THE SANCTUARY BYRON BAY

With public perception of drug abuse usually centred around illicit street drugs such as heroin and amphetamines, a leading member of the Australian National Council of Drugs, Professor John Saunders describes the misuse of prescription drugs as ‘the real drug crisis gripping Australia’.  (Sydney Morning Herald, July 22, 2007).  The most commonly abused prescription drugs include:

• opiates (eg codeine, oxycontin);
• benzodiazapenes (eg Valium, Xanax);
• stimulants (Ritalin, dexamphetamines); and
• tranquilisers (eg Stilnox, Rohypnol).

In addition, common anti-depressants and psychoactive prescription medication can also be abused or in some cases, are difficult to stop using as complicated withdrawal symptoms are likely to ensue.  As addictions can develop in just under two weeks of regular use, ceasing long term use of prescription medication is beset with risks.

Whether prescription drugs are legally obtained (through a doctor’s prescription) or by other means (by theft or deception or simply lifted from someone else’s prescription), the use of pharmaceutical drugs can be as destructive and harmful as illegal drug use.  Internationally, the abuse of prescription drugs is rising, with the US reporting a 212% increase in the number of young people abusing pharmaceutical substances in the past decade (Under the Counter: The Diversion and Abuse of Controlled Prescription Drugs in the U.S, 2003)

At The Sanctuary Byron Bay, we know that substance abuse cuts across economic lines, age, social status and culture. This is especially true of comfortable milieus where prescription drug abuse is common and tranquilisers, sedatives and analgesics easily obtained. Over the years, we have seen high levels of prescription drug abuse amongst those who would be very unlikely to be identified as addicts in their everyday high functioning lives, yet would qualify as having substance use disorders by any other reckoning.

Because prescription drugs are usually legally obtained, ongoing use is rarely questioned, yet for those needing help, continued use exacts a toll. Ongoing use diminishes quality of life – with side effects sometimes causing more problems than the symptoms the drugs were initially deployed to treat.  Yet, withdrawals can be prolonged, difficult to manage and sometimes so destabilising that people can feel as if they are suffering a serious crisis. 

Detox from prescription drugs is necessarily a medical issue.  Withdrawals must be stepped, monitored and supported by appropriate professional attention.  At the Sanctuary Byron Bay, we are experienced in assessing prescription drug abuse and we are able to devise the most humane, effective and nurturing detox regime necessary to safely and comfortably reduce reliance upon prescription drugs. As our focus is multi-disciplinary, many of the symptoms of withdrawal can be mitigated by less invasive therapeutic modalities such as shiatsu, acupuncture and yoga or with supplementation with natural herbs and minerals; with the withdrawal process constantly monitored by registered nurses and specialist medical personnel in accordance with best practice clinical detox guidelines.

We encourage anyone regularly using sedatives, tranquilisers and stimulants to review their continued use of such substances and to get support where required.

If you wish to discuss your options for a safe, medically supervised detox from prescription medication, please contact us at any time.