Medications
Some medications can reduce our attention and reaction time. This can matter for performance and for safety at your workplace.
Medications that can have an intoxicating-like effect and a dampening and/or sedative effect can affect our ability to do precision-demanding and high-risk work. If you take several medications together, they can amplify each other's effect. Such medications are often marked with a warning triangle on the packaging.
Use among employees
After alcohol, the use of addictive medications is the most widespread among employed people in Norway. 29% reported having used one or more prescription addictive medications in the last 12 months (NIPH, 2024). 23% reported use of prescription painkillers, 7% prescription sleeping pills, and 4% sedative medications in the last 12 months.
A larger proportion of female than male employees reported using all types of medications. The results also showed that the use of addictive medications was more widespread among those with lower education. Use of painkillers and sleeping medication increases with age. Use of sedatives and sleeping medication is more widespread among those who are not married or cohabiting.
Medications you should be particularly aware of:
- Sleeping pills and sedatives
- Prescription painkillers and muscle relaxants
- Prescription cough suppressants
- Allergy medications
These medications can lead to:
- Reduced attention
- Less critical thinking
- Longer reaction time
- Impaired ability to make quick decisions
- Impaired ability to perform quick movements
- Fatigue
- Dependence
By medication dependence we mean, in this context, dependence on prescription medications. Relevant medications that can lead to dependence for some are mainly:
- Anti-anxiety, sedative medicines such as Valium, Vival, Stesolid (benzodiazepines)
- Sleeping medicines
- Painkillers such as Paralgin Forte, Pinex Forte and others
Medication dependence can become a problem even if you use the dose your doctor has prescribed for you. For some, withdrawal symptoms* and tolerance development** mean that they gradually reach high doses over time.
Many who develop dependence will usually first notice the problems when they are going to stop or reduce their use of the medication. The person may then experience the same symptoms that were the reason they started the medication. In some cases the symptoms become greater than they were originally.
* discomfort and symptoms when the amount of the substance in the body decreases
** that the body needs higher and higher doses to get the same effect.
Help with dependence
It is important that people with medication dependence receive good help. The GP or, if relevant, the occupational health service can refer to specialist health services when needed.
Many need a gradual tapering of medications to get rid of the problem, and for some the tapering can take a long time. During a tapering phase, the person may be troubled by withdrawal symptoms, which a workplace can easily misinterpret as relapse if it is not familiar with the symptoms or the treatment.