Abuse of psychotropic drugs

The abuse of prescription medications is a significant social and medical problem in Europe and the USA. One category of drugs that is often abused is benzodiazepines, a type of medication with anxiolytic and hypnotic properties, modern tranquilizers (e.g. xanax). These drugs can cause dependence and withdrawal syndrome when someone takes them daily and in large quantities. It represents a form of dependence that is easily rationalized since it is accompanied by the simplistic thought “as long as the doctor prescribes them, they are fine….”. However, most of the time the recipient or patient feels the need to manage this situation and that’s when they need the proper guidance and training from an addiction therapist to deal with it effectively.

Psychoactive drugs. Categories

The types of drugs used for mental disorders and illnesses abound and the list is constantly expanding. However, the accurate information regarding their effects and potential benefits for the human body is incomplete and often misleading. Below we will mention some categories of these drugs, the most popular ones to which it would be useful to draw our attention.

 Anxiolytics

These drugs are recommended by the doctor in order to reduce the anxiety that can accompany certain mental disorders such as anxiety states, phobias, etc. They can also be referred to by the scientific term benzodiazepines. It is important to know two things about taking these medications. The first is that the doctor likely prescribed them for a certain period of time, during which the person it is advisable to seek pharmacological but also psychotherapeutic support  to identify or even eliminate the sources of their anxiety. Only then can these drugs be gradually discontinued.

The second is that the reckless use of these drugs can lead to addiction and dependence on them, so in the case of their abrupt discontinuation they may experience certain symptoms of which we need to be aware.

Antidepressants

These drugs, as their name suggests, are used to treat depression, one of the most common and challenging mental states that many people experience today. Antidepressants are not habit-forming so they do not lead to addiction. They can improve the negative feeling caused by a multitude of thoughts and give the sufferer time to process their mental state with the help of a psychotherapist. They are not drugs that we can consume indefinitely “to get high”. By receiving psychotherapeutic help we will be able to activate natural ways beyond medications to improve our mood.

ATTENTION: People who have been on antidepressant treatment for a long time and feel the need to stop because they believe that the psychological reasons for taking them no longer exist in their lives, are overwhelmed by fear, guilt and uncertainty. They constantly think that if they stop the medication they will harm themselves. Therefore, they need appropriate guidance and support by a counselor specified in addiction issues.

 Αntipsychotics

These types of medication are administered in severe mental illnesses and if a diagnosis has been made, such as schizophrenia, psychosis, etc. Psychotherapeutic assistance in these cases is important and contributes to the improvement of the patient’s behaviour given that they are not allowed to quit the medication.

In general, we should keep in mind, on one hand, that medication can serve as an aid in addressing a mental state if used correctly and, on the other hand, we must not forget that the forces to change our mental state lie within us, silently, and what is needed is to give them a voice.