Teen Prescription Drug Abuse

Teenagers are not oblivious to their parents’ upsurge in use of prescription medications. In fact, many teens are robbing the family medicine bottles to feed their own addiction to prescription drugs, highlights a recent article.

Studies say that close to eight percent of teens ages 12-17 self-report abusing prescription medications and rehab professionals say that addiction to prescription drugs accounts for around 40 percent of teen admittances to treatment.

Teens who are unsure how to deal with painful emotions and kids looking for a way to fit in account for much of the abuse but the practice is also fueled by the wrong belief that prescriptions are somehow safer than other ‘street’ drugs.

Prescription painkillers are the most often abused, but anti-anxiety medications like Valium or Xanax and stimulants such as Adderall are also high on the list. The sheer abundance of these drugs in family homes is one reason the problem has become so prevalent.

Locking up or disposing of unused medications is one simple way to prevent the problem from starting. Carefully assessing your own use of prescription medications is another.

Prescription drug abuse usually produces blatant behavior changes that should be easy for attentive parents to spot. If parents note altered academic performance or extreme moods, they should follow up and find out if prescription medications are responsible.

The wrong thing to do is to ignore suspicions. Kids may respond in anger in the short-run, but if the child is caught up in addiction, in the long-run they will be grateful that mom or dad stepped in to rescue them. Out-patient therapy or in-patient therapy is available for teens trapped in addiction.