Diet Pills Addiction and Abuse
Diet Pills Info
Diet pills are commonly abused appetite suppressant medications that have extremely high abuse and addiction rates. When you take them, they increase the chemicals in your body that reduce the feeling of hunger. Diet pills can cause a heightened feeling of euphoria, increased stamina and temporary weight loss. These desirable feelings may encourage continued abuse and lead to addiction.
If you feel dissatisfied with your body – or suffer from body dysmorphia, anorexia, bulimia and any other eating disorders – you may be are abusing diet pills. There are various dangerous side effects associated with this behaviour, including weakening your mental and emotional well-being. If you need help to overcome an addiction to diet pills, professional treatment may be required to help you achieve lasting recovery.
What Are Diet Pills?
Diet pills are pharmaceutical drugs and herbal supplements that are used in order to lose weight. They are also known as anti-obesity medication and can be prescription-only pills or sold over-the-counter. They function by altering your appetite so that you eat less, and change your body’s metabolism and the way fat or calories are absorbed in your system.
As a treatment, diet pills are prescribed by a doctor to treat obesity and severe addictive eating disorders. However, they are not a weight loss solution and can be dangerous when abused or taken without a prescription. These drugs are also highly addictive and chronic use can make you experience depression, anxiety, paranoia or memory loss.
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The Various Forms of Diet Pills
Alli (a reduced-dose formulation of Orlistat) is the only over-the-counter diet pill approved for weight loss. Even though its adverse effects are quite lower than its prescription form, they are still unpleasant and include oily stools and discharge.
Prescription weight-loss pills or anti-obesity drugs may be prescribed as an additional aid in weight loss treatment. The most common drugs belonging to this category include
Orlisat, Contrave, Qsymia, Belviq, Phentermine and Saxenda. Diet pills are usually used with an exercise or nutrition programme and can produce mild to severe side effects.
Diet Pills Addiction and Abuse: What Is It?
Diet pills addiction and abuse occur quite frequently and can be as a result of physical or psychological causes (or both). If you’ve experienced psychological or emotional trauma, unresolved issues can influence the way you feel about your physical appearance as well. Such trauma could, therefore, trigger deep-seated feelings of shame or resentment towards your body.
As such, the need to take diet pills stems from deeper, often interconnected issues. If you do not seek professional help to adequately address these problems, you could resort to using diet pills as a short-term solution. If you or someone you know are using diet pills, it’s important to stick to the recommended duration of use and stay in touch with your medical provider.
What Causes Diet Pills Addiction and Abuse?
There are different factors that can contribute to diet pill addiction and abuse. You might use diet pills as per a doctor’s prescription, as a result of actual physical needs that require consuming the drug. However, diet pills may also be sought for the purpose of altering the body or as a temporary fix for weight loss.
Using recreationally or for non-medical purposes cannot be justified. If you’re struggling with your body image – even when at a normal weight – you may feel a desire to use diet pills to control your weight or appearance. A distortion of your true body image or body image dysmorphia usually has many social, biological or psychological causes that can result in addiction and abuse.
How does addiction develop?
Appetite suppressant medication or diet pills are designed for the treatment of morbid obesity, severe addictive eating disorders or binge eating. If you are struggling with any of these conditions, it can be difficult to control the amount of food you are consuming. You could also be suffering a significant amount of health conditions as a result. Diet pills may be prescribed by your doctor to break addictive eating habits and help you recover.
However, because these drugs can be highly addictive, you can quickly become tolerant to this medication. You may begin to use more and more of these drugs until a full-blown addiction develops. This stage of physical or psychological dependence also means that you can experience painful withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.
How Diet Pills Addiction and Abuse Affect the Brain and Body?
Diet pills can be incredibly dangerous to your mental health and well-being, in addition to the negative physical side effects they can cause. You may begin to abuse diet pills because you are unhappy with your weight and self-image. However, it is ineffective to try to solve these concerns through substance abuse, and you may even end up worsening your problems.
Appetite suppressants help to reduce the sensation of hunger by stimulating the release of certain chemicals in the brain. Diet pills can provide stamina and mild euphoria, while you may also experience significant weight loss as a result. However, if you do not notice a marked weight reduction, you could start to abuse a number of other pills, putting your health at risk.
Who Becomes Addicted to Diet Pills?
