Video length: 0:56
Transcript
[Camille Schrier speaking] For those who are maybe prescribed an opioid maybe for the right reasons, what are the biggest pieces of advice to keep people safe if they are someone or if they have a family member taking an opioid?
[Nora Volkow speaking] Well, number one, you should always take the medications as directed by a physician. And do not increase the dose, do not increase the frequency.
Do not combine it with other drugs. Tell the physician that’s prescribing you the opioids which other medications you have. Tell the physician who’s prescribing the opioids, if they don’t ask you, whether you have a history in the past of having been addicted, whether it is tobacco or alcohol, in yourself or in your family. Because all of those factors increase your risk for addiction itself. So those are some of the very basic questions which should be addressed as a start point.