Drugs are pretty commonplace in the United States. People take over the counter, illegal and prescription drugs on a daily basis. In the case of prescription drugs, just because the drugs come from a doctor doesn’t mean that they’re any less addictive. With so many prescription drugs out there, people often wonder which are the most prescribed drugs in America.
The Most Prescribed Drugs
Every year, it seems like the most prescribed drugs in America change. In 2015, some of the most commonly prescribed drugs included:
- Levothyroxine – 120 million prescriptions
- Hydrocodone – 119 million prescriptions
- Lisinopril – 104 million prescriptions
- Metoprolol – 85 million prescriptions
- Atorvastatin – 81 million prescriptions
Nearly 20% of Americans take five or more prescription drugs. Not all of these prescription drugs have addictive properties, but some do. Experts even say that some drugs treat symptoms but never the problem.
Doctors prescribe most of the drugs on this list to treat a variety of ailments. Since they use these drugs to treat many conditions, the number of prescriptions grows. Often, however, doctors don’t prescribe the drugs to treat the conditions that pharmaceutical companies intended to treat.
Levothyroxine
This prescription drug helps treat hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid glands don’t make enough hormones. In some cases, doctors use the drug to treat or battle thyroid cancer. The drug can shrink enlarged thyroid glands.
Hydrocodone
Of all the drugs on this list, hydrocodone is the most troublesome. This prescription drug is a popular painkiller. Doctors prescribe it to treat moderate to severe pain. Drugs like this led to the pain pill addiction epidemic across the nation.
Hydrocodone blocks pain signals from reaching the central nervous system. It’s a habit-forming drug because of how it interacts with the brain. Doctors don’t usually prescribe it for long periods of time, but people still fall victim to addiction. Once addiction sets in, they’ll do anything to get their hands on more of this drug.
Overcome Prescription Drug Addiction
Drugs like hydrocodone and other opioid drugs can ruin your life if you don’t seek addiction treatment. Pinnacle Peak Recovery has the tools and knowledge to help you overcome addiction. Some different addiction programs that we offer include:
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Inpatient programs
- Outpatient programs
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
We help people just like you overcome a variety of addictions. For example, we help people overcome both prescription and illegal drug addictions. Our main goal is to make sure that you can overcome addiction and avoid relapse in the future.
Don’t let prescription drug addiction hold you back from your full potential. Learn what it takes to fight back against your addiction and become drug-free. Contact us today at 866-377-4761 for more information.
