Drug Addiction Prevention

Prevention
The best way to prevent an addiction to an illegal drug is not to take the drug at all. Your doctor may prescribe narcotics to relieve pain, benzodiazepines to relieve anxiety or insomnia, or barbiturates to relieve nervousness or irritation. Doctors prescribe these medications at safe doses and monitor their use so that you're not given too great a dose or for too long a time. If you feel you need to take more than the prescribed dose of a medication, talk to your doctor.

Parents can take the following steps to help prevent drug dependency in their children:

Communicate. Talk to your children about the risks of drug use and abuse.

Listen. Be a good listener when your children talk about peer pressure, and be supportive of their efforts to resist it.

Set a good example. Don't abuse alcohol or addictive drugs. Children of parents who abuse drugs are at greater risk of drug addiction.

Strengthen the bond. Work on your relationship with your children. A strong, stable bond between you and your child will reduce your child's risk of using or abusing drugs.

Article provided by
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Oct. 5, 2007
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