Side Effects of Prescription Drugs

Prescription drugs such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are very useful treatment tools. Pain relievers for instance make surgery possible, and help many individuals with chronic pain. While most people use prescription medications responsibly, the illicit or nonmedical use of prescription drugs is a serious public health concern. Nonmedical use of prescription drugs such as opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants can lead to addiction and dependence, which is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use. This abuse can lead to many problems, and when not taken as directed or in the case of illicit abuse these drugs can cause many harmful side effects.

Each prescription drug has its own unique side effect and can vary depending on dosage and length of use. These side effects are generalized by each type of prescription drug. When prescription drugs are abused, the individual abusing the drug tends to take higher than average doses which only magnify these side effects. For example, opioids are most often used to treat pain. Opioid side effects include constipation, nausea, sedation, respiratory depression, myoclonus (mild to moderate muscle jerks, most commonly during sleep, but occasionally throughout the day), urinary retention, confusion, hallucinations, and dizziness.

Central nervous system depressants are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Again, if CNS depressants are abused the individual is more likely to experience the side effects which are often greatly magnified and worsened as a result of abuse. These side effects include drowsiness or tiredness, clumsiness or unsteadiness, dizziness or lightheadedness, slurred speech, abdominal cramps or pain, blurred vision or other changes in vision, changes in sexual drive or performance, gastrointestinal changes, including constipation or diarrhea, dryness of mouth, fast or pounding heartbeat, muscle spasm, trouble with urination and trembling.

Stimulants such as Ritalin are prescription drugs which are commonly used to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity. This form of prescription drug can have severe side effects which can include reduced appetite, rebound (irritability or depression for a hour as the stimulant wears off), headache, jittery feelings, gastrointestinal upset, sleep difficulty, irritability, depression, anxiety, blood glucose changes, increased blood pressure, psychosis or paranoia, tics and repetitive movements.

Prescription drugs and alcohol do not mix well, and using these two substances in tandem can have serious side effects and disastrous consequences. Alcohol is sometimes used in combination with prescription drugs because alcohol enhances the effects of prescription drugs, and makes the user feel better than he/she would have if either the alcohol or pills were used by themselves. However, mixing prescription drugs with alcohol can produce very harmful and even fatal effects in a person's body. This is because the body has a difficult time processing all of the chemicals and toxins simultaneously and always has the possibility of rejecting the drug mixture and shutting down completely. Prescription drug abusers that have developed a high tolerance and mix these drugs with alcohol may experience serious side effects and ultimately could overdose or die.