It is among Australia’s leading causes of death, and it is likely to come in a packet, handed to you over the counter by your local pharmacist or doctor.
In 2020, prescription medication killed almost twice as many people in Australia as car accidents and more than heroin and methamphetamine combined.
In this episode we meet eight people, from a variety of backgrounds, with vastly different stories of how they became dependant and addicted to pharmaceutical drugs.
For some, it was physical pain, for others emotional stability, and still more used them for mental health issues. Some of these stories began decades ago, when the understanding of the potential for dependency on these drugs was less evolved.
As the statistics continue to show, both public and medical professionals alike are still being caught unawares by the addiction potential of pharmaceutical drugs, in particular opioids and benzodiazepines.
This is not an anti-prescription drug episode. Everyday millions of Australians appropriately use prescription medication for the betterment of their lives. They do so with significant benefit.
This show focuses on one aspect of prescription medication; cases where there has been the development of dependence. There is no shame in potentially becoming dependent on a medication, and there is help available.
We hope the episode encourages you to, if necessary, discuss any concerns you have with their GP or preferred medical professional.
Production credit: You Can’t Ask That is an ABC Production. Series Director and Producer: Kirk Docker, Series Producer: Josh Schmidt, Executive Producer: Frances O’Riordan and Head of Entertainment: Nick Hayden.
