Silent Killer: Prescription Drug Abuse in Teens

Carlos Navarro- Drug Abuse

Silent Killer

Prescription Drug Abuse in Teens

Carlos O. Navarro Romo - November 2, 2020 

Professor Aziz - Art 3170

Believe it or not, the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States isn’t cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines. It is prescription drugs, and it is profoundly affecting the lives of teenagers. Prescription drug abuse is particularly common among young people. Risks also include having a mental illness, having past or present substance abuse problems, being exposed to peer pressure, and having access to prescription drugs. 

    According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 67,300 Americans died from a drug-involved overdose in 2018, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids. Prescription drug overdose deaths rose from 38,329 in 2010 to 70,237 in 2017, making drug abuse a very serious social issue, in my community and in the rest of the United States. The prescription drugs most often abused include opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, and stimulants, all of which can be in your very own home's medicine cabinet. Most teens have the misconception that these drugs are safe because they are provided by a doctor but in reality, these drugs can lead to many issues for the consumer. 

What is Prescription Drug Abuse?

Prescription drug abuse is the use of prescription medication without a prescription or the consent of a doctor, using prescription medication to get "high". Prescription drug abuse or problematic use can be taking your mom's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high. Drug abuse may become constant and frequent and compulsive, despite the negative side effects and the consequences. Prescription drug abuse is an ongoing and increasing problem, prescription drug abuse can affect all age groups, including the elderly, but it is mostly seen among teens. The prescription drugs most often abused include opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, and stimulants.  Early identification of prescription drug abuse and early intervention may prevent the problem from turning into an addiction that can potentially end their life.

Consequences

According to Teen Prescription Drug Abuse: A Major Health Concern by Nora Volkow abuse of prescription drugs can cause life-threatening consequences such as

• depressed respiration from painkiller abuse
• heart attack/stroke from the use of stimulants
• likelihood of other substance abuse in the future
• more at risk to smoke cigarettes and/or marijuana, drink alcohol, and abuse several other drugs 
• it can become an addiction
• Opioids can cause low blood pressure, a slowed breathing rate and potential for breathing to stop, or a coma. Overdose has a significant risk of death. 
• Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives can cause memory problems, low blood pressure and slowed breathing. Overdose can cause coma or death. Abruptly stopping the medication may cause withdrawal symptoms that can include nervous system hyperactivity and seizures. 
• Stimulants can cause dangerously high body temperature, heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures or tremors, hallucinations, aggressiveness, and paranoia.

WHY teens take prescription drugs?

According to Mayo Clinic,  teens and adults abuse prescription drugs for many reasons, such as: 

•  To feel good or get high
•  To relax or relieve tension 
• To reduce appetite or increase alertness
•  To experiment with the mental effects of the substance
•  To maintain an addiction and prevent withdrawal
•  To be accepted by peers or to be social
•  To try to improve concentration and academic or work performance

How do they get the drugs?

Many of the teens that abuse these prescription drugs have easy access or know someone that has easy access and therefore that is how they acquire these drugs. According to Nora, some teenagers ages 12-23 were interviewed and they were asked how they were able to obtain these drugs, which 46% said they for them from a friend or relative,20% bought the drugs, 19% got the drugs prescribed, 5% bought them from a drug dealer or stranger, and only 0.2% bought drugs from the internet. This goes to show that these dangerous, and addictive drugs are easy for teens and relatively anyone to get a hold of. There needs to be more awareness about these drugs and measures to prevent teens from falling into the grasp of prescription drugs.

How to help? 

• Discuss the dangers. Emphasize to your teen that just because drugs are prescribed by a doctor doesn't make them safe — especially if they were prescribed to someone else or if your child is already taking other prescription medications. 
• Set rules. Let your teen know that it's not OK to share medications with others — or to take drugs prescribed for others. Emphasize the importance of taking the prescribed dose and talking with the doctor before making changes. 
• Discuss the dangers of alcohol use. Using alcohol with medications can increase the risk of accidental overdose. 
• Keep your prescription drugs safe. Keep track of drug quantities and keep them in a locked medicine cabinet. 
• Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online. Some websites sell counterfeit and dangerous drugs that may not require a prescription. 
• Properly dispose of medications. Don't leave unused or expired drugs around. Check the label or patient information guide for disposal instructions, or ask your pharmacist for advice on disposal.

Save a Life

I have not experienced or consumed any drugs myself but I had a friend that unfortunately passed away due to a drug overdose of prescription drugs. My friend was always dealing with depression and stress because of school so ou freshman year he started to take Adderall to stay up and study so he can do well in class since his parents were so strict. Adderall was his gateway drug and he thought it wasn't bad for him because he was concentrated and doing his work but he was becoming different and acquiring bad habits. It was easy for him to get it, literally, someone sold it to him at school. As time progressed his depression got worse and he was being prescribed anti-depressants, combined with his stress, the Adderall, and the anti-depressants and alcohol he suffered an overdose and was hospitalized but unfortunately didn't make it. This incident opened my eyes to the reality of drugs and how dangerous they are. I wish I was more educated and maybe could've spoken to him more seriously about quitting drugs. I could've saved his life.

Also, I have seen a lot of the youth gravitating towards drugs and pills, and it is sad and sickening how they can ruin their lives in an instant with an overdose. The life of some rappers is portraying in videos and songs are also contributing to more teens using prescription drugs since it is cool and I want my community and people my age to stop ruining their life with drugs.

Works Cited

Volkow N. D. (2009). Teen prescription drug abuse a major health concern. Tennessee medicine: journal of the     Tennessee Medical Association, 102(4), 28–29.

Prescription drug abuse. (2018, October 19). Retrieved November 11, 2020, from             https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-20376813

Rise in Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse Impacting Teens. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://www.samhsa.gov/homelessness-programs-resources/hpr-resources/teen-prescription-drug-misuse-abuse