(1888PressRelease)
February 01, 2008 - The use of prescriptions to put us to sleep, to make us more alert, calm panic attacks, make more compliant students or take the “edge” off daily living have become so commonplace as to seem harmless. What may be forgotten is that each drug is toxic to some slighter or greater degree, and each drug comes with a list of undesirable side effects and risk of overdose. There are no signs of intentional overuse by Mr. Ledger, however, the risk of death is just as high from accidental overdoses as it is for those who abuse prescription drugs.
According to CNN, the six prescription medications in Mr. Ledger’s apartment were: Zopiclone, Diazepam, Lormetazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam and Donormyl. Zopiclone, sold in the U.S. as Lunesta, is used to control insomnia. Diazepam is marketed as Valium, and is used as a sedative and to help insomnia. Loremtazepam is sold in the U.K. for treatment of severe insomnia. Temazepam, which may be known to some under the brand name Restoril, is a strong sedative and helps induce sleep. Alprazolam is known by its trade name Xanax and is used for anxiety and panic attacks. Donormyl is a drug made in France that is used for severe insomnia.
Every drug in the list has addictive properties. Some are widely abused in the U.S. or Europe. Side effects from these drugs include agitation, loss of memory, confusion and respiratory depression.
Overuse of prescription drugs, whether accidental or intentional, can result in disaster. In 2006, seven million Americans ages 12 and older were current abusers of prescription drugs. More than two million people started abusing of prescription drugs, more than any other category.
When a person finds that they need to escape from a trap of prescription drug abuse, they can break free with the drug-free program at Narconon Arrowhead, one of the nation’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma.
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