss me again because its only provigil and stress over my dad and sis’s reaction to this because they will stalk me to get an answer meaning they will call me nonstop at home on my cell my friends my hubby the ER my the therapist and so on so my hands are tired just scared and nauseous about everything