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Could your anxiety lead to drug charges or a DWi?

On Behalf of | Dec 7, 2021 | Drug Charges

If you live with anxiety, you may know how significant it can be and how it has the potential to influence all aspects of your life. Your psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse may have prescribed you medications to take to manage attacks when they occur, but did you know that those medications could make it difficult for you to drive safely?

Any time you’re impaired, whether it’s by a prescription medication, over-the-counter drug, illegal drug or alcohol, you are at risk of facing a charge for driving while intoxicated. If you take more of a drug than you’re supposed to or take drugs that don’t belong to you, then you could face drug charges on top of that DWI.

How could taking your medication lead to drug charges?

One of the most common ways for a prescription drug to lead to charges is by buying extra drugs, doctor shopping or taking a prescription that doesn’t belong to you. For example, if you have a prescription for 15 Xanax and buy an additional seven from a friend, you could be charged. While it might be hard to determine if you had made an illegal purchase, finding a greater number of pills than is written on the prescription bottle could lead to serious lines of questioning.

Doctor shopping is another way you could end up with charges. While the initial traffic stop might lead to a DWI, finding multiple bottles of a prescription from various doctors in your vehicle could lead to doctor-shopping charges.

If you have anxiety, handle it through legal means

It’s always a better choice to handle your anxiety through legal methods. What that means is that you should only use a prescription that is specifically written out for your condition. You should not purchase additional drugs if you run out. Instead, see your doctor about trying a longer-acting or more effective medication. Finally, never drive until you understand how a drug affects your abilities. Anxiety medications are known to cause drowsiness and disorientation in some people, which could make it too dangerous to drive. By following these rules, you’ll reduce the risk of a traffic stop that leads to a DWI or drug charges.