Why Are Some Prescription Drugs Considered As Controlled Substances?

A controlled substance is simply a drug that is being controlled by the government. The government regulates the manufacture of the controlled substance; it regulates who can possess the drugs, and it also restricts who can use the drugs. Controlled substance includes illegal drugs, of course, as well as a wide variety of prescription drugs.

The Dangers of Illegal Drugs

The problem with illegal drugs is that we don’t know who made them. We don’t know how they were made, what other kinds of drugs used in it to enhance its effect, the tools they used to make the drugs, and how safe they are. We only know that its results are sound, and they are what our bodies crave. After all, when your body is looking for its quick fix, you won’t let all these matter to you. What will matter is that you get your fix, and you get it now.

The Dangers of Controlled Substances

What about controlled prescription drugs? Why regulate their production, possession, and use when they can be very beneficial?

The reason why some prescription drugs are considered as controlled substances is that, although beneficial, they are highly addictive, much like illegal drugs are. People who use them can easily abuse it and become too dependent on the drug. They become psychologically as well as physically dependent on it that, if you take it away, they will no longer be able to function correctly.

Difference Between Psychological and Physical Dependence

When you say psychological dependence, it means that the mind has become dependent on the drug to make him feel better. Let’s say, for example, that a particular prescription drug makes you feel happy, carefree, and high. Now, take it away, and you’re going to feel depressed. This is because your mind is craving for the high it gives you.

Physical dependence, on the other hand, describes the body’s reliance on the drug. Your body is chemically addicted to the prescription drug, so it needs the medication to function better, stronger, and faster. Without the drug, your body would not be able to work the way you want it to. Since there is a factor of chemical addiction in physical dependence, the withdrawal symptoms are worse. Your body literally won’t function that well without the chemicals in your system.

Of note, though, the differences between these two are blurred since they usually come hand in hand. You won’t be psychologically addicted to a drug if you are not physically addicted to it, and you won’t be physically addicted to it if you don’t enjoy the psychological effects it has on your brain. If the drug is abruptly stopped, the withdrawal symptoms are typically the same. You’ll have mood changes, depression, cravings, inability to sleep, inability to function well, etc.

Because of the highly-addictive nature of some prescription drugs and the harmful side effects it has on the body, the government regulates its use. Only those who have a prescription from their physicians can purchase controlled prescription drugs. If you don’t have any medicine for it and you’re caught in possession of controlled substances, you can end up in jail.