Many of these drugs can create physical dependency, especially when there is a chronic problem or when there are withdrawal or rebound symptoms, as there are in allergy conditions, sinus congestion, and constipation. If problems persist we should consult our doctor or healer to help us determine the underlying cause and to correct that. If stress and worry are the cause of insomnia or if our poor food choices lead to our gastrointestinal symptoms, we need to handle these problems. Herbs or homeopathics often can be a more gentle remedy for some of these symptoms.

Aspirin and caffeine are two big OTC drug problems. Caffeine will be discussed thoroughly in the next program. Aspirin, a valuable drug, has been in common use for many decades, though its use is now decreasing because of its association with stomach irritation, allergies, Reye's syndrome, its effect on blood clotting, and the availability of acetaminophen and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Still, acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), derived from coal tar, has over 50 million regular users in this country, and the average annual intake of aspirin products is more than100 per person per yearover 20 to 25 billion tablets of this one agent alone used every year. Many aspirin products also contain other analgesics (pain relievers) and caffeine. Aspirin is also an anti-inflammatory agent and can reduce fevers (which is not always good, since fevers can be a natural healer), and it does this better than its counterpart acetaminophen (Tylenol, Datril). Both drugs are now commonly used as people experience more pain and degenerative, inflammatory disease, including cardiovascular disease where aspirin is used in regular low dosages to reduce blood clotting effects. Anti-inflammatory drugs in general are fairly easy to eliminate if we can eliminate the pain for which they are taken.

Stronger pain drugs include the new anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen (Medipren, Motrin), which has many possible side effects. Its use also can be avoided with correction of the problems that cause the symptoms. Even stronger prescription narcotics, such as codeine (found in many formulas; aspirin or acetaminophen with codeine is very commonly used); hydrocodone (Percodan); propoxyphene (Darvon); or even Demerol or morphine may be prescribed. All of these narcotic drugs are much more addictive, and thus more difficult to stop using.

Other Drugs - Street and Recreational
Street or "recreational" narcotics are also a big problem. These include opium, methadone, and especially heroin, and more recently "ice," "crack," "crunch," and "cripple." Over a half million heroin users are addicted to and possessed by this intravenous drug, which mixes euphoria with depression. This drug also reduces the appetite and libido, so food and sex, love and nurturing often lose importance, and users live just for the drugs. Specialized care is needed for narcotics withdrawal, and this section's suggestions may offer support during this process.

Using sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and antidepressants is another way to deal with life's frustrations and challenges. Valium has been a very popular drug, the most popular for a few years, but new drugs keep entering the race, and Ativan, Xanax, Halcion, and others are now also very popular. Barbiturates are less common now; they used to be the main sedatives but now are probably more frequently used on the street. All these drugs that slow us down, mainly by depressing our nervous system, act like alcohol, so review the Alcohol Detoxification program along with this one if these drugs are an interest or problem.