Being Firm, Not Angry: Tips for Parenting Teens With Addictions
The Signs of Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Teenagers
Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base
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Partnership for a Drug Free America recently released results from its 2005 survey on teenage drug use. Some of the results are good. Others are not. Good results include a significant drop in the use of Ecstasy, and a slight drop in trials of methamphetamine. The most shocking of the bad news, however, is an increased use in prescription medicines. The 2005 survey found that prescription medications are the third most common narcotic used by teens, ranking higher than cocaine, methamphetamine, or Ecstasy.
Non-medical use of prescription medicines increased 75% between 1990 and 2000, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported in 2004 that 2.4 million people, age 12 and older, used prescription pain relievers for "non-medical" purposes. A "non-medical" use refers to the use of a prescription medication by persons to whom it was not prescribed, or misuse by the prescription holder, for the purpose of mind or mood alteration.
The misuse of prescription drugs is becoming so popular that teens have begun organizing "pharm parties". "Pharm" stands for "pharmaceuticals", and a "pharm party" is a group of people sharing prescription drugs, with the intent of getting high. At a pharm party, each person brings whatever they can find, by whatever means they can find it, and everyone swaps and shares pills. The drugs are sometimes combined into one bag, called "trail mix", from which everyone grabs a handful. The potential side effects of just one of these drugs can be dangerous. Mix them together and they become potentially lethal.
The most common pharmaceuticals used are pain killers like Vicodin and Oxycontin, and tranquilizers like Xanax. According to SAMHSA, over half of the people who started using prescription meds in 2004 were female. Nearly 75% of those who started using had previously used something else, like marijuana or hallucinogens.
There are several contributing factors to the sudden popularity of pharmaceuticals. The primary one is that, for a variety of reasons, they're easy to get.
Partnership for a Drug-free America's 2005 study showed that 3 out of 5 teenagers have quick, easy access to the prescription drugs in their parents' medicine cabinet. In addition, an estimated 5 million young people are currently being prescribed drugs for some type of behavior disorder. So whether they steal from mom and dad, or use their own medicine, millions of young people live in a home where prescription drugs are readily accessible. The Internet also plays a large role in the ease with which prescription drugs can be obtained. There are thousands of on-line "drug companies" through which anyone can get nearly any prescription drug they want. Though hundreds of these web sites have been exposed and shut down, plenty still exist.
Another contributing cause to the increased use is perception. Teens feel there is less risk with prescription medicines. They think that since the medicine has been prescribed, even if it wasn't prescribed to them, it must be safer than drugs like cocaine or marijuana. Most teens don't believe that prescription medicine is addictive, or that there's anything wrong with occasional use.
There's currently no stigma attached to prescription drug use. Kids who use them aren't looked down upon, or thought of as "losers", unlike kids who use heroin, for example. Heroin use is viewed by most teens as being reckless, dangerous, and just outright dumb. Consequently, fewer and fewer teens are using the drug, because they know their peers won't approve. Until prescription drugs are viewed the same way, teen use is likely to continue, and possibly increase.
Parents, counselors, and mentors can play active roles in preventing young people from trying, or continuing to use prescription drugs. First, be aware of your teen's habits, moods, and overall attitude. A sudden change in any of them may indicate a problem. If you suspect something, confront your teen, but be careful how you do it. Don't be accusatory or judgmental. Express genuine concern, and ask questions. Let him or her tell you what's really going on; don't assume that you already know. Though changes in mood or attitude can be indications of substance abuse, they can also be caused by broken relationships, not making the basketball team, or getting a bad grade on test he or she studied for very hard. So take time to listen. If your teen is struggling with substance abuse, contact Aspen Education Group. We have programs and people that can help.