Posts Tagged ‘prescription drug abuse’

Causes of Drug Abuse Among Teenagers

June 3rd, 2011

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teenagers
It was found at one of the most frequent causes of drug abuse, particularly in adolescence. The term “abuse of prescription drugs,” is clearly defined as a state in which, prescription drugs are not used in a way the doctor recommends the patient. Meaning, the person taking higher doses of the drug and even though his illness is cured. Drugs that are common in such cases include all types of pain relievers, drugs for anxiety or sleep disorders, and drugs for the outbreak of stimulating activities. It was found that most teenagers use these drugs with a thought that they are safer than using illicit drugs.

Absence of Communication
A powerful causes of alcohol and drug abuse among adolescents is an area that fits in the statement, probably on the side of parents. Most teenagers can have this idea that their parents can not care to abuse drugs. So this highlights the importance of communication between parents and children. It is likely that, knowing the specific hazards and health concerns of drug abuse, is to help teens avoid the habit. So work with your children and seek real information in the form of statistics and medical explanation about the side effects of drug abuse.

Supervision
Continuing this data on drug abuse among teenagers, it comes to parental supervision which can either save teenagers from getting into the grips of drug abuse or saving them from it. Parents must give importance to the fact that their children are still in their teens. This happens to be an age, where they stay the most vulnerable to get involved in all the undesirable things in their lives. Get involved in your kids’ life and let them know that you are interested in what they do and when they do. If you are one of those parents who just let their kids do whatever they please, then you may be providing your children with a fine opportunity to get exposed to drugs. It is most likely that your kids might not appreciate the fact that you are trying to interfere too much in their lives. However, it is also true that, if you do so, your kids would be the ones to thank you later in their lives, when they achieve a matured level of understanding about all the repercussions of drug abuse. So don’t be too stringent about nor too aloof from your kids’ life.

Easily Available
The fact remains that teenagers get to learn most of the things from their parents. As a parent, if you are throwing a party where alcohol is served, then your kids would take it as a clear cue or message, that you have no objection to drinking alcohol. This is where, you stand to be the main offender for encouraging your kids to get vulnerable for drug abuse. Also, most parents unknowingly let their kids have access to alcohol, cigarettes, and even prescription medications, when they are not at home. Even in this way, teenagers may used this carelessness of their parents as an opportunity to at least try using all such stuffs.

Stress Causing Factors
Broken relationships, issues in the family, stress caused due to peer pressure, studies load, etc., are some of the common factors which trigger stress in teenagers’ life. These may also be the causes which drive them to resort to the use of drugs.

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Prescription Drug Abuse Facts

May 29th, 2011

Let’s start with some history of abuse of prescription drugs. This practice can be attributed to be as old as the use of drugs, which were actually designed to treat and cure all sorts of disorders or diseases. However, it was in the 19th century, when the abuse of prescription drugs has triggered, and remains at large, and with an uncontrollable pace. It began with the use of morphine, cocaine and laudanum, and now, analgesics, sedatives for anxiety and sleep, and stimulants for attention deficit disorder (ADHD) have become the means usual abuse.

Symptoms of Prescription Drug Abuse
One of the most important prescription drug abuse is associated with signs and symptoms including the surface once the violence starts in the body. Speaking of symptoms, they depend on the type of drug that is abused. According to what the experts were able to identify, there are three classes of prescription drugs that are often consumed by people, especially teenagers. Here is a table that laid the drug types and their corresponding signs or effects.

Opioid Painkillers
In this case, the signs of prescription drug abuse include:

Psychological condition like depression, confusion, etc.
Digestive disorder like constipation
Hypotension (also known as low blood pressure)
The abuser could feel his respiration rate to dwindle

Sedatives and Tranquilizers
The next set of symptoms in this article on prescription drug abuse facts include:

Psychological symptoms like confusion, impaired judgment, etc.
Gait becomes somewhat unsteady
Drowsiness
The person somehow loses his control on the movement of his eyeballs, which move rapidly in an involuntarily manner

Stimulants
The effects of prescription drug abuse here are:

Poor sleep
Hypertension
Irregularity in the pulse
Unintended weight loss
Increased agitation for no apparent reason

Some Other Symptoms
The above are the prescription drug abuse symptoms which are specific to the types of drugs abused. Here are some more, which are common for other kinds of prescription drugs.

Mood swings (intense than normal)
Lack of sleep or sleepiness
Inability to make rational decisions
Constant feeling of being high (this, however, would be noticed by the people close to the user)
The user develops a habit to get him medicines prescribed by a multiple of doctors
In some cases, the addiction becomes so major that the person resorts to stealing these kind of drugs
Overdose is also a common sign which must be known as one of the imperative prescription drug abuse facts.

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics
Taking the United States, then the prescription drug abuse facts are not so great. Surveys have reported that children as young as 12 are known to use prescription drugs for recreational purposes. The figure of more than 12 children are known for violence, reaching a staggering 48 million. Research conducted on students in grade 12, showed that about 9.3% of them abused such drugs as Vicodin and OxyContin abuse 5% (these are known to be potent analgesic, used for treat the painful symptoms). In addition, it was reported that the abuse of prescription drugs among adolescents is more common in girls than in boys. And because of such widespread abuse, there are 200,000 medical visits to emergency rooms over a year.

Treatment for Prescription Drug Abuse
Coming to the last part of my data on the facts of prescription drug abuse, he is on treatment. However, depending on the type, nature of treatment is decided. For example, opioid analgesics for the treatment of withdrawal would take a different route to what would be decided for the withdrawal of sedatives and even the withdrawal stimulus. Drug abuse rehabilitation is also part of treatment.

