The Top 12 Signs Of Prescription Drug Abuse

In 2021, about 14.3 million people in the United States abused prescription drugs. Prescription drug abuse occurs when you use a prescription medication in a manner not prescribed. 

For instance, you might use it without a prescription, use higher doses than prescribed, or crush the pills and snort them. These behaviors pose serious risks, including addiction.

If you think someone you love might be abusing prescription drugs, look for these 12 warning signs.

1. Mood Changes

Prescription drugs can alter your mood, especially if you abuse them. 

Depressant drugs, such as opioid painkillers like oxycodone and benzodiazepines like Xanax, can make you mellow and sleepy. On the other hand, stimulant drugs like Adderall and Ritalin can make you unusually hyper, alert, and talkative. 

In addition, if you become addicted to a prescription drug and can’t access it, you may experience intense mood swings as a withdrawal symptom. 

2. Irritability

Like mood swings, irritability is a common withdrawal symptom in people with prescription drug addiction. It can also occur as a side effect of prescription stimulant abuse. At high doses, stimulants can make you highly irritable and, in some cases, violent. 

3. Sudden Changes In Appetite Or Weight

Prescription stimulants suppress your appetite. As a result, people who misuse these drugs often experience rapid weight loss. They may also develop symptoms of malnutrition, such as weakness, fatigue, and frequent coldness. 

Other prescription drugs may increase appetite, leading to weight gain. 

4. Unusual Sleep Patterns

As mentioned above, depressant drugs cause sedation and drowsiness, while stimulant drugs keep you awake and alert. Thus, people who abuse these drugs may start sleeping far more or far less than usual. 

Stimulant drug abuse may even lead to insomnia, a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep. The lack of sleep can take a serious toll on the person’s mental health, causing issues like anxiety, depression, and, in severe cases, psychosis (a loss of connection with reality).  

5. Early Refill Requests

Many people who abuse prescription drugs use larger or more frequent doses than prescribed. That means they run out of their prescriptions quickly, forcing them to request early refills. 

While it’s normal to request an early refill once or twice, a repeating pattern may indicate a problem. Some people even pretend to lose their pill bottles so they can justify their early refill requests.

6. Doctor Shopping

If your loved one frequently requests early refills, their doctor may realize they’re using the drug for nonmedical purposes and refuse to write any more prescriptions. 

In addition, doctors can only prescribe a certain amount of refills for prescription drugs with a high risk of addiction, such as opioids and stimulants.

That’s why many people who abuse prescription drugs go doctor shopping. Doctor shopping means you visit multiple doctors to get multiple prescriptions of the same drug. 

7. Sudden Financial Issues

Whether you get them from a pharmacy or on the street, prescription drugs tend to be expensive. If your loved one suddenly struggles to pay rent or other basic expenses, they might be throwing all their money toward drugs. 

Prescription drug abuse can also impair decision-making skills, causing your loved one to spend money irresponsibly.

8. Stealing

Due to financial issues, some people steal money to buy prescription drugs. They may even steal the drugs themselves from someone else’s medicine cabinet. 

Although you might think your loved one would never steal, addiction often drives people to commit immoral acts without considering the negative consequences. 

9. Sudden Or Worsening Health Problems

Like all types of drug abuse, prescription drug abuse can wreak havoc on your health. If your loved one suddenly develops a physical or mental health condition, such as high blood pressure or panic disorder, they might be abusing prescription drugs. 

Drug abuse can also worsen preexisting health problems.

10. Isolation

To avoid judgment, many people who abuse drugs withdraw from their friends and family members. This isolation may signal depression, which prescription drug abuse can trigger or worsen. 

If they don’t fully self-isolate, your loved one may start spending most or all of their time with other people who misuse drugs.

11. Decline In Personal Hygiene

When someone struggles with prescription drug abuse, they may have trouble focusing on anything besides drugs. They might even neglect their basic needs, including hygiene. 

As a result, they may wear dirty clothes and avoid showering, brushing their teeth, or combing their hair. 

12. Cognitive Issues

Prescription drug abuse can disrupt a person’s cognitive functions, including memory, concentration, and the ability to solve problems. 

These issues may prevent them from performing well at work or school. They may also struggle to perform basic tasks at home, such as cleaning, cooking, or childcare. 

If your loved one displays these signs, please reach out to an Ark Behavioral Health specialist. Our substance abuse and addiction treatment programs offer medical detox, behavioral therapy, and other forms of personalized, evidence-based care.