Diet pills are generally taken as a fast solution for problems with obesity or being overweight. However, diet pills may also be taken even if you are within normal weight ranges to stay slim and maintain body weight. An addiction to diet pills is very likely if you suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia, body dysmorphia or bulimia.
The results from taking these pills are temporary, however, especially when you use them alone, without any other health regime in place. If your doctor prescribed appetite suppressant pills to help you curb appetite, you could begin to abuse them as a way to counteract tolerance or withdrawal. This type of diet pill abuse can cause you to become addicted.
Signs, Symptoms and Effects of Diet Pills Abuse and Addiction
Abusing your diet pills can lead to some dangerous side effects, which is why they are best used under medical supervision. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction to diet pills, there are certain signs, symptoms and effects which will be evident. These can vary in severity and may affect you physically, mentally or socially.
Common side effects often range from tremors to irregular heartbeat, insomnia, mood swings, chest pain, exhaustion, nausea, teeth grinding and stomach pain. In some cases, you may experience blurred vision, vomiting and hallucination. Abusing diet pills whilst taking other medications can cause dangerous interactions, which may contribute to kidney or liver damage.
Short-term effects of diet pills on the body
Irregular intestine issues such as diarrhoea, bloating and gas are the most common short-term side effects of diet pills. Also common is urgent bowel movements with oily spotting in passed gas. This occurs because diet pills can prevent fat absorption. This function of diet pills can pose health risks related to vitamin deficiency as well.
Diet pills increase heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to increased anxiety, nervousness and sleep disturbance. Other short-term effects of diet pills on your body may include headaches and irritability. It is crucial to discuss your diet pills with a doctor if you’re taking any medication to treat anxiety and depression, in order to prevent this uncomfortable side effect.
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Long-term effects of using diet pills
Short and long-term stress on your heart and cardiovascular system can occur as a result of taking diet pills, as they increase heart rate and blood pressure. This heightened state leads to the risk of stroke, heart attack and seizures. Therefore, diet pills containing caffeine, ephedra and ephedrine should be used with caution.
Liver injury can result from using diet pills, which can cause long-term problems with liver damage. If you start showing signs of liver injury, it is essential to call your doctor immediately. These signs include yellowing of the eyes or skin, itching, brown or dark-coloured urine and pale-coloured stools. Loss of appetite and constant abdominal pain are less noticeable symptoms that may also occur.
Physical signs and symptoms of diet pills abuse and addiction
Diet pills may lead to increased energy levels and the motivation to exercise. However, abuse and addiction can cause disturbances with your normal body metabolism or damage your organs and general system.
Some of the common physical signs and symptoms that may occur include headaches, restlessness, insomnia, unstable weight and fluctuations in appetite. You could also notice some tightness in your chest, heart palpitations, dizziness, and urinary tract difficulties. Anti-obesity medication abuse may also cause some disturbances with sex drive or menstrual cycle, respiratory failure or congestive heart failure.
Psychological signs and symptoms of diet pills abuse and addiction
Abusing diet pills can lead to depression, increased mood disturbances and anxiety attacks. If you’re addicted to diet pills, you may become emotionally dependent on the drug, thinking that it is necessary to continue using it in order to maintain a certain body weight. Psychological effects may include:
- Depression
- Low self-esteem/body image
- Mood swings or instability
- Increased paranoia and anxiety
- Nervousness and restlessness
Signs of diet pills withdrawal and overdose
When you reach the point of tolerance, you may develop a physical dependence. Withdrawal symptoms can be experienced when you try to reduce or stop taking diet pills completely. Diet pills withdrawal will vary from person to person, depending on factors such as how long you’ve used them and the size of your regular dosage.
From roughly 6 to 36 hours after your last dose, you can begin to experience symptoms such as fatigue or brain fog, muscle aches, irritability, depression, weight gain and cravings for other drugs. In addition, an overdose of stimulant products like diet pills could raise your blood pressure to dangerously high levels, putting you at risk of a heart attack or a stroke.
Dangerous Effects of Diet Pills Abuse and Addiction
Prolonged and continuous use of appetite suppressants may cause you to experience memory loss, depression, anxiety, and paranoia. When inappropriately used, diet pills can be very dangerous. Reports of chronic mood swings, blackouts, hallucinations, seizures, and heart issues are frequent results of abusing these drugs.
