The nonmedical use or abuse of prescription drugs is a serious and growing public health problem in this country, calling for effective rehab options for prescription drug addiction. The elderly are among those most vulnerable to prescription drug abuse or misuse because they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts. An estimated 48 million people (ages 12 and older) have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetimes. This represents approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population.

The three most common types of precription drugs include painkillers (narcotics, opioids), central nervous system depressants (sedatives, tranquilizers) and stimulants. While prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and Lortab (oxycodone and hydrocodone) have the highest abuse rates, they certainly do not stand alone. Benzodiazapines such as Xanax, Valium and Klonapin are very frequently abused, as well as stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine. The bottom line with prescription drugs is that they can be every bit as dangerous as street drugs, but seem less harmful to people because they're legal or come in the form of a neatly-packaged pill.