Popping Pills: What Are The Dangers?

Understand the dangers of popping pills and reclaim your life with support from Purpose Healing.

How Do Prescription Drugs Affect the Brain and Body?

Prescription drugs alter the chemical signals in the brain, which can be beneficial when someone needs to slow their heart rate, manage their anxiety, or reduce pain. The chemical reactions in the brain vary depending on drug class.

Depending on the type, the changes can occur quickly and lead to varying symptoms, including the following:

• Confusion and disorientation
• Impaired judgment and decision making
• Dizziness (and even vertigo-like effects)
• Slower breathing and respiration
• Nausea and vomiting in some instances
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue and/or exhaustion
• Blood pressure changes (can be both increased and decreased)

For example, stimulants like methylphenidate or Ritalin increase dopamine and norepinephrine to increase alertness or focus.

On the other hand, sedatives like benzodiazepines suppress central nervous system activity. When you start combining drugs without professional guidance, the results can be devastating.

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What Are the Most Common Prescription Medications People Misuse?

People tend to abuse certain medications because they have addictive properties, which create mood-altering effects.

Some of the most abused pills are:

Pain Relievers:

• Hydrocodone (often branded as Vicodin)
• Oxycodone (often branded as Percocet or Roxicet)
• Oxycontin
• Morphine
• Codeine

Anxiety and Sleeping Pills:

• Xanax (generic name: alprazolam)
• Valium (generic name: lorezepam)
• Ambien
• Ativan
• Lunesta
• Klonopin (generic name: clonazepam)

These medications are safe when people take them in accordance with a physician’s instructions. But they are dangerous when used outside of the doctor’s guidance or when combined with illicit drugs or alcohol.

It’s also worth noting that it is illegal to use someone else’s legally prescribed medication. And these are not rare medications, these are among the most commonly prescribed prescriptions in the United States!

Why Does Popping Pills of Different Kinds Increases Dangers?

‘Polysubstance use’ describes taking multiple drugs at the same time, increasing the risk of worsening substance abuse or addiction. The combination of different drugs, including alcohol, opioids, and stimulants, can either intensify or interfere with the other’s effects.

This usage can impair both motor coordination and judgment. It may also trigger other risky behaviors, especially when people don’t understand the likelihood of an overdose.

Many also don’t consider how these drug combinations might influence the efficacy of other daily life-saving prescriptions, like blood pressure medications or insulin. Blocking these daily treatment options can have a dire impact when dealing with chronic disease.

Mixing Pills and Drinking Alcohol

Because alcohol is legal for adults, many underestimate the dangers of mixing drugs with it. Alcohol is a depressant; when taken with prescription sedatives or opioids, it can slow respiration to dangerously low levels.

That’s why doctors provide prescriptions to people with alcoholism only with an abundance of caution and frequent follow-up visits.

How to Recognize the Early Signs of Drug Use Problems

Harmful drug use can be difficult to spot early, especially when someone is addicted to legal prescription medications. If you believe you (or a loved one) needs professional treatment options, watch for the following signs:

• Running out of medications early
• Isolating from family and trusted friends
• Taking pills to manage emotions or stress
• Using someone else’s medicine
• Mood swings
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Withdrawal symptoms when their medications aren’t available

If you see the signs, seek a professional evaluation right away. Early recognition of an addiction means quicker treatment and the prevention of long-term impacts.

Free Downloadable Quiz: Is Popping Pills Becoming Addictive?

Do you think you have become addicted to a prescription medication? If you are ready to do some reflection and soul searching, download our quick 12-question quiz.

This quiz covers twelve addictive behaviors that often indicate prescription medication abuse.

After you complete the quiz, feel free to reach out to the Purpose admissions department and share the results. We will be glad to help you understand how you can end this cycle of risky behavior once and for all.

What are the Short-Term and Long-Term Health Effects of Misusing Pills?

Combining multiple drugs can have both immediate and longer-term impacts on one’s physical and mental health. The unpredictability of mixing drugs makes it easier to accidentally overdose or create medical complications that they had never considered.

With early use, people may experience blurry vision, reduced coordination, and heart rate changes. These symptoms can appear suddenly and worsen quickly, especially after drinking alcohol or taking other substances again.

In the long term, people could damage major organs, increase cognitive decline, and develop chronic physical and psychological issues. These impacts can reduce daily functioning, reducing one’s overall quality of life.

When Casual Misuse Turns Into Dependence

Physical and mental dependence on substances starts slowly, usually with casually mixing drugs with alcohol. After some time, they find that they can no longer function as usual without the medication. They could even start experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop using the combination.

At this stage, they may need to consider professional treatment options to help break dependency created by mixing drugs.