Diet pills achieve their effects in a number of ways. Certain pills block or reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs; these include drugs such as Alli, guar gum and chitosan. Others lower your appetite, such as country mallow, ephedra or hoodia. The third type of diet pills includes chromium, bitter orange, and green tea extract, which increase the number of calories your body burns. Many of these are likely unsafe; ephedra and country mallow have already been banned by the FDA.
Physical, psychological, emotional, behavioural and mental effects of diet pills abuse and addiction
The longer diet pills abuse and addiction last, the more stress and strain it puts on you. There is an incredible number of physical, psychological, behavioural and mental effects addiction poses that can easily turn you into a frail shadow of your former self. The psychological and emotional distress associated with diet pills abuse can range from mild to severe.
Addiction can physically affect you in a number of ways, from problems with your heart, liver or kidneys after a prolonged usage period. If you’ve allowed diet pills to take over your life, you could find yourself doing things that you never expected to do. You may begin to lie about your drug use or become excessively defensive when confronted about it. Your family and friends could also become less of a priority.
Social impacts of diet pills
An addiction to diet pills can make it increasingly difficult for you to maintain personal or family relationships. You may begin to isolate yourself and fail to form new relationships with others or maintain old ones. Negative social impacts of diet pills also include division within family units, loss of friendships, as well as avoiding social encounters and interactions.
In addition to your social life, diet pills also affect your psychological health and financial responsibilities. If you’re struggling with diet pills abuse and addiction, you may continue to experience social isolation and other social impacts until you seek professional addiction treatment.
Coping with Withdrawal
Though diet pills can cause withdrawal symptoms, the effects are not usually treated using other medications. To help you cope with withdrawal, physicians will create a step-down tapering process to reduce the uncomfortable effects of withdrawal. The main focus is usually on helping you to heal from underlying psychological issues related to diet pill addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms and other complications can occur when you stop using diet pills, especially after becoming dependent. The most severe symptoms of diet pills withdrawal occur in the first one to two days after quitting. It is always important to undergo withdrawal under the supervision of a medical health provider. If you’re concerned that you may be experiencing diet pills withdrawal symptoms, contact your doctor to discuss these signs.
How to treat diet pills withdrawal?
Medical detox is the recommended way of treating diet pills withdrawal. This is because it can help you deal with the psychological symptoms you may be struggling with and also ascertain the level of damage addiction has caused. After completing detox, you should consider going to rehab. Addiction treatment centres offer you a period of introspection, knowledge, and growth that is crucial for long-term recovery.
Aftercare and intensive outpatient care are also important. If you’re struggling with diet pills, these remedies can help you safely transition from rehab back into the real world. Spending time after rehab at a sober living residence and participating in twelve-step fellowships can contribute to a highly successful treatment.
Therapy, Treatment and Rehab for Diet Pills Abuse and Addiction
Diet pill treatment centres employ experienced addiction professionals who work round-the-clock to help you get better. Treatment centres offer various forms of therapy, like cognitive behavioural therapy, life skills training, EMDR, trauma resolution, solution-focused therapy, and much more.
Remember, choosing to overcome your addiction to diet pills by going to a rehab treatment centre can help you rid yourself of the painful side effects you’ve had to endure. Treatment and therapy in rehab can extend your lifespan, and most importantly place you back on track towards a clean, drug-free life. So, don’t fight addiction alone. Instead, speak to an addiction specialist to help you live the life you deserve to have.
Diet pills addiction treatment: Prices
If you are worried about what treatment would cost, think about what your recovery is worth to you. Diet pills addiction may be costing you personally and financially right now, as you struggle to purchase diet pills and pay medical bills because of poor health and time missed at work. However, getting the treatment you need to recover from your addiction offers more benefits in the long run.
The price for diet pills addiction treatment will vary, depending on a number of factors. These include the treatment type, length of stay, the location of the treatment centre, amenities provided and your insurance plan (if valid). Each insurance plan is different; while some may cover all of your treatment, others may cover only a part of treatment. Check with your provider to see if you’re covered.
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Staying off Diet Pills
Addiction recovery is an ongoing process, marked by different challenges. It can be all too easy to slip and slide back when you are faced with everyday stress and temptations during recovery. Your goal should be to live a healthy, drug-free life. Even if you have friends who take diet pills a few times a week, it doesn’t mean you have to do the same.
