When you tackle a project, are you the kind of person who finds a list of instructions and follows them to the letter? Or are you more likely to try to freestyle the project, leaving the instructions unread and unfollowed?
Truthfully, either approach is probably fine if the project is, say, putting together a cheap bookcase. You might end up with an extra screw or some such, but odds are pretty good you can get the bookcase standing without too much drama.
Skipping the instructions can be more problematic if the project is a car repair or involves making software or hardware changes to your computer. After all, a mistake involving your vehicle or your computer can have expensive consequences.
A decision to skip the instructions can be truly harmful if prescription drugs are involved. Indeed, sticking to the instructions your doctor or pharmacist gave you is absolutely essential. Deviating from those instructions can lead to terrible outcomes—including the development of a substance use disorder centered on drugs intended to help you.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits and dangers of prescription drugs.
Amazingly Good or Terribly Bad
When it comes to taking medicine of one kind or another, you have no doubt heard or read the phrase, “Use only as directed.” It is, of course, another way of saying, “Hey, follow the instructions we have given you for this medicine.”
Why is that important? Well, many drugs can have wonderful impacts on your health when you follow the dose, schedule, and other instructions (like whether you should take the medicine on an empty stomach or with food). But those same drugs can cause all sorts of problems if you misuse them in one way or another.
Take opioids, for example. These powerful drugs can be incredibly helpful to a person who is experiencing significant pain from a surgery, an injury, or another issue. For many people, however, the relief they provide (often accompanied by feelings of calm or even euphoria) can lead to misuse.
A person might start taking more of an opioid than was prescribed for them. Or they might start taking them more often than they should. As time goes on, they may even go to extreme lengths to ensure that they have access to the drug. That might mean “doctor shopping”—that is, seeing more than one doctor in an effort to acquire multiple prescriptions. It might mean “borrowing” drugs from other people. It might even mean turning to illicit sources for the drug—or some version of the drug—in order to keep taking it after a prescription expires.
A person engaging in those kinds of behaviors to keep taking a prescription drug has almost certainly developed a substance use disorder, just as surely as if they were using cocaine or meth or alcohol or any other substance. And that means the person in question will experience a range of negative effects on their mental and physical health (and other areas of their life)—and treatment for their substance use disorder will become a necessity.
A Reminder: Your Doctor’s Instructions Should Not Be Ignored
We want to emphasize a key point one more time: When it comes to taking prescription drugs, you should always follow the instructions given to you by a doctor or pharmacist. “Use only as directed” is not a mere suggestion. It is, in fact, an essential instruction intended to keep you safe and to allow the medicine that has been prescribed to you to work effectively.
We Are Ready to Help You Right Now
All of us at Wooded Glen Recovery Center share a core belief: The best time to get help for a substance use disorder is always right now.
That is true no matter what substance you are struggling with—prescription, legal, or illicit. The longer you delay getting the help you need, the more negative impacts you will experience. In addition to the negative impacts on your health, you may find yourself struggling at work, in your relationships, with your finances, and much more. That is why we say the best time to get help is as soon as you realize you have developed an issue related to drugs or alcohol.
At Wooded Glen Recovery Center—located in Henryville, Indiana—we can provide the help you need. We provide personalized treatment for substance use disorders (as well as co-occurring mental health disorders) via residential, outpatient, and virtual treatment programs. Our residential program includes medically supervised detoxification, a rehabilitation program designed to help you prepare for your recovery journey, and ongoing support and resources once your time in treatment comes to an end.
Wooded Glen Recovery Center is consistently recognized as one of the best substance use disorder treatment facilities in the country. When you are ready to benefit from evidence-based practices supported by our expertise, experience, and empathy, we are ready to help you leave drugs or alcohol behind.