America is currently suffering with what is widely reported as an “opioid crisis” off the back of what some have alleged is a simple case of over-prescribing medications to patients for an array of ailments that can be treatable by other means. In the UK, there are concerns that doctors are relying on prescription drugs too much to treat people with ailments or issues they could use alternative help for, and the upshot is patients getting addicted to such medication.
Whether it’s a case that the dangers of such medications need to be better explained or better controlled, or where it’s down to the need to prescribe less medication – or both – doctors are worried that the lack of help for patients hooked on drugs is putting lives at risk.
According to media reports, there is a dangerous lack of support for patients who have become addicted to prescription medications. There are said to be so few NHS services that can help patients with medication addiction issues that many are turning to the internet for help.
Let’s face it: the internet as a tool for medical help is not generally seen as a good thing…
Doctors are worried that patients are risking serious health problems like fatal heart attacks as a result of taking medical advice from unqualified sources; whether its information gleaned from online forums, or from speaking to people online generally. Inadequate NHS resources are being blamed for the issue because there is not enough access for help with people addicted to prescription medication.
According to figures released after a review, one in 11 people are now taking addictive prescription drugs. This is an alarmingly large number of people who may end up addicted to medication and unable to get the help they need.
It seems there may be a vicious circle over this issue: the over-prescription of drugs because of a lack of NHS resources to spend on other avenues, which leads to the additional pressure on NHS services from patients who end up addicted to such drugs.
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