Prescription Drug Addiction, Programs and Treatment.

Drug use is one of the major factors in the spread of HIV. Users often share equipment like needles and used needles can carry HIV and hepatitis. Drug abuse often also leads to unsafe sexual practices contributing to the dangers of HIV as well.

Using drugs can also be unsafe for individuals that take HIV anti-viral medications. People who use drugs are more prone to missing doses of their medications and many illegal drugs have negative reactions certain HIV medications. The spread of HIV and other serious illnesses happens easily when drug users share their equipment. Blood from an HIV infected drug user can get into a used syringe and then when someone else uses the syringe it becomes injected with the drug into that person’s system. Not many people are aware of the fact that this is easiest way to contract HIV, because you are injecting infected blood right into your own bloodstream.

Many drug users are unaware that even trace amounts of infected blood on other equipment or in water used to rinse the equipment can be infectious. Even getting blood on your hands when you help another user find a vein or shoot up carries a potential infection risk.  The only way to reduce your infection risk of HIV and other illnesses during drug use is to never share your equipment at all. It is also important to wash your hands and injection site after using. The fact is that under drug addiction judgement often goes out the window and that can lead to a variety of unsafe lifestyle choices. The only way to guarantee safety from HIV infection is to seek help for your substance abuse addiction.

Posted in: Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Substance Abuse, Substance Addiction