With controlled substances like Provigil, abuse and addiction are potential dangers. Provigil is a CNS stimulant that can produce feelings of euphoria, which may cause people to abuse it for the “high” it provides. Since Provigil abuse or addiction can be quite serious, you should seek medical attention if you feel that you are using the drug more often than needed or for illegitimate purposes.
Provigil Drug Abuse: An Overview
Provigil® (modafinil) is a prescription medicine used to help people stay awake. Specifically, it is approved to treat people with excessive sleepiness due to the following:
- Narcolepsy
- Shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), a problem in people who work night shifts or who frequently change between day and night work shifts
- Sleep apnea.
Provigil is a controlled substance, which means that it has the potential to be abused.
Animal studies suggest that Provigil may be abused. In studies, monkeys that were previously accustomed to giving themselves cocaine also gave themselves Provigil when given the opportunity. This is a good indication that Provigil is “reinforcing,” meaning that it provides feelings or effects that encourage its repeated use.
Before a medication is approved, special studies are done to see if there is any indication that the medication has the potential to be abused. Since animal studies suggested that Provigil has abuse potential, the drug was also studied in human subjects with a history of drug abuse. This study showed that Provigil produced effects (such as euphoria) similar to methylphenidate (more commonly known as Ritalin®), a commonly abused stimulant.
Often, drugs that can be abused also cause withdrawal symptoms when stopped. However, no Provigil withdrawal symptoms were noted during studies. It is important to note that these studies involved people who were appropriately taking Provigil for a legitimate medical reason. It is possible that withdrawal may occur in people taking the medicine inappropriately.
How and Why Is Provigil Abused?
Provigil is a central nervous system stimulant (CNS stimulant). People often abuse CNS stimulants for a variety of reasons. They can produce feelings of euphoria, and people may abuse Provigil for the “high” it provides. CNS stimulants also can give people extra energy, and sometimes people abuse stimulants for this reason (such as students who use stimulants to stay up all night studying for finals). Also, people often abuse CNS stimulants to achieve weight loss (due to increased metabolism and decreased appetite caused by stimulants).
There seems to be no end to the creative ways people find to abuse substances, including prescription medications. Often, they are simply taken by mouth. Sometimes, they are smoked, snorted, or even injected. Snorting or injecting medications allows for quicker entry into the bloodstream, often causing greater effects. Keep in mind that snorting or injecting medications can lead to high drug levels in the blood, increasing the risk of side effects (including dangerous side effects).
There are special rules and regulations for controlled substances (medications that have abuse potential). These rules limit refills on such medications and require special procedures for prescribing them. These rules and regulations are designed to reduce the abuse of controlled substances. More importantly, it is against federal law to transfer (give or sell) a controlled substance to any person without a valid prescription. This means that it is a federal offense to give or sell your Provigil to another person.
It may be possible to buy Provigil online without a prescription. This is just as illegal as buying it from a friend. In addition to being illegal, it may also be dangerous. Clearly, any business that is willing to sell a controlled substance without a prescription is not operating ethically or legally. Such businesses should not be trusted. No legitimate pharmacy will dispense Provigil without a prescription, and no legitimate physician will prescribe Provigil unless you are a “real” patient.
Where to Get Help If You Are Abusing Provigil
Your healthcare provider is a great place to start when searching for help for Provigil abuse or addiction. He or she will be able to help you deal with the abuse or may suggest other resources for you. However, if you want your healthcare provider to work with you (not against you) in a nonjudgmental way, it is important to be completely honest about your problems with Provigil or other drugs or substances.
Source: http://sleep.emedtv.com/provigil/provigil-abuse.html
