How Painkiller Addiction or Overuse Happens: Steps to Take Following a Motorcycle Accident
Rampant prescription drug use is the catalyst for the opioid crisis that plagues North America. The opioid crisis has adverse effects on users’ physical, mental, and emotional health, and creates an economic burden for nations.
The United States sees some of the worst impacts of opioid use and addiction. The years 1999-2017 saw over 700,000 Americans die from drug overdoses. Sadly, opioid overdoses result in 130 American fatalities per day, on average.
Data reported in the Canadian Drug Summary concludes that 13 percent of people in Canada used opioid pain relievers (2017). Among opioid pain reliever users, two percent of people used them for nonmedicinal purposes. Canada saw opioid poisoning cause 13 hospitalizations per day in 2014 and 2015. Opioid use caused over 2,000 Canadian fatalities in 2016.
Unfortunately, some people use prescribed and unprescribed medications in ways other than their intended uses. Just as misusing and abusing alcohol and other addictive substances such as nicotine and heroin can have adverse physical, mental, and emotional effects, so can misusing and abusing opioids, opiates, and painkillers.
Many people receive prescriptions for particular painkillers and opioids to relieve and treat their pain, whether it’s acute, chronic, or somewhere in between. Methods of painkiller abuse include taking them for nonmedical purposes, using them at an increased rate, and increasing the dosage. Such drug misuse can lead to harm, addiction, and fatal overdose.
Typically, people obtain prescription medications from one physician. Acquiring multiple prescriptions for painkillers from various physicians can be a sign of drug addiction.
In many cases, people get medication prescribed by several physicians by refraining from telling each physician about their current prescription. Other ways people can get drugs prescribed include prescription fraud, prescription forgery, illegal sales, street drug markets, Internet purchases, and theft.
Sadly, some battles with prescription drug abuse occur after someone sustains an injury. For example, if someone acquires acute, moderate, or severe injuries or any range of pain in a motor vehicle or motorcycle accident, they may require pain relievers. Their prescribed medications may be the catalyst for drug dependency or addiction.
Many people who endure a painkiller addiction or overuse drugs after a motorcycle accident are unaware that depending on the circumstances, they could receive compensation for drug addiction.
To have a valid case, motorcycle accident victims must show that they weren’t prone to addiction and didn’t have issues with painkillers before their accident. For information and guidance when pursuing a legal case, people should consult a motorcycle accident attorney. Law professionals practicing at the Daniel Kim Law Firm handle the legal aspects of a motorcycle accident while their clients focus on physical, mental, and emotional recuperation.
Accident victims who photograph their injuries and the damage sustained by their motorcycles, and document their medical expenses can submit such evidence to an attorney who will represent them and ensure they receive the fair compensation they deserve.
Drug addiction can lead people to partake in dangerous behaviors and ignore their responsibilities and contribute to organ damage and failure. Other consequences of drug addiction or overuse include decreases in cognitive function, depression, and paranoia.
Acknowledging a drug dependency or addiction exists is the first step to getting help and recovering. Quitting drugs cold turkey and overcoming addictive behavior alone is hard to do and can be dangerous. People battling drug abuse should agree to professional treatment.
The Canadian Centre for Addictions (CCFA) is a private drug rehab that Canadians and Americans can turn to for help. At the CCFA, specialists offer patients individual and group counseling, and inpatient and outpatient rehab care. This rehabilitation center provides detox and relapse prevention solutions and treatment programs personalized to clients’ unique needs for battling alcohol or drug addiction.
With support from loved ones and the expert care of medical and legal professionals, someone can overcome painkiller addiction or overuse and recuperate following a motorcycle accident.