Prescription Drugs Are Making Parents More Overwhelmed Than Ever Before

This is not much of a surprise since the rate of teen and children opioid users are on a continuing rise in the United States (Mills para 1). Per Pannoni’s article “High Schools get Frank with Teens on Heroin Epidemic”, the rate has nearly doubled since 2002 (Pannoni para 1). Alcabes use his personal high school narrative to show that it is not uncommon for students to use opioids/psychoactive medications to help them throughout the day. The normal acceptable usage is shown in Alcabes himself while abusive use is shown in his classmate who raids his parents medicine cabinets every morning before school. This opioid epidemic is a problem for children and adults. According to Curtis Mills in his article “opioid Epidemic takes a toll on U.S. Children, teens”, most poisoning among teens result from accidental overdose but some have been a suicide attempts and that teens use opioids to get high like any other recreational drugs they use (Mills para. 6). Alcabes tries to explains what addiction is as well as explains the multiply other issues that come along with

The writer believes that health care providers who educate minors about the risk of possible addiction will feel good about themselves. Health care providers will feel good about themselves because they will always be involved in the lives of these minors, will help decrease deaths, and will increase awareness. Nothing will feel better to a health care provider than knowing that this particular minor didn’t misuse his prescription drugs or distributed to friends because he or she educated him or her about the potential risk of

Many people have developed an addiction due to an injury and which were prescribed painkillers to manage and treat the pain. Prolonged use leads to dependence and once a person is addicted, increasing amounts of drugs are required to prevent feeling of withdrawal. Addiction to painkillers often leads to harder drugs such as heroin due to the black market drug being cheaper. Prescription drugs remain a far deadlier problem and more people abuse prescription medication than cocaine, methamphetamine heroin, MDMA and PCP combined. Drug abuse is ending too many lives too soon and destroying families and communities.

You are absolutely right about the parents effects on their children while using prescription drugs. Children are not dumb, they see, they feel, and understand when something isn't right. They may not understand fully, but they know when mommy/daddy is "sick" again, because they are going through withdrawals or angry/irritable because they are "fiending" for more drugs. If they are old enough to understand than they are cause even more psychological issues with the child that doing drugs is okay, or that their parent chooses drugs over themselves. Just as you said in your post, if the probability of them going into foster care or group homes is a lot higher due to their parents addictions. Which we all know can be a hard life, both difficult

To start off, the article was selected because it provides insight about the implications of drug abuse. The article shows that prescription drug abuse among youths is, in fact, an actual issue in the United States. ‘’In 2008, over six million persons, or 2.5% of the U.S population aged 12 and older, reported past 30-day use of prescription-type physiotherapeutic drugs for nonmedical purposes.’’ (DuPont, 2010). He further explains that the data information (regarding prescription abuse) is more than

    There has been an increase in heroin and opioid abuse in america. It has been affecting everyone and the incoming generation greatly. The use of pain reliever drugs is often the leading cause to abusing opioids and/or heroin. These pain relievers are often addictive and once people are addicted and cut off from them they begin searching for other ways to satisfy their cravings. The prescription drugs are often easily dispensed to people so it’s easier to access. This easy access makes it easier for people to get a prescription, leading to a higher risk of addiction.

Prescription drug abuse has been around since doctors started prescribing medication, but widespread prescription drug abuse and addiction has only surfaced in the last 20 years or so. Unfortunately because these drugs are continued to be abuse widely, there are concerns for physicians who are legitimately prescribing these medications to patients who truly need them. However there are doctors who recklessly prescribe these drugs to unknowing patients who form addictions to them. Prescription medications commonly abused include opioids often prescribed to treat pain, central nervous system depressants used to treat anxiety, and stimulants used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as well as some sleeping disorders.

Abuse is a pattern of substance use that results in negative consequences and impairment (Bukstein and Nquyen). Misuse is the use for a purpose not consistent with medical guidelines or without a prescription for the individual using the medication (Bukstein and Nquyen). Abuse of prescription opioids has been cited as the fastest growing drug problem in the United States, and has surpassed the use of cocaine and heroin combined as a cause of mortality (Singhal ). In 2013 alone, nearly two million Americans abused prescription opioids and 16,235 deaths were caused by prescription opioids representing almost a fourfold increase since 1999 (Singhal ). Two million people reported using

Elkins (2016) suggests professionals ought to become cognizant of signs and symptoms of substance abuse. In addition, Elkins (2016) suggests professionals should become aware of available resources and treatment options in order to properly treat adolescent drug abuse. Paino, Aletraris, and Roman (2015) discuss the impact of evidence based practices when treating adolescents with substance abuse. One must consider the need for treatment providers to have specialized treatment options for adolescents ( Paino, Aletraris, and Roman 2015) Furthermore, Paino, Aletraris, and Roman (2015) delves into medication assisted treatment- providing medication to assist with cessation of drug use, and how it’s not utilized in adolescents due to age restraints. As noted by Paino, Aletraris, and Roman (2015) treatment options for juveniles seeking to abstain from substance abuse is limited and needs more research.

Recreational use of prescription drugs amongst high school teens has been a continuous discussion within the public health community due to its severity. High school teens that involve themselves with prescription drugs abuse are susceptible to both short-term effects and long-term effects. According to the article, Opioids Complications and Side Effects, “Common side effects of opioid administration include sedation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, physical dependence, tolerance, and respiratory depression” (Benyamin et al. 2008). Because a medical professional prescribes prescriptions drugs, many teens think it is okay to consume the medication (cite, here). The teens that partake in this dangerous activity do not understand that

One of the fastest growing epidemics in the United States is prescription drug abuse as reported by the DEA (Partnership for Drug Free Kids, 2013). All ages are guilty of abuse of medications, however, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2016) reports young adults abuse these prescription drugs at the highest rates compared to all other age groups. The NIDA reports misuse and abuse is highest among opioid pain relievers, ADHD stimulants, and anti-anxiety drugs (NIDA, 2016). The use of these prescription drugs to treat a variety of physical and mental health issues is quickly becoming a top conservative treatment option. While pharmaceutical companies make extreme amounts of profit off of these physical and mental issues, young adults are increasingly taking on the consequences of addiction and overdose.

There are three types of prescribed abused drugs: opioids, depressants, and stimulants. The most powerful is opioids. Opioids are used to block out pain. Some of these include opanas, oxycontin, and roxicodone, and 5.1 million Americans abuse them regularly (Drugabuse.gov). Some of those pills can cost any where from five dollars a pill all the way up to ninety dollars a pill (Drugs a-z) and could even cost more than that depending on where you live. Some of the street names can be roxy, o.p.s, oxy, and captain coden(Drug abuse.gov). ´“At the age of 20, I became an addict to a narcotic,which began with a prescription following a surgery.¨´-James. People normally become addicted to painkillers because of doctor giving them prescriptions after a major surgery.

Teens are consequently affected by prescription medication due to its influence amongst teens and like many other drugs it’s commonly used for profitable reasons, which could lead to prison time for several years. Non- medical use of prescription drugs amongst teens are alarmingly high, parents and their teens are often blindsided by the illegal risk that come from misusing prescription drugs along with any other drug for that matter. According to “U.S War On Drugs” Statistics have shown that OxyContin is legally classified as a narcotic, or if use of Vicodin it’s classified as an opioid as in heroin, which means these drugs could lead up to years of punishment in prison along with over $1,000 dollar fine. According to the “National Institute

Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription

It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.