Shauna Krout: Beware of Soma addiction

To The Daily Sun,

Many people would find this very surprising but Soma abuse is actually very common and being prescribed by tons of pain management clinics. Be cautious of the effects this medication could have on you or someone else. Soma is a muscle relaxant that acts as a sedative of the central nervous system putting it in the drug class of a tranquilizer. It has been known to be mixed with other narcotics to form different kinds of “cocktails” which can be deadly. A person abusing Soma also builds a tolerance and dependence for the drug. In a study of 20 Soma users, 13 of them admitted to using more than prescribed. People are known to take it and drive which is very dangerous because it causes slow movements, confusion, disorientation in time and space, slurred speech, and a groggy, dazed expression. If someone stops taking Soma they will go through withdrawals like any other drug which include anxiety, tremors, seizures, hallucinations, and insomnia. It should be tapered down and never stopped cold turkey. Seek medical help when trying to get off of this medication and get to a drug treatment center as soon as possible.

To learn more about Soma, visit narconon-suncoast.org/drug-abuse/soma-effects.html

Shauna Krout

Clearwater, Fla.