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By now, most Americans are all too familiar with the opioid epidemic sweeping through the country. In the 1990s, the FDA approved several highly addictive and dangerous prescription opioids were approved and providers began…

A Shot to Numb the Pain: 1 in 10 Americans treated a medical condition with alcohol during the pandemic, reveals survey. 1 in 3 actively avoided seeing a doctor or…

Content surrounding drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, are seemingly unavoidable in today’s society, especially in popular culture. But, as loud as the conversations concerning illegal drug abuse are, the…

Alprazolam, also known by the brand name Xanax, is a benzodiazepine drug. Benzodiazepines were developed to take the place of the barbiturates, as they were believed to have less abuse potential…

There are many signs of addiction, such as poor hygiene, appearing intoxicated, sleeping odd hours, drug paraphernalia around the home, changes to eating habits or social outings, and refusing to…

Xanax is the brand name for a fast-acting benzodiazepine medication, alprazolam. This medication is prescribed for short-term treatment of generalized anxiety, panic disorders, anxiety associated with depression, and social anxiety disorder….

Percocet is a brand name painkiller formulation that combines the prescription opioid oxycodone with acetaminophen. Percocet is approved for use in managing moderately severe pain, such as might develop in…

Alprazolam is the generic name for a benzodiazepine commonly prescribed under the brand name Xanax. Xanax is a psychiatric medication used to treat immediate stress symptoms associated with various anxiety conditions,…

Fentanyl is a potent opioid narcotic. It is similar to OxyContin and heroin, although it is much more intense. This narcotic medication is typically 50-100 times more powerful than morphine…

The United States has struggled with prescription drug abuse in various forms for decades. The most recent epidemic predominantly involves prescription narcotic painkillers, which are chemically similar to heroin. Since the early 2000s,…

Vivitrol is an opioid antagonist medication (naltrexone) that is designed to address cravings and abuse of opiate drugs and alcohol. Opiate antagonist drugs counteract the effects of opiate drugs and are…

Amitriptyline, once marketed under the trade name Elavil, but now only available as a generic drug, is an tricyclic antidepressant medication widely used to treat clinical depression and certain types of…

Amitriptyline is a prescription medication that is classified as a tricyclic antidepressant medication. Tricyclic antidepressant drugs are one of the earlier classes of antidepressant medications. This class of drugs was developed…

Etizolam is a benzodiazepine analog drug that is technically a thienodiazepine. Drugs in this class are similar in their chemical structure to benzodiazepines and have a similar mechanism of action.1 Etizolam is…

Lamictal (lamotrigine) is an antiepileptic medication that is prescribed to manage seizures caused by epilepsy and to stabilize moods in people suffering from bipolar disorder. It may also be used…

Lamictal is the brand name for the antiepileptic medication lamotrigine, which is FDA-approved to treat epileptic seizures and stabilize moods in people diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Typically prescribed in an…

Gabapentin, and its brand-name formulation Neurontin, are used as anticonvulsants as well as to treat certain types of neuropathic pain.1 In addition to these FDA-approved indications, gabapentin has been investigated for several…

Xanax (alprazolam in its generic form) is one of the more commonly prescribed psychotropic medications in America. Primarily dispensed to treat anxiety and panic disorders, Xanax is a benzodiazepine medication…

Vyvanse is the brand name for a prescription stimulant, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, which is prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults. This medication can also treat moderate…

The brand name for new prescription stimulant lisdexamfetamine dimesylate is Vyvanse, a drug that was approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as recently as 2007. Later, Vyvanse was also approved…

Opioid drugs can cause several side effects, especially when taken in large doses. Many people who take opioid drugs for a long time, whether they take them for chronic pain…

Valium is the prescription brand name for one of the most popular benzodiazepine sedatives of all time, diazepam. The depressant was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1963…

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) requires a combination of prescription stimulants and behavioral therapy to manage symptoms of this condition. Prescription drugs used to treat ADHD typically fall into two families: methylphenidate drugs…

