THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PHARMACISTS IN ADDICTION TREATMENT

Pharmacists have a lot to do when it comes to addiction treatment, particularly when it comes to the treatment of drug addiction.

Pharmacists are responsible for drug production, so they have a part of the blame when individuals are addicted to drugs.

Using Opiates addiction as a case study, the original intent for its manufacture is to provide relief for pain.

So, if you have any injury, you can be sure that when you take opiates, you will get better. Now, over time, opiates has been abused with some individual getting addicted to it in the process.

It got to a point where opiates became freely accessible to anyone who wants it. So, it became possible for opiates to be sold over-the-counter, and just anyone would walk in and get opiates.

The major reason why people are addicted to opiates is because of the pleasurable feelings that come with it. So, people would want to take more of it so that these pleasurable feelings can be increased.

Pharmacists need to ensure that they work in conjunction with other health providers, to make sure that the rate of addiction is on the decline.

There are some medications that counter the effect of taking addictive drugs and they need to be more available. However, they should not be given out without the prior prescription of a pharmacist.

In addition to this, it is necessary for pharmacists to work hand-in-hand with counselors and therapists during addiction treatment. This comes in handy particularly for drug addiction.

When an individual in addiction recovery experiences withdrawal symptoms, he or she would need the expertise of a pharmacist on the right medication to take.

If withdrawal symptoms are not properly managed, the individual could experience unpleasant side-effects that could induce aggravated health complications.

Just like other parties, pharmacists have a pivotal role to play in addiction treatment. Their role in the addiction recovery of an individual should not be trampled on.

HOW SOME PHARMACIES CONTRIBUTE TO ADDICTION?

You would be surprised to find out that some pharmacies are the reason why some people are addicted.

If addiction were to reduce, one of the major stakeholders that would ensure this are pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies. However, this has not fully become a reality.

Pharmacies do not take time in reviewing the prescription given to a patient by a doctor. This is why some patients take drugs and they end up experiencing adverse effects.

It is important for a pharmacies to take ample time in reevaluating the condition of an individual, so that they can know the right drugs to give.

In addition to this, it is necessary for pharmacies to work with the health regulatory bodies in order to checkmate the rate of drug abuse.

Not all pharmacies are in synergy with these health regulatory bodies and this is not good enough.

When there is proper collaboration between both parties, you will observe that there would be a decline in drug abuse and addiction.

Also, pharmacies that do not help in proper medications management are among those who contribute to addiction.

Asides the responsibility of pharmacies to dispense, it is also necessary that pharmacies take ample time in helping an individual take drugs at the right rate.

If it is great to take more than one medication at once, a pharmacist needs to be consulted before it is taken. This would prevent cases when drugs would react with one another and yield unpleasant results.

The role of a pharmacist is great when it comes to following the appropriate treatment pattern. If an individual is left to himself to take drugs without any professional prescription, it might be dangerous for his or health.

If the above measures are implemented, you will notice that addiction would decline gradually till it eventually fades off. It might look impossible to achieve.

However, all hands must be on deck to fight this chronic brain disease that has the capacity to affect anyone.  

REASONS WHY YOU NEED THE PRESCRIPTION OF A PHARMACIST.

One important fact we need to be aware of is, our bodies do not respond the same way to all medications. Once we fully know what this means, we would apply caution in taking drugs.

It is essential for your pharmacist to be carried along before you take any drug. Better put, it is important for you to follow the prescription of a pharmacist for a better life.

One of the reasons why the prescription of a pharmacist is the medication review. It is the responsibility of your pharmacist to assess and evaluate you to make sure everything is okay.

It is also the duty of the pharmacist to ensure that the medications are going to be in your best interest. He or she needs to make sure that your health state and the medications you take are compatible.

When he or she puts these measures in place, you can be sure that there would not be detrimental effects when you take any medication prescribed by a pharmacist.

Also, a pharmacist helps you to properly manage your medications. He or she is in the best position to advise you on the rate at which you should take a particular medication. Your pharmacist would tell you if it is safe to take several medications at the same instance or not.

