prescription drugs ARE used as recreational drugs by some people. you do get a high or buzz from some...they're no different than "illegal" drugs.
drug abuse, or alcohol abuse, or prescription drugs are the same.
people get addicted because they're in emotional as well as physical pain.
RE: Your post #333- I agree with you completely. But I do believe that there are at least three subsets of prescription-drug abusers
1) People with genuine chronic pain seeking relief, who do not realize that tolerance to opiates, especially, occurs pretty quickly
2)People who began with a genuine problem, but decided that they liked the way the drugs made them feel- and continued to use them after the original problem was resolved.
3) Purely recreational drug users (most of whom probably have some form of depression or anxiety disorder).