Prescription Drug Addiction

Prescription drug addiction occurs when an individual comes to depend on prescription drugs to feel better in some way, and experiences cravings for the drugs in between doses. The drug use continues in spite of negative consequences, such as relationship difficulties, problems on the job, or the risk of physical harm from inappropriate use.



Articles Related to Prescription Drug Addiction

National Study Shows 1 in 5 Teens Abuses Prescription Drugs

Several recent reports released by health officials and local governments throughout the country have revealed an alarming increase in prescription drug abuse among the American population, with particular concern upon the younger generation. Now, a national study conducted by the U.S. Center for Disease...
June 11th, 2010 | Adolescent Drug Abuse | Read More

Corey Haim Died from Pneumonia, not Prescription Drug Abuse

Actor Corey Haim died from pneumonia complicated by an enlarged heart and narrowed blood vessels, while the prescription drugs found in his system played no role in his death, the Los Angeles County coroner said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
May 4th, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Former Lawman’s Prescription Drug Addiction Leads to Prison Time

A former Vermont lawman who became so addicted to prescription drugs that he used underlings to illegally acquire them was sentenced Wednesday to six months in prison, reports the Associated Press.
April 27th, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Benzodiazepines and the Elderly in the UK

In the United Kingdom, approximately 1.5 million people are addicted to benzodiazepines, a group of sedatives often prescribed for anxiety. Many of these addicts are elderly people who were prescribed the drugs decades ago and may still suffer debilitating side effects such as paranoia, lethargy, fatigue,...
March 25th, 2010 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Edie Falco’s Past Addiction Helps Inform Her Role on “Nurse Jackie”

Three-time Emmy winner Edie Falco became a TV icon playing strong-willed mob wife Carmela in the HBO series “The Sopranos.” Now she’s already received a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nomination for her starring role as a flawed yet no-nonsense nurse on Showtime network’s critically-acclaimed...
March 23rd, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Corey Haim Dies of Apparent Prescription Drug Overdose

Former teen idol Corey Haim died Wednesday morning of an apparent drug overdose, according to Los Angeles police. Haim, who has battled an addiction to prescription drugs for years, collapsed in the bedroom of his mother’s Oakwood apartment just before 1 a.m., police sources told TMZ.com.
March 10th, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Prescription Drug Abuse and Chronic Pain among NFL Players

While cases of performance-enhancing substance abuse by professional athletes are not unfamiliar to national headlines, what may go unnoticed is the flip-side to the story: drug dependency among pain-stricken athletes. Participating in the most grueling and physically demanding contact sport, American...
March 6th, 2010 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Steven Tyler in Rehab for Painkiller Addiction

Steven Tyler, lead singer of the band Aerosmith, has entered a treatment center for pain management and an addiction to prescription painkillers resulting from 10 years of performance injuries, according to People magazine.
December 23rd, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Jacksons Knew About Michael’s Addiction

Janet Jackson told ABC’s Robin Roberts in an exclusive interview that her family was not naive about Michael Jackson’s drug problem, saying that she reached out to her brother throughout the years, but was unsuccessful.
November 18th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Anna Nicole Smith Given Dangerous Drugs

Sworn statements by investigators revealed that Anna Nicole Smith was given many dangerous drugs over the three years before her death, including while she was pregnant. Two doctors charged in connection with Smith’s death allegedly also had personal relationships with their patient, the court...
September 22nd, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More