You can successfully stay off diet pills by identifying the underlying reason for abusing them and highlighting situations that may trigger an urge to use. Inpatient and ongoing treatment programmes can help you learn useful tips to work through your struggles and find long-term success.
Individual counselling
Individual counselling for diet pills abuse and addiction does help you do just that – take care of the underlying issues. During treatment, your therapist might make use of behavioural therapies to identify and treat the root causes of your addiction (dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)).
Sometimes, individual counselling may take longer than you expect, but in the long run, you are increasing your chances of a happy and healthy life.
Support groups
Support groups are an important component of the comprehensive care offered for substance-related disorders and co-occurring diet pills addiction. They’ve been recommended by professionals for years. Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon and Dual Recovery Anonymous are some of the most well-known support groups, but there are many, many more.
Even though they are nonprofessional groups that do not provide formal treatment, they have been shown to play a large role in recovery and continued abstinence.
Family therapy
Many eating disorder treatment programmes provide family therapy to address the effects of your addiction on your family and loved ones and to help you recover from drug abuse. Family therapy in diet pills addiction treatment works to recognise the hidden triggers in your home environment that may be responsible for the body image issues that led to abuse.
Family plays a significant role in your physical and psychological development, as you impact and are impacted by others within your family. Family therapy, therefore, brings your parents, siblings, and extended family members into the treatment process, and explores the different ways you can all work together to achieve lasting recovery. This, of course, happens only with your approval.
Facts and Statistics
- Over-the-counter diet pills are not regulated by the FDA. Therefore, there is no way to know the actual components of dietary supplements and herbal weight loss medications.
- A 2009 study by the FDA found that over 60 OTC diet pills contained ingredients what were harmful and potentially dangerous.
- According to the National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse, about 50% of people with eating disorders suffer from substance abuse problems.
- 20 percent of all females report having used diet pills at least once by the time they were 19 and 20 years of age.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do diet pills
have any side effects when used appropriately?
Typically, diet pills can be used safely within the prescribed dosage. They may also help to reduce discomfort resulting from certain conditions and reduce the risk of some diseases. However, taking dietary supplements can pose some potential risks, especially if you are taking it whilst getting treatment for cancer.
How do diet pills work?
Diet pills work in a number of ways – increasing your metabolism, suppressing your appetite or keeping your body from absorbing the fat you ingest. However, the most effective way to lose weight (or maintain a certain weight) is by being physically active and following a healthy, low-calorie diet. Prescription or non-prescription diet pills are (at best) tools that may
contribute
to weight loss.
How long does it take to become addicted to diet pills?
Diet pills are highly addictive and you can build up tolerance very quickly. Dependency sets in after you’ve become tolerant to and you could become addicted and experience difficult withdrawals when you try to quit.
What is the annual fatalities rate?
In 2003, over 150 people died as a result of taking ephedra – a now banned ingredient in diet pills. Between 1998 and 2003, 49 people died as a result of taking sibutramine. In 2006, appetite suppressants sent over 1,100 people to hospital in the US.
What are diet pill withdrawal symptoms?
Diet pill withdrawal symptoms vary because they depend on the quantity consumed and length of time you’ve been taking the drug. If addicted, as soon as six hours after your last dose, you may begin to experience withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, low mood or depression, drug cravings, brain fog or fatigue, weight gain and muscle aches.
What are the effects of diet pills abuse and addiction?
Diet pills abuse and addiction can interfere with your normal body metabolism and obstruct or damage organs and your general system. If overdose occurs, it can lead to irreversible damage or even death. Some of the main physical and psychological effects that can occur include: headaches, insomnia, appetite fluctuations, mood swings, increased paranoia, depression and poor body image.
Is there a normal usage of diet pills?
Normal diet pills usage maximises the benefits of the drug and reduces the potential for negative consequences. Diet pills designed to block fat absorption and digestion are commonly prescribed to treat obesity. When properly used, they can stimulate weight loss, boost energy and motivate you to make healthy changes to your diet.
What are the various forms of diet pills?
Diet pills are available in three main forms: stimulant-like drugs to reduce appetite by stimulating your central nervous system; sibutramine which helps you feel full by increasing your levels of norepinephrine; and serotonin and orlistat which prevent significant fat absorption in the gut.
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