http://www.yellowstonerecovery.com/ Taking prescription drugs is dangerous, especially when not taken exactly as prescribed by a doctor. Prescription drug abuse can lead to heroin use because they act on the same areas of the brain. A successful recovery from addiction is possible with the correct course of treatment.

2. A common misconception is that taking
prescription drugs is always safe. Another
misconception is that taking them
recreationally is safer than abusing illicit
drugs, simply because they were prescribed
by a doctor. The reality is that prescription
drugs should only be taken exactly as
instructed by a doctor, since they can result
in severe adverse health effects.

3. Prescription painkillers act on the same brain areas as heroin, and they
can be very addictive. Just as with heroin, prescription drugs can lead to
addiction, overdose, and death, especially when combined with other
drugs or alcohol. Once addicted to painkillers, alternate sources of the
high, such as the one felt while on heroin, are sought after.

4. Prescription medications are legal, so it is
easy for people to abuse them and
ultimately become addicted without ever
feeling the sense of stigma that is
commonly associated with using illegal
drugs. When prescription medication
runs out and doctors won’t prescribe a
refill, the addiction persists, and people
turn to heroin for the high.

5. According to the National
Institute on Drug Abuse,
nearly half of people who
inject heroin surveyed in
multiple studies reported
abusing prescription
opioids before starting to
use heroin. Many people
who use heroin started off
snorting the drug, and
within weeks, most started
shooting up.

6. Heroin is less expensive to obtain than
prescriptions, so it is easy to fall back
on when prescriptions run out.
According to the National Council on
Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.,
prescription pain pills cost $20 to $60,
while heroin costs $3 to $10 a bag.

7. Addiction is a brain disease that can be
treated effectively. The type of
treatment to follow must take into
account the type of drug used and the
needs of the individual. Successful
treatment leading to a full recovery may
need to incorporate multiple methods of
treatment, including detoxification,
behavioral counseling, and medication.

8. Behavioral treatments teach strategies to
function without drugs, deal with cravings,
avoid drugs and trigger situations, and handle
a relapse. Behavioral treatments, such as
individual counseling, group or family
counseling, contingency management, and
cognitive behavioral therapies, can help
improve a person’s relationships and day-to-
day functioning.

9. Pharmacological treatments counter the
effects of the drug on the brain and
behavior, and can relieve withdrawal
symptoms, help overcome cravings, or treat
an overdose. Although a pharmacological
approach alone may be sufficient for
treatment, combining it with a behavioral
treatment has extreme benefits.

10. Contact UsYellowstone Recovery has
been helping people break free
from drugs and alcohol for over
15 years and offers treatment as
one of the most affordable drug
rehab centers in Southern
California. Treatment options
include detoxification, in-patient
care, extended in-patient care,
and outpatient care.
Visit us online at
www.yellowstonerecovery.com

11. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/resea
rch-reports/heroin/how-heroin-linked-to-
prescription-drug-abuse
https://ncadd.org/in-the-news/377-
prescription-drug-abuse-fueling-rise-in-heroin-
addiction