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Drug Abuse Among Teenagers

May 27th, 2011

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teenagers

It was found at one of the most frequent causes of drug abuse, particularly in adolescence. The term “abuse of prescription drugs,” is clearly defined as a state in which, prescription drugs are not used in a way the doctor recommends the patient. Meaning, the person taking higher doses of the drug and even though his illness is cured. Drugs that are common in such cases include all types of pain relievers, drugs for anxiety or sleep disorders, and drugs for the outbreak of stimulating activities. It was found that most teenagers use these drugs with a thought that they are safer than using illicit drugs.
Absence of Communication

A powerful causes of alcohol and drug abuse among adolescents is an area that fits in the statement, probably on the side of parents. Most teenagers can have this idea that their parents can not care to abuse drugs. So this highlights the importance of communication between parents and children. It is likely that, knowing the specific hazards and health concerns of drug abuse, is to help teens avoid the habit. So work with your children and seek real information in the form of statistics and medical explanation about the side effects of drug abuse.

Supervision

Continuing the data on the abuse of drugs among adolescents, it is a parental control that can be put adolescents entering handles drug abuse or to save him. Parents must give importance to the fact that their children are still in their teens. This happens at an age where they are most vulnerable to get involved in all undesirable things in their lives. Get involved in the lives of your children and let them know that you are interested in what they do and when they do. If you’re one of those parents who just let their kids do what they please, then you can give your children a great opportunity to get exposed to drugs. It is likely that your children might not appreciate the fact that you try to interfere too much in their lives. However, it is also true that if you do, your children would like to thank you later in life when they reach a level of maturity of understanding the consequences of drug abuse. So do not be too harsh or too much on the difference in the lives of your children.

Easily Available

The fact remains that teens the opportunity to learn most things from their parents. As a parent, if you’re a party where alcohol is served, then your children would be taken as a reference or a clear message that you do not mind drinking. This, you stand to be the main author to encourage your children to get more vulnerable addiction. In addition, most parents unwittingly allow their children access to alcohol, cigarettes, and even prescription drugs when they are not at home. Even this way, teenagers can use this neglect of their parents as an opportunity to at least try to use all such foods.

Stress Causing Factors

broken relationships, family issues, stress due to peer pressure, load studies, etc., are some common factors that trigger stress in the lives of adolescents. These can also be causes that lead them to resort to the use of drugs.

So they were some of the causes powerful drug abuse among adolescents. Regarding the treatment is considered if measures are taken at an early stage, then the condition can be slowed and before it worsens. Otherwise, the rehabilitation of drug abuse is known to be an effective tool for treatment. And talk about drug prevention, the most important work lies in the interest of parents. If they can reduce the chances of their children put in, then there is no other way better to maintain the remote state.

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Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

May 27th, 2011

Prescription Drug Abuse facts statistics prescription drug abuse indicate that it is showing signs of constant inclination, in the year 1990, the number of consumers of prescription drugs stood at 600,000 and it jumped to more than 2 million in 2000. Some prescription drugs most abused are made from morphine or its derivatives. Statistics show that prescription drug abuse anti depressants and sleeping pills were some prescription drugs most commonly consumed. People are known to abuse more than one drug at a time and there are those who use prescription drugs just to get high. It is also noted that some people who abuse prescription drugs are also addicted to alcohol.

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics by State

Statistics have shown that abuse of prescription drugs is widespread in some states than others. Adolescents are at risk of being sensitive to the abuse of prescription drugs and are known to use them to take drugs during the holidays and social gathering. Marijuana and medicine are two of the most abused drugs. States like Arkansas and Kentucky have the highest concentration of drug prescription in the country. These states are followed by Montana and Oklahoma, which also rank in the top 5 states for prescription drug addicts in the country.

Statistics Teenage drug abuse

OxyContin and Vicodin are two of the drugs most commonly abused by teenagers prescription. prescription drug abuse among adolescents is increasing, it is the most popular drug after marijuana. According to government statistics of drug addiction Arkansas has the highest concentration of teens who abuse prescription drugs, with more than 10 percent of them are abusing prescription drugs. More than 9 percent of children in Kentucky and Oregon have an addiction to prescription drugs and in states like Tennessee and West Virginia 8 percent of teenagers are addicted to prescription drugs.

Prescription Drug Abuse Symptoms Signs of abuse of prescription drugs varies from drug to drug but there are common symptoms that may indicate abuse. Irresponsible behavior at school home or office is one of the indicators of abuse of prescription drugs and neglect of personal hygiene. If a person is made to order, despite risks such as driving under the influence of sedatives. Prescription drugs like sedatives will have effects such as constipation, depression, speech disorders, irritability, hyperactivity etc and also some of the symptoms of abuse of prescription drugs.

The treatment of abuse of prescription drugs treatment for prescription drug vary depending on the drug they are addicted. Abuse of prescription drugs alters the chemistry of the brain and its ability to provide appropriate responses to situations make it difficult for drug prevention. With this drug can cause sudden interruption of withdrawal symptoms at home in the user. The drug treatment typically focus on the advice of the user and providing medication to ease withdrawal symptoms. There are rehabilitation centers that help people cope with their abuse of prescription drugs with professional counseling and psychiatric help. Attend meetings held by the relief organizations such as Narcotics Anonymous have also proven effective in helping people deal with their addiction problems.

Prescription drug abuse statistics indicated that children as young as 12 are hooked to painkillers and stimulants. The elderly are also known to abuse prescription drugs and the numbers have jumped so much that there are more than 2.5 million consumers of prescription drugs to the United States. The National Institute of Drug Abuse is a resource for information on statistics and treatment referrals.

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