Success Stories

More Success Stories

News and Events

Click here to read "Addressing the Complexities of Chronic Pain," by Dr. James Gagne, an internist at The Canyon. The article was published in Marin Medicine Magazine. (This link is provided solely for educational purposes.)

Recent Articles

• Teen Hitman Is Drug Trade’s Latest Casualty
• Grey’s Anatomy Actor Eric Dane Seeks Drug Treatment
• Cocaine’s Colorful History
• Amy Winehouse Found Dead
• U.S. Military Cracks Down On Drug Abuse
• New Report: Cocaine Supply Cut With Flesh-eating Drug
• Does The Social Network Glamorize Drug Use?
• Welfare Drug Testing Debate
• Relapse Lies
• Drug War Woes

Prescription Drug Addiction

Prescription Drug Addiction: The Basics

Though positive in their intent, there are a number of prescription medications that can cause an intense physical addiction even if you originally began taking them to manage chronic pain. The problem with prescription drug addiction is that it can sneak up on you and catch you unawares. What was a simple prescription for pain is now a compulsive need for pills in higher and higher doses just to achieve the original pain killing effect.

Of course, there's also the situation in which one uses pain pills to subsidize other drug use, buying them off the street, scamming multiple prescriptions from doctors or just stealing them. At The Canyon, we make no judgment as to how you came about your drug addiction. What we care about is helping you overcome it and find a way back to a balanced, healthy life.

Types of Prescription Drug Addiction

There are three main categories of commonly abused prescription medications: CNS stimulants and depressants, and narcotic analgesics. Each one affects the system differently, with different side effects and different withdrawal symptoms should its level in your body drop below what you have grown accustomed to. At The Canyon, we are equipped to treat all types of opiate addiction, including opiate addiction that is combined with addiction to other drugs or co-occurring psychological disorders like manic depression or eating disorders.

Prescription Drug Addiction: Painkillers

Painkillers, also known as opiates or narcotic analgesics, include popular medications like morphine, meperidine (Demerol), codeine, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and oxycodone (OxyContin). Prescribed for pain management or treatment, these are the most commonly abused prescription medications. By binding to receptors that transmit the experience of pain, they make you sleepy and depress your respiratory system. Overdose is common and often results in death, and even short-term use can lead to addiction.

Prescription Drug Addiction: Stimulants

Central nervous system stimulants are another form of prescription medication that often sparks addiction. Some common medications in this category include methylphenidate (Ritalin) and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine). Prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD, ADHD) and narcolepsy, these drugs react differently when abused. They elevate blood pressure, body temperature and heart rate and can cause heart attack and death.

Prescription Drug Addiction: Depressants

Central nervous system depressants include prescription medications like pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium). Prescribed for those who experience panic attacks, acute anxiety or have trouble sleeping, these pills calm you by making you feel sleepy and uncoordinated. As tolerance develops, you will need a higher and higher dose to achieve the same easy, relaxed feeling and this is when addiction starts. Take too many and you won't just feel sleepy but fall into a coma or even die. Mixed with alcohol and other drugs, depressants can be lethal.

Treatment for Prescription Drug Addiction at The Canyon

At The Canyon, our professional staff is proficient in the treatment of all kinds of drug and alcohol addiction and specialize in treating those who also suffer from dual diagnosis, or a medically diagnosed mental or psychological issue like chronic depression or severe anxiety. We treat both aspects of your drug use to help you achieve a balance in your life that will allow you to focus on your family, your goals and your dreams and leave a life of drug dependence behind. If you have questions call our call center 24 hours a day .