Almost all addictions to prescription drugs begin in the doctor’s office. It’s a truth that’s sad to admit. These men and women are charged with keeping us healthy, not locked in a battle to get off narcotic medication. Yet every day, more people accept prescriptions for what unknowingly sets the stage for addiction. Some are naive and think they will never get hooked, but chemical desire is often stronger than shere willpower. Anyone can become caught in the dangerous cycle of addiction. And without proper understanding, innocent patients find themselves hooked in an instant.
For those patients with an addictive past and already diagnosed addicts, the doctor’s office can be a frightening place. Patients with an addictive past view the doctor’s office through one of two lenses. Either the doctor is a conduit for getting health, or a candy shop for getting “what they want.” If the doctor is not privy to an addict’s history and sees no reason against prescribing narcotics, some doctors can be quick with the prescription pad.
Physicians unwilling to dispense drugs leniently will likely lose addicts as patients. In a desperate attempt to find willing practitioners, addicts may resort to “doctor shopping.” This process, invented by addicts, results in dependent men and women bouncing from physician to physician until he/she finds the desired narcotics. Recent changes to law make this process punishable by fine and imprisonment, though persistent patients doctor shop regardless of the consequences.