Prescription Drugs – Are We Overusing Them?

Do we abuse prescription drugs? Are there alternative solutions to using prescriptions?

What Does Research Tell Us About Our Prescription Use?
Some individuals need prescriptions for severe medical symptoms in order to stay alive. Each person’s needs differ medically. However, Medical News Today recently reported that in 2011, doctors wrote 4.02 billion prescriptions for drugs in America. That averages out to about 13 prescriptions for every living man, woman and child. How could this be possible? Do we need ALL of these prescriptions?

According to a report from the July 26, 2000, Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Barbara Starfield, a respected public-health researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health concluded that medical drugs were killing Americans at the rate of 106,000 per year.

Marijuana and prescription pain medications are the top two leading causes of drug abuse among teenagers.

Alternative therapies are available including taking responsibility for our health by getting regular exercise, sleep, and proper nutrition. Are we as a nation being responsible…or are we just looking for a quick fix?

Prescriptions to veterans for Vicodin (and generic forms) have soared since the Iraq and Afgahanistan wars.

Why Are Opiods Dangerous and What Are They?
Research statistics tell us that more than seven million people abused prescription drugs this past year.  Out of those seven million people,  more than five million people abused pain relievers. The drugs that are of most concern are opioids. Opioids are any morphine-like synthetic narcotic that produces the same effects as drugs derived from the opium poppy (opiates), such as sedation, pain relief,  constipation and respiratory depression from 5 million to nearly 45 million and for opioid analgesics from about 75.5 million to 209.5 million, or about 36% increase. The most potent opioids are morphine, meperidine, methadone; other opioids include hydromorphine–Dilaudid®, codeine, oxycodone–Percodan®, propoxyphene–Darvon®,  Naloxone–Narcan®, and Pentazocine–Talwin.®

The 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health determined that Native American and Alaskan Native populations lead all other ethnic groups in misuse of prescription-type drugs (psychotherapeutics).

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), unintentional death from overdose of opioids  has quadrupled steadily since 1999 and now outnumbers those deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.  Between 1991 and 2010, prescriptions for stimulants increased from 5 million to nearly 45 million and for opioid analgesics from about 75.5 million to 209.5 million, or about 36% increase.

What are the Alternatives?
There are many holistic alternatives to prescription drug use.  The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance does not recommend that all prescription drugs be stopped, because some people need prescriptions in order to survive, however, MBHA does support investigating alternative approaches to prescriptions, when it is the healthy choice.  Here are a few of the holistic health methods available to people who are seeking alternatives to prescription drugs.

Acupuncture needles in woman’s spine

1. Acupressure
2. Acupuncture
3. Affirmative prayer
4. Alexander Technique
5. Apitherapy
6. Applied kinesiology
7. Aromatherapy
8. Ashtanga Yoga
9. Astrology
10. Auriculotherapy
11. Autogenic Training
12. Autosuggestion
13. Ayurveda
14. Bach Flower Therapy
15. Balneotherapy
16. Bates Method
17. Bikram Yoga
18. Biodanza
19. Bioresonance therapy
20. Blood irradiation therapies
21. Body work (alternative medicine) or Massage therapy
22. Body-Based Manipulative Therapies
23. Chelation therapy
24. Chinese food therapy
25. Chinese martial arts
26. Chinese medicine
27. Chinese pulse diagnosis
28. Chiropractic
29. Chromotherapy
30. Coding (therapy)
31. Coin rubbing
32. Colloidal silver therapy
33. Colon hydrotherapy
34. Color Therapy
35. Craniosacral Therapy
36. Creative Visualization
37. Crystal healing
    

    Chinese cupping treatment on young man.

38. Cupping
39. Dietary supplements
40. Dowsing
41. Ear Candling
42. Electromagnetic therapy
43. Energy therapies
44. Faith healing
45. Fasting
46. Feldenkrais method
47. Feng shui
48. Five Elements
49. Flower essence therapy
50. Functional medicine
51. Gua Sha
52. Hair analysis (alternative medicine)
    

    Yoga Arsanas Poses for Beginners

53. Hatha yoga
54. Hawaiian massage
55. Herbal therapy
56. Herbalism
57. Herbology
58. Holistic living
59. Holistic medicine
60. Home remedies
61. Homeopathy
62. Hypnosis
63. Hypnotherapy
64. Iridology
65. Isopathy
66. Iyengar Yoga
67. Jin Shin Jyutsu
68. Journaling
69. Kampo
70. Kundalini Yoga
71. Light therapy
72. Macrobiotic lifestyle
73. Magnetic healing and therapy
    

    Therapeutic massage is an effective alternative to prescription drugs.

74. Manipulative therapy
75. Massage therapy
76. Medical acupuncture
77. Medical intuition
78. Meditation
79. Mega-vitamin therapy
80. Meridian (Chinese medicine)
81. Mind–body intervention
82. Mindfulness meditation
83. Moxibustion
84. Music therapy
85. Natural Health
86. Natural therapies
87. Naturopathic medicine
88. Neuro-Linguistic Programming
89. New Thought
    

    Studies show that a change in diet and nutrition often can help to reduce or eliminate pain.

90. Nutritional healing
91. Nutritional supplements
92. Orgonomy
93. Orthomolecular medicine
94. Osteomyology
95. Osteopathy
96. Pilates
97. Polarity therapy
98. Power yoga
99. Pranic healing
100. Prayer
101. Psychic surgery
102. Qi
103. Qigong
104. Radionics
105. Rebirthing
     

     Foot reflexology massage chart

106. Reflexology
107. Reiki (Seichim and Sekhem)
108. Rolfing
109. Seitai
110. Self-hypnosis
111. Shiatsu
112. Siddha Medicine
113. Siddha Yoga
114. Sivananda Yoga
115. Sonopuncture
116. Sound therapy
117. Spiritual Mind Treatment
118. Support groups
119. T’ai Chi Ch’uan
120. Tantric Yoga
121. Thai massage
122. Thalassotherapy
123. Therapeutic horseback riding
124. Therapeutic Touch
125. Tibetan eye chart
126. Traditional Chinese medicine
127. Traditional Japanese medicine
128. Traditional Mongolian medicine
129. Traditional Tibetan medicine
130. Trager Approach
131. Transcendental meditation
132. Trigger point
133. Tui Na
134. Unani medicine
135. Urine therapy
136. Viniyoga
137. Vinyasa yoga
138. Vipassana
139. Visualization
140. Water cure (therapy)
141. Wellness (alternative medicine)
142. Yoga
143. Zang Fu theory

According to a recent report by the NIDA, 25% of adults who started abusing prescription drugs at 13 years of age or younger met clinical criteria for addiction later in life.

Summary
Research has shown that doctors are writing more than 4 billion prescriptions in the United States alone, every year, averaging 13 prescriptions for every man and woman and child alive today. Clearly something is seriously wrong. Prescription drug abuse affects teenagers, young adults, adults and elderly resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Natural herbal supplements,  complimentary methods of healing, such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, physical therapy, nutrition and diet changes, and many others listed above, can be very effective as a alternative solution to taking prescription drugs. Talk with your trusted health professional to determine the health treatment approaches that will be best for you.

Resources
Medical News Today
Journal of the American Medical Association
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart,  M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.”  She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance.  The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3  nonprofit health and wellness education organization.  For more information about  the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com. 

Disclaimer:The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.