A.       Is it really possible to get hooked on prescription drugs? Yes, it is possible to become addicted to prescription medications. The fact that some people don’t believe this to be true is the cause of many needless addictions and damaged lives. Prescription medications can be just as addicting as any drug sold on the streets. Hopefully, once people become aware of this fact and begin to respect the potential danger, fewer will experiment with prescription drugs or use them recreationally.

B.      If prescription medications are so dangerous why do doctors give them to people? Prescription medications are given in order to treat illnesses. If a doctor believes that a particular medication is best for their patient’s ailment, they are apt to prescribe it. Most doctors will write the prescription in such a way that the likelihood of their patient developing an addiction is small. However, they cannot guarantee that an addiction won’t develop. Everyone’s body reacts differently. Also, it is important to remember the ‘human factor.’ Human beings have free will. They are able to make their own decisions and unfortunately, sometimes they make poor ones.

C.       Where do I go if I have an addiction to prescription pills? A person with an addiction to prescription pills may want to consider enrolling in a drug rehab program. Most will have a program especially for those who suffer from prescription drug abuse. The problem has become so widespread that this is generally a pretty standard treatment option.

D.      Is it is possible to die from taking too many prescription pills? Yes, it is possible for individuals to die from taking too many prescription pills. To avoid a potential overdose, persons should only take prescription medications according to their doctor’s instructions. They should also avoid mixing prescription pills with other medications without the expressed consent of their doctor. 

E.       Aren’t prescription drugs such as Valium harmless? The answer to this question is both ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Valium is a tranquilizer, a central nervous system depressant. Such drugs relax the body (and the mind). While, by and large, many are considered safe if taken correctly (according to the doctors’ instructions), if too much is taken, it can pose a great, even grave danger.

When a person overdoses on a central nervous system depressant such as Valium, they may become lethargic, pass out or slip into a coma.  Their breathing might become shallower or they may stop breathing all together, eventually dying from respiratory arrest.