Phenobarbital is a barbiturate medication used to treat several conditions, including seizures, anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia. Sometimes, phenobarbital is prescribed to treat people detoxing from addiction to other types of…

The drug codeine, which is used in prescription cough medications, is an opioid. Though it is considered less potent than oxycodone or hydrocodone, it has contributed to the opioid addiction…

Cocaine is a dangerously addictive drug that acts as a stimulant, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, raising body temperature, helping to keep a person awake, and heightening alertness, focus, and…

A vast majority of the American adult population has consumed alcohol at some point. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) publishes that as of the 2015 National Survey on…

Xanax is the brand name of alprazolam, a popular benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety associated with depression, and panic disorder. It is sometimes also prescribed…

Valium is the brand name of famous, long-acting benzodiazepine, diazepam. This medication, like other benzodiazepines, was created to ease anxiety and treat panic disorders, and it can also be used…

As the baby boomer generation enters their senior years and the generation in front of them enjoys increased longevity due to improvements in medical care, the number of Americans classified…

Adderall is a medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, this medication is made using a stimulant drug, amphetamine, that can lead to addiction if the medication is…

In the United States, there were close to 207 million prescriptions issued for opioids in 2013, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the overprescription of these drugs has…

Benzodiazepines constitute a large class of prescription drugs that are used medicinally for the treatment of anxiety, the control of seizures that can occur in disorders such as epilepsy, as muscle…

Around 50-100 times more potent than morphine, fentanyl is a powerful and dangerous opioid drug that is manufactured both licitly as a pain reliever and illicitly, when synthesized as a recreational…

Tramadol, or Ultram, is an opiate painkiller prescribed for the treatment of chronic moderate to severe pain. In both a short-acting and an extended-release formula, the drug works by binding…

Percocet, an opiate painkiller that combines both oxycodone and acetaminophen, is commonly prescribed for the treatment of acute pain that is moderate to severe. When used for only a brief period while…

It is no secret that prescription medications can be quite expensive. Some attempt to offset the expense by getting counterfeit medication, which is simply fake medication, according to the Food…

Manufactured in clandestine laboratories or diverted through fraudulent prescriptions or pharmacy thefts, fentanyl is a powerful opioid drug that is commonly abused for the mellowing feelings and intense rush of…

An extremely potent opioid drug – up to 100 times as powerful as morphine and heroin, according to the journal The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders – fentanyl is a prescription…

Unapproved for medical use in the United State by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), etizolam is sometimes obtained as a “research chemical” from online purchase or other disreputable…

A long-acting and relatively rarely prescribed benzodiazepine drug within the United States, medazepam is marketed for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders as an anxiolytic medication. Benzodiazepines are a…

Lack of quality sleep can negatively impact many aspects of a person’s life, making it more difficult to think straight, keep emotions in check, and make intelligent decisions. The Centers for…

Benzodiazepine drugs, or “benzos” as they are often called, are prescription psychoactive (mind-altering) drugs that have sedative-hypnotic, muscle relaxing, anxiolytic, and anti-convulsant effects. They may be prescribed to treat panic or anxiety…

Xanax and cocaine are considered relative opposites, with one being an upper and the other a downer. Individuals may take one or the other to counteract some of the negative…

The short answer is “no,” Valium is the brand name of the drug diazepam, which belongs the class of drugs called benzodiazepines; it is not an opiate. Benzodiazepine drugs, often called benzos for short, are…

Stimulant medications are marketed to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders appearing in childhood, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes….

When taking any medication, it is vital to know any potential side effects or negative reactions with foods, other medications, or substances. Some medications explicitly indicate it is not appropriate…

Prescription drug abuse is one of the most widespread and rapidly growing drug problems in the United States. According to a 2010 survey, 2.4 million Americans misused prescriptions medications for the first…

Xanax is a brand name of alprazolam, a type of benzodiazepine. This prescription medication is used to treat various anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, which involves sudden and uncontrollable periods…

Dilaudid (hydromorphone hydrochloride) is a narcotic or opiate pain reliever that is a full (or pure) opioid agonist. This makes dilaudid similar to morphine, methadone, heroin, oxycodone, and other opioid drugs,…

