Prescription Medication
Prescription Medication
Many prescription drugs have an acceptable safety profile when used as prescribed, but can also be intentionally or unintentionally misused or used for non-medical reasons without a prescription.
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Heritage Treatment Foundation employs a holistic approach to recovery from prescription medication addiction. These are some of the various categories of prescription drugs with potential for abuse that we have treated our residents for.
1.Depressants: Used for anxiety and sleep disorders, include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and flunitrazepam (Rohypnol). Effects include reduced pain and anxiety, euphoria, but also impaired coordination, memory, and risk of addiction. Specific effects vary by drug, with barbiturates causing sedation and dizziness, benzodiazepines causing sedation, and Rohypnol causing memory loss.
2.Dissociative Anesthetics: Such as ketamine, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure, impair motor function, and cause nausea.
3.Opioids and Morphine Derivatives: Prescribed for pain, include codeine, fentanyl, morphine, and opium. Effects include pain relief and euphoria but also respiratory depression, nausea, and addiction. Specific effects vary, with codeine causing less sedation than morphine
4.Stimulants: Used for narcolepsy and ADD/ADHD, include amphetamines, cocaine, methamphetamines, and methylphenidate (Ritalin). Effects include increased heart rate and energy but also potential for cardiac damage, aggression, and addiction. Specific effects vary, with cocaine causing respiratory failure and methamphetamines causing psychotic behaviour.
Each category presents distinct risks and effects, highlighting the potential for abuse and the need for effective treatment.
At Heritage Treatment Foundation we use the Holistic approach to prescription medication addiction recovery.
Prescription Medication
The following are selected prescription drugs with potential for abuse:
Category 1: Depressants (used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders)
- Barbiturates: Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, Phenobarbital; barbs, reds, red birds, phennies, tooies, yellows, yellow jackets
- Benzodiazepines: Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, Xanax; candy, downers, (other than flunitrazepam) sleeping pills, tranks
- Flunitrazepa: Rohypnol (associated with sexual assaults); forget-me pill, Mexican Valium, R2, Roche, roofies, roolinol, rope, rophies
- General Effects: Reduced pain and anxiety; feelings of well-being; lowered inhibitions; slowed pulse and breathing lowered blood pressure; poor concentration/confusion, fatigue; impaired coordination, memory, judgement; respiratory depression and arrest, addiction.
- Barbiturates: Sedation, drowsiness/depression, unusual excitement, fever, irritability, poor judgement, slurred speech, dizziness
- Benzodiazepines: Sedation, drowsiness/dizziness
- Flunitrazepam: Visual and gastrointestinal disturbances, urinary retention, memory loss for the time under the drug’s effects
Category 2: Dissociative Anesthetics
- Ketamine: Ketalar SV; cat Valium, K, Special K, vitamin K
- General Effects: Increased heart rate and blood pressure, impaired motor function/memory loss; numbness; nausea/vomiting
Category 3: Opioids and Morphine Derivatives (often prescribed to treat pain)
- Codeine: Empirin with Codeine, Fiorinal with Codeine, Robitussin A-C, Tylenol with Codeine; Captain Cody, Cody, schoolboy; (with glutethimide) doors & fours, loads, pancakes and syrup
- Fentanyl: Actiq, Duragesic, Sublimaze; Apache, China girl, China white, dance fever, friend, goodfella, jackpot, murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash
- Morphine: Roxanol, Duramorph; M, Miss Emma, monkey, white stuff
- Opium: Laudanum, paregoric; big O, black stuff, block, gum hop
Others:
- Tylox, OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet; oxy 80’s, oxycontin, oxycet, hillbilly heroin, percs
- Demerol, meperidine hydrochloride; demmies, pain killer
- Dilaudid; juice, dillies
- Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet; Darvon, Darvocet
- Codeine – less analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression than morphine
General Effects: Pain relief, euphoria, drowsiness/respiratory depression and arrest, nausea, confusion, constipation, sedation, unconsciousness, coma, tolerance, addiction.
Category 4: Stimulants (treat narcolepsy and ADD & ADHD)
- Amphetamines: Biphetamine, Dexedrine; bennies, black beauties, crosses, hearts, LA turnaround, speed, truck drivers, uppers
- Cocaine: Cocaine hydrochioride; blow, bump, C, candy, Charlie, coke, crack, flake, rock, snow, toot
- Methamphetamines: Desoxyn; chalk, crank, crystal, fire, glass, go fast, ice, meth, speed
- Methylphenidate: Ritalin; JIF, MPH, R-ball, Skippy, the smart drug, vitamin R
- General Effects: Increased heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism; feelings of exhilaration, energy, increased mental alertness/rapid or irregular heart beat; reduced appetite, weight loss, heart failure
- Cocaine: Increased temperature/chest pain, respiratory failure, nausea, abdominal pain, strokes, seizures, headaches, malnutrition
- Methamphetamine: Aggression, violence, psychotic behaviour/memory loss, cardiac and neurological damage; impaired memory and learning, tolerance, addiction
- Methylphenidate: Increase or decrease in blood pressure, psychotic episodes/digestive problems, loss of appetite, weight loss