Last Updated on June 22, 2015 by Morris Green

Prescription drug abuse is one of the most dangerous kinds of drug abuse in the nation. All too often, patients take a prescription drug and double the dose or take it with alcohol, thinking it’s no big deal. After all, a drug prescribed by a medical professional can’t be too dangerous, can it? However, this way of thinking is flawed. There’s a reason many drugs are available by prescription only, and it’s up to you and me to prevent prescription drug abuse.  Let us help, as Absolute Advocacy is here to assist you in overcoming your addiction with our top five strategies for prescription drug abuse prevention.

1. Know Your Medication

Whenever you are given a new prescription, it is important to follow the instructions either exactly as they are written or according to your doctor’s orders. Do not alter your course in any way without first consulting with a medical professional. Be sure to fully understand any effects of the medication, so you are aware ahead of time of what to expect. If you have any questions, talk to your pharmacist or your doctor.

2. Stay Up to Date With Your Doctor

While you’re taking a prescribed drug, keep your doctor in the loop every step of the way. They are there to properly gauge your dosage and make sure you are on the right course.

It’s also important to properly inform your doctor of the signs, symptoms, and the full extent of your condition, in addition to any other supplements or medications you might be taking before a prescription is written. Always ask if there are extended-release or lower-risk alternatives.

3. Practice Proper Safeguarding

In the wrong hands, a prescription drug can be very dangerous. For this very reason, proper safeguards are essential when dealing with medication.

Always keep track of your prescriptions. Store them away in a safe area where your children and their friends will not find them. And, of course, be sure anybody else in your home taking medication stays on top of his or hers as well.

4. Be Careful of How You Get Your Prescriptions

Prescription orders should be placed with a pharmacy you can trust. Ordering online can be dangerous if the website is not a trusted site, as there are many places on the Internet selling counterfeit and nonprescription drugs.

What if you know someone who has medication for a similar issue as yours? Even if such is the case, you most certainly do not want to use another person’s prescription. Regardless of condition similarities, every person is different, and each case calls for individual attention.

5. Dispose of Your Prescriptions Properly

It is important to dispose of your excess medications properly. Before throwing them away, check to see if a pharmacy near you has a “Give Back” program, or if local law enforcement has a disposal program. If not, you can always find a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration collection site. If you have no other choice than to throw it away, mix it with unsanitary waste such as litter, wet trash, diapers, etc. And never flush your medication down the toilet.

Following all of these tips should help to ensure you and others remain safe from falling victim to prescription drug addiction.