John Read

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hundreds of thousands of people in England are becoming addicted to prescription drugs, health chiefs fear.

Public Health England looked at the use of strong painkillers, antidepressants and sleeping tablets - used to be a quarter of adults each Year .

It was found that at the end of March 2018, half of the people who had taken these drugs for at least 12 months.

the officials said the long-term use is justified to a degree, and a drawing of the patient was always dependent.

PHE medical Director Prof Paul Cosford, said he was concerned.

"These drugs, many lives have important clinical use and can make a Big Difference to the quality of life of the people. "

But, he added, there were too many cases in which patients have been placed with you for More Than "clinically" - in which the drug would have to just stopped working effectively, or where the risks outweigh the benefits.

"We need to make sure that people are helped to access alternative treatments," he added.

Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, of The Royal College of GPs, said doctors, such as prescribing drugs over the long term, but were left sometimes you have no choice.

"What is it, is the serious lack of alternatives. "

Nhs England said that investment in services such as talking therapies and so-called social prescribing, which includes exercises and art-based activities, that might be more suitable.

', I became a hermit,'

Katie was addicted to painkillers for 10 years, after your system diagnosed in the hospital And Then wrong - she suffered from endometriosis, has not been spotted.

At one point, you had to take 24 painkillers A Day .

"I was a hermit. I gained weight.

"I decided to stop taking painkillers about going out with my friends.

"It affects my relationships. "

not said for the years that you get no help until it was sent to The Bridge project, a charity in Bradford working with people with drug problems.

With your support, including advice, she managed to wean herself off painkillers, and has not taken, and since the end of last Year .

"There are some hard days. But I have My Life back now. "

how medicines were checked?

Five classes of drugs were found in the Review by the government amid concern that a large number of people abusing prescription drugs.

they were:

The Number of prescriptions rise issued for some Time - partly due to the aging of the population, although there are indications that their use is brakes.

To assess The Level of dependence, PHE officials analyzed patient data, to find out exactly how many people, these drugs outside of hospitals, and for how long.

half of the people who were used to the drugs, which had in March 2018 for a Year or longer, with about a quarter of you have it for at least three years.

Rates of prescribing were higher in disadvantaged areas and among women.

Can be justified in the long-term use?

How long each drug should be used varies.

Opioid-based pain relievers should only be used for short periods, so the fact that it 1. 2 million people who have been on them for at least a Year - 540,000 of which, among them at least three years - was extremely disturbing, PHE said.

antidepressants by comparison, take some Time to be fully effective, so it is not surprising that people with you for a long Time .

But it almost 1 million people, you had been said to them for at least three years, the bells were ringing the alarm, PHE,.

the officials said the scale of the proposed long-term use, those with mild to moderate depression can have, are dependent on them.

For The Other drugs, it was only said in a minority of cases, in which the long-term use was Appropriate , PHE,.

Prof John Read , of the " British Psychological Society, said the results were "alarming".

health Secretary to Matt Hancock said The Report should act as a "wake-up call".

"I Refuse To Let me, this escalation on The Level seen in the United States. "

What should patients do?

PHE said that patients should not simply stop taking their medication.

Instead, they urge to talk to the patient to their GP, who is said to do more to check the use of these drugs and look for alternative solutions.

Doctors say that any attempt to tackle must consult with dependency, a gradual reduction of usage and dosage.

Alternatives such as talking therapies can be used instead of antidepressants, while the networking of people in social activities, such as art groups, can help reduce the isolation and depression and tailor-made activities and physiotherapy can be used to combat pain.

PHE said it was not clear whether the extent of the long-term use of prescription drugs caused damage - although every drug has side effects, including weight gain and place stress on The Heart , kidneys and lungs.

But She Said that the long-term use meant it could build up tolerance and treatments could stop, effective, or require patients, the doses you took, while you could use a reduction in lead to withdrawal symptoms.

The Situation is as bad as the USA?

The abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid-based painkillers is a big problem in the United States.

recipe prices have risen sharply since the late 1990S , and there are signs that is trying to Crack Down on these dangers to the people in The Illegal market for drugs.

of deaths from opioid overdoses have More Than doubled in the last ten years in the United States.

PHE is not said, what is seen in England, nor in this size.

recipe prices are four times lower in England than in the United States, and deaths from overdoses are not have increased with such a speed.

In fact, PHE, said opioid prescriptions were also lower than in many other European Nations.

"We want to get on this now before we see the problems elsewhere seen," Prof Cosford added.

drug use, public health, prescription drugs

Source of news: bbc.com