America’s teenage prescription medication addiction is growing faster than our American economic recovery efforts. As a parent and concerned adult, I cannot help but ask myself, is a child’s addiction to pain medications a Mom and Dad’s burden or our social responsibility?
Society often dismisses an addicted child as a loser. Parents don’t pay enough attention to them. A child who unfortunately became addicted is now faced with finding ways to feed his or her habit. They are tempted to steal the medication from family members, to commit crimes in order to finance the habit, or enter the unimaginable world of prostitution.
Medication comes from someplace and the easiest place for a teenager to get the pills is from your medicine cabinet, or from a friendly family doctor who willingly writes the prescription. In the medical profession aspect, I must say doctors are told to treat a patient’s pain as the fifth vital sign. Anyone can walk into the emergency room claiming to have the worst pain in their lives, and by law, the doctor must accept the patient’s definition, even for a splinter.
A common reason a kid would take the pills is due to peer pressure, lack of self esteem and confidence. Humans always desire to be loved and accepted.
According to the National Survey on Drug use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 2.4 million Americans use non medical related medications. A mind boggling 7% among 12-17 year olds reported using prescription pills to get high in 2010.
The real numbers are a lot higher. Not everyone is going to admit to being a pill junkie.
The problem with prescription medication abuse is the effects do not last. Many turn to a cheaper and more readily available drug, Heroin.
Social adults need to discard and protect the medications they use for medical purposes. We need to protect kids from predators and those who supply them with the medications.
Below is a list of commonly abused prescription medications among teens and this list does not even touch the over-the- counter drugs.
Opioids are considered by many to be the bridge to eventual IV heroin use.
Oxycodone, OxyContin, Percocet
Hydrocodone, Vicodin
Hydromorphone, Dilaudid
Codeine
Fentanyl (Duragesic)
Methadone (the drug invented to cure Heroin addiction is a wanted medication to get high off of, another FDA/Society irresponsibility.
Antidepressants get teens high too
Valium, Xanax, Ativan
ADHD and ADD Medications known as stimulants offer a rush and a high for those not affected by ADD ADHD.
Ritalin, Concerta
It breaks my heart seeing some kids these days addicted to a drug that controls every aspect of their young lives.
Quiet honestly as a Father of two teenage boys, this epidemic scares the life out of me.
I would love to hear comments, suggestions or your view on this problem faced by every city in America. Drug addiction does not discriminate against age, race or social economics. It kills equally.
