Teen Prescription Drug Abuse: Is My Teenager Abusing?
It is imperative that parents of teens get on board with preventative measures when it comes to prescription drug abuse as 17% of high school students are admitting to the abuse of prescription drugs. It is one of the drugs of abuse that teens get away with using because parents do not know that they should be vigilant in checking on their prescription and over the counter medications.
Below are tips and information for parents on teen prescription and over the counter medication abuse that you can use to help prevent your teen from this type of drug use.
Parent need to know know that prescription and over the counter drug abuse kills teens and you may not even be aware that your teen is using. The incidents of teen fatalities related to poisonings among 15 to 19 year-old teens increased more than 90% between 2000 and 2009. The CDC reported that this is a result of our country's epidemic of prescription drug abuse.
Teens - and some parents - think that prescription and over the counter drugs are safer than illicit drugs. Why not? People take them everyday and doctors tell you to take them. But parents have to make their teens aware that medications are only safe when the drugs are taken exactly as prescribed and for the purpose intended. When abused, prescription and over the counter drugs can be addictive and put teens at risk for other adverse effects, including overdose - especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol.
Open up your medicine cabinet and take a look at all of your old prescriptions or over the counter cold medicines that are stocked up in there. Teens grab these, take them to a 'pharm' party and dump them in a big bowl to share. Or they take them to school in a baggie and share them like trail mix. Hospitals are finding out later after teens overdose or get sick that they are taking anything from Tylenol and codeine to Lorazepam, Xanax, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Soma and Ritalin.
According to the NIDA, prescription and over the counter drugs may be abused in one or more of the following ways:
If you find medicines missing or empty medicine bottles in your teen's trash, talk to them about the possibly of their using prescription or over the counter drugs.
The physical signs that your teen is using prescription or over the counter(OTC) drugs can vary depending on what drugs they are using and if they are mixing them. That is because prescription drugs are designed to treat a particular illness or condition, but they often have other effects on the body, some of which can be dangerous, according to the NIDA. These are referred to as side effects. For example, OxyContin stops pain, but it also causes constipation and drowsiness and slows breathing. Stimulants such as Adderall increase attention but also raise blood pressure and heart rate. These side effects can be made worse when prescription drugs are not taken as prescribed or are abused in combination with other substances—including alcohol, other prescription drugs, and even over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines. For instance, some people mix alcohol and benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium), both of which can slow breathing. This combination could stop breathing altogether, requiring emergency care or worse—it could be fatal.
If you see your teen acting in a way that is usual physically, ask them if they have taken any medications and get them to tell you what specifically they have taken. If you find your teen unresponsive, take them to the hospital immediately.
It is estimated that 6,600 Americans abuse prescription drugs for the first time every day. About one third of these are teens ages 12 to 17 and more than half were women. It is believe by experts that teens are of particular risk for abusing prescription drugs because they do not understand the full scope of complications of the drugs. They feel safer because the drugs have been prescribed by doctors, even though they were not prescribed for them. More »
Yes, many at-home multi-drug testing kits do include tests for the popular prescription or over the counter drugs that are abused by teens. This is one way to be almost positive your teen is using drugs, although getting them to admit the drug use is really the only way to know for sure.
This article goes over all of the common issues dealing with all types of teen drug use while the tips below are specific to the teen marijuana use and signs a parent should look out for if they feel their teen may be exposed or is using pot. If you have not read the article you may want to check it out now.More »
Below are tips and information for parents on teen prescription and over the counter medication abuse that you can use to help prevent your teen from this type of drug use.
Know that prescription and over the counter drug abuse kills teens.
Parent need to know know that prescription and over the counter drug abuse kills teens and you may not even be aware that your teen is using. The incidents of teen fatalities related to poisonings among 15 to 19 year-old teens increased more than 90% between 2000 and 2009. The CDC reported that this is a result of our country's epidemic of prescription drug abuse.
Teens - and some parents - think that prescription and over the counter drugs are safer than illicit drugs. Why not? People take them everyday and doctors tell you to take them. But parents have to make their teens aware that medications are only safe when the drugs are taken exactly as prescribed and for the purpose intended. When abused, prescription and over the counter drugs can be addictive and put teens at risk for other adverse effects, including overdose - especially when taken along with other drugs or alcohol.
How do teens use prescription or over-the-counter drugs?
Open up your medicine cabinet and take a look at all of your old prescriptions or over the counter cold medicines that are stocked up in there. Teens grab these, take them to a 'pharm' party and dump them in a big bowl to share. Or they take them to school in a baggie and share them like trail mix. Hospitals are finding out later after teens overdose or get sick that they are taking anything from Tylenol and codeine to Lorazepam, Xanax, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Soma and Ritalin.
According to the NIDA, prescription and over the counter drugs may be abused in one or more of the following ways:
- Taking a medication that was not prescribe for them but was given to them by a friend or relative. Friends and family often think they are helping when they offer unused pain medication to teens when in fact they are contributing to their addictions. This is how most teens say they got the drugs they've used.
- Teens tend to take these medications in higher doses or not in the manner that they were prescribed to be taken. For instance, they may turn a pill into powder and snort it which will accelerate and intensify the effects of the drug.
- Teens also take a prescription drug for a purpose that is not the given purpose of the drug. A popular example of this type of abuse is Adderall, an ADHD medication. Students who are worried about studying will abuse this drug because it promotes alertness and concentration.
If you find medicines missing or empty medicine bottles in your teen's trash, talk to them about the possibly of their using prescription or over the counter drugs.
What are the signs that my teen is abusing prescription drugs or OTC medication?
The physical signs that your teen is using prescription or over the counter(OTC) drugs can vary depending on what drugs they are using and if they are mixing them. That is because prescription drugs are designed to treat a particular illness or condition, but they often have other effects on the body, some of which can be dangerous, according to the NIDA. These are referred to as side effects. For example, OxyContin stops pain, but it also causes constipation and drowsiness and slows breathing. Stimulants such as Adderall increase attention but also raise blood pressure and heart rate. These side effects can be made worse when prescription drugs are not taken as prescribed or are abused in combination with other substances—including alcohol, other prescription drugs, and even over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines. For instance, some people mix alcohol and benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium), both of which can slow breathing. This combination could stop breathing altogether, requiring emergency care or worse—it could be fatal.
If you see your teen acting in a way that is usual physically, ask them if they have taken any medications and get them to tell you what specifically they have taken. If you find your teen unresponsive, take them to the hospital immediately.
What are the statistics on teen prescription drug abuse?
It is estimated that 6,600 Americans abuse prescription drugs for the first time every day. About one third of these are teens ages 12 to 17 and more than half were women. It is believe by experts that teens are of particular risk for abusing prescription drugs because they do not understand the full scope of complications of the drugs. They feel safer because the drugs have been prescribed by doctors, even though they were not prescribed for them. More »
Can I drug test my teen for prescription or over-the-counter drugs?
Yes, many at-home multi-drug testing kits do include tests for the popular prescription or over the counter drugs that are abused by teens. This is one way to be almost positive your teen is using drugs, although getting them to admit the drug use is really the only way to know for sure.
Check out the 'Is My Teen Using Drugs' article.
This article goes over all of the common issues dealing with all types of teen drug use while the tips below are specific to the teen marijuana use and signs a parent should look out for if they feel their teen may be exposed or is using pot. If you have not read the article you may want to check it out now.More »
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