Older Americans becoming addicted to drugs
By Al Jazeera
The U.S. consumes 80 percent of the world’s supply of painkillers, and overdoses from prescription opioid drugs kill at least 16,000 Americans every year – more than cocaine and heroin combined.
Once thought to be a problem of the young, opioid addiction is becoming more common among elderly Americans.
“I was taking exactly what the doctor prescribed, when the doctor prescribed, how the doctor prescribed,” says Larry Moore, who calls himself an “accidental addict.” He said he wasted years of his life in “a deep, deep hole” hooked on painkillers.
When asked who should have stopped it, he says it should have been the doctors. “I was just doing what the doctors told me to do.”
Crazy…and we pay more per person for health care than anywhere else on the planet.
I know that drug addiction comes in many forms, pot, alcohol, pills, meth and so many more types. Its really a sad thing and pretty much anyone can be a victim.
I have cronic back pain/sciatica nerve damage and when it got really bad and I finally went to the doctors they did not offer me meds for pain even though it was obvious that I needed some relief. I had to go to 3 different doctors/chiropractors/nerve dr. Who was the one that finally saw my distress and gave me relief. I felt like I was somekind of criminal asking for pain relief, like I was being judged for having a need like that. I ended up having surgery and i am nowbetter.My biggest fear was becoming addicted as I have a sister that let pain meds ruin her life. I definately did not want that.
I have been offered designer drugs for day to day pain maintenance but the costs of these drugs are ridiculously expensive, like $150.00 a month and they are considered not habit forming. I choose to not give that kind of money to the pharmaceutical industry. The cost for low dose generic opoides was about $10.00 a month. Its no wonder more people do the opoides instead of the designer stuff.
Any addiction is troublesome. Thank goodness for communities that offer help to people with any addiction.