When you think of the word addiction, what often comes to mind? You might answer cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine, heroin or any number of other harmful drugs. If so, you are about on course with most people's understanding of the word.

These drugs kill a lot of people, but what about drugs that were actually meant to help people? What about prescription drugs?

Doctors use these drugs for countless applications. There are drugs for pain relief, sleeping disorders, psychological problems, chemical imbalances and so much more.

They are created to help people. But when these drugs are abused, they can be just as harmful and just as addictive.

One factor that adds to the addictive nature of prescription drugs is that they are designed to help. This often creates a psychological trap for people.

It is widely understood that cocaine is a harmful and potentially fatal substance, so it scares many to stay away from it. But when your doctor prescribes you some little pain pills for your back trouble, you aren't quite as intimidated. That makes it much easier to start abusing them.

This also makes it harder for those suffering from addiction to seek help. If they are abusing prescription drugs their doctor handed them, they often don't see that they have a problem because their doctor prescribed the medicine to them.

Along those same lines, people don't realize how harmful they can be. But you may be alarmed to find out that the majority of deaths from prescription drug abuse happen the very first time someone abuses them. So any time someone abuses prescription drugs may be their last.

Don't hesitate to help your loved ones if they may be suffering from an addiction to prescription drugs.