Adolescent Prescription Drug Abuse in Houston, Texas

Do Adolescents Abuse Prescription Drugs?

Adolescents are increasingly consuming prescription medications. In some instances, kids prescribed medicine by their physicians are self-medicating. Drugs acquired from others, such as friends, are also not uncommon. In many cases, families have no clue what their children are doing.

What Types Of Prescription Drugs Do Teenagers Abuse?

Addiction to prescription drugs may occur in certain instances. Many health problems might arise due to using these medications in excess. You can never take too much medication and be safe. Adolescents are abusing a wide range of prescription drugs, such as:

  1. Depressants

Some youngsters may turn to antidepressants for relief. Due to these medications, some patients have reported mental slowness, fatigue, or even convulsions. These drugs may be helpful to those with a history of mania. The potential of misuse and addiction, and also the possibility of acute withdrawal effects, must be taken into consideration, though. Depressants include things like Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, Halcion, and Person. A class of medicines known as benzos has been implicated in this case. Non-benzos like Ambien and Lunesta are examples.

2. Stimulants

Some teenagers abuse stimulant drugs. They have heart-rate-increasing and irregular-rhythm-inducing effects, comparable to cocaine. Because of this, they are able to provide people with the burst of energy they need. ADHD may be treated with stimulant drugs (ADHD). Medicines in this group include Dexedrine, Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta.

3. Opioids

To simulate the effect of heroin, opiates are administered as medications. For a number of purposes, including alleviating pain, people utilize them. Patients with serious injuries may still be prescribed these medications despite the advancement of modern medicine to minimize their use. Excessive consumption may result in physical illness and respiratory difficulties. They may also cause a person to go into a coma. These include hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, fentanyl, morphine, and oxymorphone.

Solutions

A variety of strategies exist for reducing prescription drug misuse and abuse among adolescents:

  • There is a growing need for general practitioners to check the frequency and kind of prescriptions they write. Prescribing of opioid painkillers by doctors has increased significantly in the last decade. Some experts also believe that pharmacists aren’t regularly checking drug registry databases to detect probable overprescription and abuse.
  • Education: 25% of teens are most likely to use prescription medication as a learning aid, and nearly a third of family thinks that ADHD medication can improve a student’s intellectual or examination success, even if the child does not have the condition. This is a misconception and is dangerous.
  • Preservation and dumping of medications must be done in a safe way. About two-thirds of children who had previously misused prescription painkillers got them from relatives and friends, as well as from the medicine shelves in their homes. This underscores the need to lock up prescription drugs at home.

Help Your Teenager Loved One or Friend Get Help From The Best Rehab In Houston

At Skyward Treatment Center, you may get the help your teen needs. If you don’t act right away, adolescent prescription drug abuse has the capacity to alter your child’s life severely. Addiction to prescription drugs may be overcome if the appropriate measures are taken. With the help of caring therapists, Skyward Treatment Center offers a teenage therapy program for women. Don’t hesitate to contact our virtual team of specialists if you’d like to discover more. Treatment and assistance from our Skyward Center professionals may help your adolescent recover control of their life.