From Drug Rehab Wiki

Drug-seeking Behavior

Drug-seeking behavior, also called drug-seeking, is a pattern of seeking narcotic pain medication or tranquilizers using forged prescriptions, repeated requests to refill “lost” prescriptions, use of false identity, complaints of phantom pain (pain that has no medical basis), as well as abusive or threatening behavior that manifests when the individual is denied drugs.

Drug-seeking behavior is almost always focused on obtaining prescriptions to addictive controlled substances such as oxycodone (OxyContin) and other highly-addictive narcotic pain relievers.

Individuals engaging in drug-seeking behavior are said to go doctor-shopping. That is, they go from doctor to doctor with their litany of complaints in the incessant quest to obtain new prescriptions for narcotic drugs. When one doctor shuts them down and says there will be no more prescriptions written, the patient goes to another doctor, perhaps in another town, maybe with a forged identity.

Drug-seeking behavior is the result of addiction. It is not governed by rules of society or law. In the end, without treatment, addiction always wins.

--Suzannekane 17:03, 4 July 2011 (MDT)