According to the NIDA the most under-reported drug problem in the nation has been prescription drug abuse. Not only is it under-reported it is also the least understood. Anyone who is prescribed prescription drugs or has the ability to obtained them are potentially at risk for prescription drug abuse. However, the major group involved in prescription drug abuse is teenagers. They think it’s not a problem to take prescription drugs because they were prescribed by a doctor. Some will use Ritalin, an ADHD medication, to suppress their appetites or help them stay awake so they can study. They can get these from their siblings or even friends. Anyone who takes prescription drugs has the potential to become addicted. This is why doctors make the patient come in for a check before renewing their prescription. Prescription drugs can be obtained illegally just like street drugs from a drug dealer. But a great deal of prescription drug abuse by teens starts at home.
The elderly are also at risk. The most common form of prescription drug abuse among elderly may be misuse of medication. This is due to the fact that elderly are less likely to comply with the directions on the prescription bottles. Difficulty reading the small print, confusion about dose, or confusion on frequency are also leading causes of prescription drug misuse.
Women are also at higher risk then men to become addicted to prescription drugs. Both men and women abuse prescription drugs at the same rate but women are twice as likely to become addicted. An explanation for this is that women are more likely to go to the doctor when they are feeling anxious or are in pain. According to the NIDA over the past two decades females between the ages of 12-17 and 18-25 have shown the largest increase of prescription drug abuse.
Doctors can inadvertently play a role in drug abuse by giving more refills than necessary simply because they can’t say “no” to a patient.
http://www.prescription-drug-abuse.org/
http://drugabuseamongteens.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/drugs_7.jpg
Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mb1x0RsBck
Picture:http://drugabuseamongteens.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/drugs_7.jpg
Teens are also stealing these from their parents medicine cabinet. Our teen took painkillers from ours! We never thought this would be problem but it is. You need to be very dillegent in keeping your medicines where even your teens can't get to them and be careful about what your doctor is prescribing them as well! Scary Stuff!!
ReplyDeleteThe previous comment is such an excellent addition of information.
ReplyDeleteAn entirely different perpsective is from the teens that obtain their medication from street dealers. You never what you're gettin.
I had a friend who was addicted to oxycontin. Well once he realized he was addicted, he decided that he needed to stop and confronted his dealer about the matter. The dealer then told him "oh..dude that wasn't oxycontin..that was heroin".
So my friend ended up with an addiction to heroin without ever realizing it.
wow Heroin instead of Oxycontin......your friend got owned
ReplyDeleteGreat information - share this with parents! Thanks, PharmGirls!
ReplyDeletei hate people that misuse prescription drugs, i am sure they are the reason why it is so hard for the good people like me just to get a birth control refill!
ReplyDeletethis is an awesome source of information. thanks for putting all this together, PharmGirls
ReplyDeleteThe addiction of prescription drugs can lead to serious health problems and we might be stuck between the struggle of life and death. Need to know that teenagers and adults how to get prescription drug without a prescription. And need to know how to protect their children from these drugs..
ReplyDelete