Typically, in a domestic violence situation, one is going to be being physically and/or mentally abused. So how is this linked to drugs?
Physical abuse can lead to severe injuries which would cause one to go to the doctor and be prescribed a pain killer. Most often pain killers are Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and Percocet or Tylenol codeine, all of which are derived from Opium. When taking these pain killers, they attach to your body’s natural opium receptor and block the pain receptor. They then signal your body to release endorphins, which is the “feel good” neurotransmitter. So now, not only are you no longer in pain, but you are feeling really good as well. This can lead to one wanting to keep taking the pain killer in order to feel good, which in turn opens the door to addiction and abusing drugs.
Abusing drugs can be classified as taking more than the amount prescribed or taking a drug that wasn’t prescribed to you at all. So what happens when you become addicted to the prescription drug and it is no longer prescribed to you? Illegal drugs come into play. Three out of four people who are addicted to opiates will eventually use heroin. Heroin is their street drug of choice because not only is it cheaper, it’s derived from opium and it’s a lot stronger. Heroin actually used to be a prescription drug from the Bayer company before they realized how addicting it was and made it illegal.
So what do you do to prevent yourself from becoming addicted?
- Never take a prescription that isn’t yours.
- Only take the amount the doctor prescribed.
- If you don’t feel like you need it anymore, talk to your doctor about stoppingthe prescription.
If you are already addicted and need help, there are community resources available. There is a prescription that can help you quit, as well.
If you are in a domestic violence relationship, we can help! Don’t turn to drugs to escape and numb the emotional pain – get help and get free! Call The Safe Place at 1.888.554.2501
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