Cyclobenzaprine, known by the brand names Flexeril and Amrix, is a muscle relaxant that is primarily used to relieve pain and muscles spasms associated with musculoskeletal disorders and conditions. Very…

According to the textbook Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Demerol (meperidine) is an opioid drug that has primary use for controlling moderate to severe pain. Like most opioid drugs, such as heroin and…

Overview – What is the Withdrawal Process for Klonopin? EFFECTS: Loss of coordination Involuntary eye movements Pale skin that bruises easily WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS: Skin rashes or itching Difficulty urinating Gastrointestinal…

Overview – What are the signs of abuse, effects, and withdrawal timeline for Ativan? ABUSE: Ativan has a higher potency than many other benzodiazepines, meaning that low doses of the…

Overview – What are the signs of abuse, effects, and withdrawal timeline for Vicodin? SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS: Anxiety Constipation Nausea and vomiting WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS: Extreme sweating Runny eyes and nose…

Overview – What are the signs of abuse, effects, and withdrawal symptoms for Opana? SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS: Dry Mouth Vomiting Increased Heart Rate Facial or throat swelling WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS: Excessive…

Overview – What is Gabapentin? DERIVES FROM: The Active ingredient in Neurotonin Nonbenzodiazepine Antiepileptic Medication WHAT IT’S USED FOR: Treat Seizures Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome EFFECTS OF ABUSE: Dizziness or physical unsteadiness…

According to the book The Chemistry of Plant Natural Products, codeine (3-methylmorphine) is an alkaloid found in opium that is processed from the poppy plant. Codeine is an opioid or narcotic drug,…

Percocet is a prescription medication that contains oxycodone and paracetamol. Oxycodone is an opiate analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain. This medication can be used as needed or given in…

Percocet (acetaminophen and oxycodone) is a medication prescribed to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. This article will discuss the basic features of the drug, its uses, how the drug…

Leo Sternbach, a chemist working for the Hoffman-La Roche Company back in the 1950s accidentally developed Librium, the first benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines were eventually marketed as a treatment option for seizures and…

Hydrocodone is a prescription pain medication that is similar in chemical structure to oxycodone. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. This prescription painkiller can either be prescribed as…

Hydrocodone is a powerful opioid painkiller that is prescribed to treat pain after surgery or serious injury. Doctors typically do not prescribe hydrocodone for long-lasting chronic pain, but sometimes, people…

Xanax is a medication in the benzodiazepine family. This prescription medication is most often used by medical professionals to help people suffering from anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. While…

The Physician’s Desk Reference describes Ativan, also known by its generic name lorazepam, as a medication used to manage anxiety, whether it is due to an anxiety disorder, depression, or short-term anxiety symptoms….

An article by National Public Radio estimates that 60 million individuals in the United States are affected by insomnia every year, and Ambien is easily the most widely prescribed medication to treat…

Valium is an anti-anxiety medication, a benzodiazepine, of which the active ingredient is diazepam. It works by increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. GABA is responsible for…

Vicodin is the most well-known name for the opioid pain medication hydrocodone, though Vicodin is a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen (commonly known by the brand name Tylenol). The United…

In recent years, many government and other health agencies and organizations have been sounding an alarm on the level of abuse of and addiction to opiate drugs in the US….

Prescription drug abuse continues to be a major issue in the US, and one of the main culprits is a class of prescription medications called benzodiazepines, or benzos. These medications, which have…

Many types of natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic opiates are produced and used in the US for a wide range of medical reasons. Nevertheless, these drugs are often as addictive as…

Prescription Drug Abuse Non-medical prescription drug use is extremely common in the United States. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a full 20 percent of Americans age 12 and…

Xanax, also known by its generic name alprazolam, is the most widely prescribed medication in the benzodiazepine family. In 2012, almost 94 million prescriptions had been written for the drug. Xanax is…

Touted as a medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, Adderall is a medication in the stimulant family and a form of amphetamine. It was first developed in 1887 in Germany,…