Not everyone follows their treatment properly and this is why we need a pharmacist. It might be challenging for you to stick to a treatment schedule properly, this is why you need a pharmacist by your side.

There are some medications that when they are not properly followed, they can induce detrimental effects on your body.

So, if it is not your intention to skip drugs, your pharmacist needs to be aware. He or she needs to certify that the medication is not one that would induce adverse effects when you skip the dosage.

It is also the responsibility of your pharmacist to recommend the appropriate over-the-counter medications. This is necessary so that you do not take the ones that come with unpleasant side-effects.  

DISADVANTAGES OF OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS

Over-the-counter drugs are those you can purchase at any store. To get over-the-counter drugs, you do not need the prescription from a pharmacist or doctor.

Generally, over-the-counter drugs are meant to help you prevent usual health problems like allergies and the likes. Other times, over-the-counter drugs induce some unpleasant effects.

There are risks associated with taking over-the-counter drugs and you need to know them so that you can tread with caution.

One of the major disadvantages of over-the-counter drugs are side effects. These are effects produced in your body that do not alleviate the symptoms of your body. A good number of side effects experienced are never pleasant.

However, there are some that come with their usefulness. There are some drugs you take that have a side-effect of sleep. This might be what you need at that moment.

Our bodies have a way of processing medicines specially. If some drugs are used together, there could be an interaction.

This implies that, the side effects experienced might be doubled. If you take two medicines that have similar ingredients, there is a likely chance that they would give you an increased effect.

This can affect some of your internal organs in the process.

If it is for medicines that have opposite effects and different ingredients, there might be an interaction between both drugs which would yield an unpleasant effect.

Before you take an over-the-counter drug, it is important to inform your doctor. This is important to prevent you from having complicated health problems.

Another major disadvantage of over-the-counter drugs is the interaction between drugs and food. Some food substances can modify the way your body absorbs some over-the-counter drugs.

What you drink or eat can inhibits the ingredients in the drug you are taking. This is why you need the prescription of a pharmacist or doctor in order to prevent health complications.

Allergic reactions are also common with over-the-counter drugs and this is why it is important to receive proper guidance on any drug you take.

It is essential to limit the over-the-counter drugs you take and rely more on your healthcare provider’s prescription.

HOW PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES CAN REDUCE DRUG ABUSE

With every drug comes benefits and side-effects. The reason why side effects exists is because we have different structural make-up.

So, what would affect you might not affect someone else. In a family, some individuals might react violently to a drug, while others would experience no side-effect.

Taking a look at opioids for instance, the demand for it is always on the increase. Pharmaceutical companies cannot be blamed for this because opioids are legal substances.

Opioids help in relieving pain, so if an individual wants to purchase, it might be difficult to know if it is for abuse purposes or not.

Pharmaceutical companies have a pivotal role to play in the marketing of these drugs, and it is up to them to reduce the rate of drug abuse.

One of the ways they can achieve this, is to promote the prescription drug monitoring program of a country.

The purpose of a prescription drug monitoring program is to observe and collect essential information concerning the regulated substances from pharmacists and doctors.

In addition to this, pharmaceutical companies are expected to promote the awareness concerning drug abuse. Also, there is a need for an enlightenment on treatment options and the techniques for treatment.

There are diverse tests that are available for closely monitoring patients who consume drugs illegally.

It is important for pharmaceutical companies to come up with tools that educate people about the proper management of the disorder.

Also, there is a need for the availability of multiple access to various treatment options.

The innovations in the health field come with a broad range of treatment options. Just like there are opioid medications for pain management.

Pharmaceutical companies are also advised to set realistic goals for all products and integrate ethical methods of promotion.

There should be a stock of drugs with registered pharmacies. This is to prevent those clinics who illegitimately provide drugs without any form of prescription.

Drug abuse is always rampant in any country, and it is important to put all hands on deck to tackle this public health problem.