Prescription Drug Addiction: The Hidden Epidemic [Paperback]

Rod Colvin MS (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2001

Are you suffering with an addiction to prescription drugs? Or, are you suffering because you have a loved one who is addicted? If so, author Rod Colvin understands your anguish. His brother, Randy, died as a result of his years of addiction to prescription drugs. Once recovered from the loss, Colvin was determined to help others who are still suffering. He wrote Prescription Drug Addiction—The Hidden Epidemic.
 
The Book Answers These Questions:
•  How does addiction “rewire” the brain?
•  What happens if the drugs are stopped abruptly?

•  What are the symptoms of addiction?

•  Who’s at risk for addiction?

•  When does proper medical use become addiction?

•  How do most people become addicted?

•  What are the symptoms of withdrawal?

•  What is the difference between addiction and physical dependence?

•  What are the top 20 most-abused prescription drugs?

•  What is the proper use of benzodiazepines (xanax, valium, klonopin, ativan)?
 
How Can You Leave Prescription Drugs Behind?
Read stories of recovery from eleven individuals, including a homemaker, an attorney, a physician, a business woman, and a salesman.
·        Learn how they become addicted.
·        Find out how they made it into recovery.
·        What were the turning points in their lives that made them seek recovery?
·        What is their advice to others who are struggling? 
 
Treatment for Addiction—What’s Involved?

·        What are the treatment options?
·        What is a medical detox?
·        What is in-patient treatment?
·        What is out-patient treatment?
·        What is a partial-day treatment plan?
·        What is rapid detox for opiate addiction?
·        Does insurance pay for treatment?
·        What is relapse prevention education? 
 
How Can Family Members Ease Their Pain?
Addiction affects everyone in the family. No one escapes the pain and the chaos.
·        What can family members do to help the addict and themselves?
·        What does it mean to enable an addict?
·        Find out if you’re enabling the addict.
·        What are the levels of enabling?
·        What is a family intervention?
·        How can you set up an intervention to get your loved one into treatment?
·        Understand that addiction is a progressive disease.
 
Advice from Addiction Medicine Specialists
Read the advice of addiction medicine specialists. Their topics:
·        Addiction is an illness.
·        How to build on hope.
·        Be cautious with benzodiazepines.
·        Stages of chemical dependency.
·        Addiction to pills means greater denial.
·        Addicts are not having fun.
·        Warning signs of addiction.
·        How to avoid isolating, a trigger for relapse. 
 
A Helpful Guide for Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Colvin, whose brother died from prescription drug abuse, brings what he calls the hidden epidemic of such abuse into the light. In the course of writing his book, he talked with persons from many different occupations and activities, and excerpts from his interviews occupy a considerable portion of the text. Abusers discuss their methods and sources and disclose that many of them felt that because they had prescriptions, they were not really drug abusers. Medical, pharmaceutical, and legal personnel comment on the scope, sources, procedures, and possible solutions of the prescription drug problem. Although the presentation of that problem sometimes beautifully exemplifies how a few bad apples can give misleading pictures of their particular barrels, it also shows that a problem definitely exists. Solutions must be found; Colvin discusses some now in use, such as drug diversion control systems, and at the end of the book lists sources of additional information and help. William Beatty --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

This book fills a long-standing void--that of the need for education about the rampant abuse of prescription medication -- Jean Sheffield, Pharmacist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Addicus Books; 1 edition (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886039526
• ISBN-13: 978-1886039520
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #735,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous resource for anyone dealing with this problem, August 23, 1999

By 

Cathy S. Kohut (Woodstock, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prescription Drug Abuse: The Hidden Epidemic : A Guide to Coping and Understanding (Paperback)

This book is a must for anyone coping with prescription drug abuse in the family. As Rod Colvin points out, this type of addiction is a hidden problem in the U.S., yet it is so destructive to so many people. Unfortunately, the news media doesn't give it nearly the attention it deserves. This book provides a lot of good information and a lot of answers.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Communicates to the reader in plain English, February 2, 2003

By 

Liz (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prescription Drug Addiction: The Hidden Epidemic (Paperback)

This book explains addiction in real life terms...no fancy medical terminology or diagnosis. The author opens with his own personal story regarding the loss of his brother to perscription drug addiction. The book is also full of other personal stories which reveal the horrors not only endured by the addict, but by the addicts family, friends, and co-workers. This book is a must for anyone who is an addict, or for anyone who's life is being affected by one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly researched, comprehensive, August 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Prescription Drug Abuse: The Hidden Epidemic : A Guide to Coping and Understanding (Paperback)

I am greatly impressed by Rod Colvin's book. It is a thoroughly researched and comprehensive resource for understanding our current epidemic of drug abuse, intervention efforts, needed changes in drug laws and policies, and resources for recovery. The book is a unique and valuable resource that combines readability and clarity with outstanding authorative references.--Alan Hollister, MD Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Colorado.