Give Back Your Unused Drugs!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend,

I just found out about a new national tradition that I wanted to share with everyone and I hope you will participate!

It is well known that unused and unneeded prescription medication that is kept around the house is one of the leading sources of drug abuse. Giving a friend or family member our unneeded medication, or if it ends up being taken without our knowledge, creates a dangerous situation. Medication prescribed for you by your doctor, if used by someone else, is no longer being used under the supervision of a doctor or the way it was intended.

The case is particularly troubling with narcotic pain medications or other controlled medications like stimulants. You also may have seemingly benign, expired and unneeded medications around the house that if taken in the wrong quantity by the wrong person could do a lot of harm. For example, your blood pressure medication could be deadly if taken by a child.

You might be asking, "What should I do?". You have probably heard not to flush or throw the medications in the trash... but this weekend... you can give them away!

Saturday, April 26th is The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day!

You can find a location near you that will accept your unneeded medications, here.

Tell your friends, family and neighbors about this great opportunity to keep our homes and neighborhoods safe!

This is the official website: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html

Best,

Dr. Goldenberg
docgoldenberg@gmail.com
docgoldenberg.com

Author

Matthew Goldenberg, D.O. Matthew Goldenberg D.O. is double Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry and is a certified Medical Review Officer (MRO). He is an expert in the evaluation and treatment of mental health disorders and is an addiction specialist for adults in his private practice in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Goldenberg also provides addiction psychiatry consultations to some of the nation’s top residential and outpatient treatment programs in the Los Angeles area and is experienced in the evaluation and treatment of professionals working in safety-sensitive positions. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Goldenberg is an active author, researcher and invited speaker at local and national conferences. He also volunteers his time as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA and is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

You Might Also Enjoy...

Healthy Ways to Manage Your Anxiety and Mood Through the Holidays

For the millions of people who struggle with anxiety or mood disorders like depression, the holidays can be minefields. If you want to thrive rather than merely survive this holiday season, read on.

5 Encouraging Facts and Useful Tips About ADHD in Adulthood

For the millions of adults living with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, life can be full of challenges, but these challenges are surmountable with the right guidance from a psychiatrist.

How To Evaluate Medical Insurance Options for Mental Health Coverage

Sifting through the maze of medical insurance options can feel like a monumental task, especially when factoring in coverage for mental health services. This guide helps to provide a better understanding of the important aspects of mental health insurance.

When and Why to Seek a Second Opinion for Your Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing and treating a mental health issue is complex and good treatment is individualized. This is why you should ensure you receive the right care for your individual needs and goals, when things are not going as well as hoped, a second opinion.

Where to Turn When a High Functioning Professional Needs Mental Health and/or Addiction Treatment

It feels like you’re leading two lives — the life of a high-functioning and successful professional who has it all together and the other life in which you struggle with a mental health or substance use disorder. You fear it will all come crashing down. Yo

Do I Have OCD?

Do you feel like you are allowing a thought to take up too much real estate in your brain? Is this normal anxiety, or how do you know if you have obsessive-compulsive disorder? Here is a look at some key and surprising characteristics of this condition.