Louisiana is one of eight states where there are more prescriptions written than people. Leftover prescription pills are also a big part of the problem. When the initial pain that warranted a prescription is gone, the extra pills are still tempting to either the person they were prescribed to, to family members, friends, or others with access to the pills. It’s a very slippery slope that’s sucking in new people of all walks of life every single day.
You’re at risk of becoming addicted if you’ve been prescribed opioid painkillers by your doctor—especially if you’ve been given a large prescription.* This includes people who receive high daily doses of opioids or obtain opioids from multiple prescribers or pharmacies. It also includes people with chronic pain, past or current substance use disorders, untreated mental health disorders, and/or prior nonmedical use of opioids.
Obviously, if you’re taking opioid pills recreationally to get high, you’re at risk of addiction. You’re also at risk of accidentally taking counterfeit pills, which are dangerously unpredictable and can cause overdose or death with a single dose.
In particular, anyone who is living in recovery or who has a substance use disorder, untreated psychiatric disorders and/or social or family environments that encourage misuse is at risk.