When self-medicating, the user is trying to escape something unpleasant to him, usually pain. Generally the user is treating some unidentified medical problem and many times does not even realize they have a medical problem. Once the user starts to self-medicate, they start to feel better and this eventually leads to addiction to the form they were using to self-medicate. Self-medication usually consists of pain management medications, street drugs, and/or alcohol. Depending on the type of symptom they want to mask, determines the duration of the drug they will use. If the person wants to suppress their anxiety they will use a depressant, with aggression they will use opiates and for depression the person will want to use stimulants. Many of the people who self-medicate suffer from some form of mental illness and have a dual diagnosis of a mental disorder along with some form of substance abuse. “Physical dependence is characterized by a withdrawal syndrome when the opioid is abruptly stopped” (Gordon, D. and Dahl, J. (2011).) Withdrawal is a scary thing for people who are addicted to prescription and it may be enough of a fear to keep the person from stopping using it. Withdrawal symptoms include drug cravings, diarrhea, abdominal pain, chills and goosebumps, nausea and vomiting, muscle pain, agitation, and severe mood swings. Many people will do anything to avoid passing