Prescription drug addiction is becoming a common problem among teenagers that needs to be addressed. In order to address this concern, it is essential for the parents and everyone else involved with the teenager to get enough information on the nature of prescription drug addiction. Everything else, including intervention, prescription drug testing and rehabilitating the affected teenager, flows from there.

One step towards gathering information on what prescription drug abuse is all about is by knowing the most common prescription drugs abused by teenagers, at least in the United States.

1. Narcotics. Narcotics, also known as painkillers, are prescribed by doctors to manage pain.

2. Sedatives. Sedatives are used mainly to treat sleeping disorders and anxiety.

3. Stimulants. Stimulants are usually prescribed to treat conditions like ADHD, asthma, sleep disorders and narcolepsy.

Given these three major classifications of prescription drugs, the following are the five most commonly abused prescription drugs by teenagers today.

1. Vicodin. Vicodin is an analgesic painkiller that contains paracetamol and hydrocodone and it is often prescribed to manage acute pain. Distribution of this drug is heavily regulated by the US government. The slang used by junkies who distribute it is “happy pills” or “vikes.”

2. Valium. Valium is one of the brand names by which the drug diazepam is known for. It is a sedative synonymous with the term “sleeping pill.” Doctors prescribe valium to patients with anxiety, sleeping disorders, muscle spasms and other conditions.

3. Xanax. Xanax is the drug commonly prescribed to patients with severe depression or anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Its generic name is alprazolam, but the street slang for it is “totem poles.”

4. Ritalin. Known on the streets as “kiddy cocaine” and “Vitamin R,” Ritalin is a brand name for methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is a stimulant and a common ingredient in drugs used to treat ADHD, daytime drowsiness and chronic fatigue syndrome.

5. Dexedrine. Dexedrine is one of the many brand names of drugs containing amphetamines. It is a stimulant that is meant to treat patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The drugs listed above can be bought only with the correct prescription. However, many teenagers get their hands on these prescription drugs by stealing the pills prescribed for their parents or their siblings, or given to them by their friends. If any member of the family is prescribed these drugs and the pills or tablets suddenly go missing, it is one sign of teenage prescription drug abuse.

Dealing with a teenager who is displaying signs of prescription drug abuse is very tricky. It often leads to emotional confrontations between the angry teenager and the anxious parents.

Nonetheless, it is important for the parents to remain calm when dealing with their teenager who is showing symptoms of prescription drug addiction. Parents should impress upon the teenager that they are intervening out of love and not out of any desire to meddle. It is also essential for parents who are dealing with teenage children facing prescription drug abuse to show their children that they are people worthy of trust.

Cough syrup contains codeine, commonly used for analgesic purposes. It will be extracted from opium or synthesized from morphine, both of that are addictive drugs in themselves. Prescription-grade cough syrup contains larger concentrations of this chemical.A typical result is an altered outlook and sedation of the user, causing numbness.

Users can simply go overboard moreover, with overdose symptoms in common with other opiates. Some medicines additionally contain antihistamines that may cause another sedative effect.Promethazine is additionally combined with codeine to combat cough, but this is additionally a chemical that, on its own, may also cause strong reactions in the user. It is a sedative drug, and as normally goes with these types of chemicals, causes inhibited perform in terms of vision, and being slowed and having slurred speech as well. Users describe this sense as being “zazzed”, when everything around you goes slowly.

Codeine in cough syrup is typically taken during a form known as Purple Drank. The moniker comes from its color, which typically ranges from purple to pink depending on the cough syrup used and therefore the ratio of blending it with alternative drinks like sodas.This follow first gained influence within the southern states, and hip-hop artists popularized its use with the lots by as well as it in their songs.

Effects include increased auditory sensations and visual stimuli, and ends up in a feeling of being disconnected and strange, erratic behavior.Among the foremost dangers in addictions of this type is how simple someone will get the materials, considering that it’s legally purchased from drugstores. Another scary factor is how cheaply it will be gotten, and considering the prices for illegal medication, this would seem sort of a no-brainer for most teens on tight budgets wanting to get high.Some greenbacks is all it takes to get high. The chemical of alternative for most of the youth is Dextromorphan, also referred to as DXM, a substance found in many cough syrup formulations as well.

This is what’s commonly referred to as “Skittles” in underground lingo, and may even cause heart palpitations if it’s abused. Drugs in pill form contains abundant larger quantities of DXM; therefore an identical effect of consuming giant amounts of syrup may be duplicated by just some tablets.Even cough syrup based mostly drinks are simple to get, because all it takes is some prescription cough syrup, a will of soda, a Styrofoam cup, and you’re ready to get high.

This is often a terribly easy method compared to different varieties of drugs. Scary when you think that of the implications. This is used as a recreational drink, and the result can rely on the number of the cough syrup, the ratio of blending, and what else you put in it, commonly other pain-relieving tablets.Sleeping aids will conjointly be addictive in giant enough doses, and could conjointly have long-term effects on the user. Narcolepsy is common, and causes episodes of micro-sleep. This is notably dangerous when driving, then falling asleep at the wheel. Diet pills being taken in larger than prescribed doses to shed weight faster is also dangerous, as a result of the consequences on the body are increased to a dangerous level.

Question by Your Master: Looking for a Caregiver involved with teenage drug abuse for a quick telephone interview?
The title explains it all.
I know there are a lot of numbers you can call to get help with drug abuse, but I’m just looking for info. This is for a school project, and so far I haven’t been able to contact anyone who simply gives out information on what they do to help prevent teenage drug abuse.

I’m looking for a phone number to call preferably.

Best answer:

Answer by Yuliya P
If your county has mental health program you can call them and ask questions what they do to prevent drug abuse. There are also programs to prevent alcohol and drug abuse. You can probably find that information on your states DHS website.

When it comes to actual caregivers unless you know somebody I don’t think anybody would give you the name. But you can ask if they those programs could help you to find somebody who would be willing to help you with your school project.

Give your answer to this question below!

teen substance abuse, drug and alcohol effects and ways to avoid drugs
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Have you ever wondered if teenage addiction to alcohol and drugs equal to bad habit? Yes, it is true that it’s a bad habit that is not only endangering their physical health but also their mental health. Nations are losing man power as a result of this bad habit. If you look at the model of it the proof is staggering.

Take for instance the bad habits of smoking, people who engage in this activity feel quite persecuted. At the moment the practice is not illegal but society as a whole have decided to shun those who partake.

Not that long ago teenagers could smoke just about everywhere, including hospitals! There were instances even fathers would light up in the waiting room while their wives were in labor. This began to change and they could only smoke is specific rooms. It did not take long before smoking was only allowed in specific areas outside of the building.

Today you will find bars, restaurants, motels and even cities that are completely smoke free. This has forced teenagers who are addicted to give up the bad habit, and truthfully, they no longer remember how bad the addiction was.

To protect others from the health risks of second hand smoke, many smokers have started using smokeless tobacco products. Even though there is no smoke involved the nicotine in these products is still highly addictive.

Would you believe that sleeping pills are another example of bad habits? Over time, teenagers become so addicted in that they need more and more of the drug to fall asleep. After awhile the pills will not help and many may even overdose trying to get to sleep. This type of teenage addiction usually requires the help of a doctor or sleep clinic to fix.

Drinking alcohol to excess is another teenage addiction. If they’re medically or physically impaired, it can be extremely risky for them to consume alcohol. Certain medications do not mix well with alcohol. Of course, if they’re addicted to alcohol these warnings will fall on deaf ears.

A very dangerous variety of teenage addiction is drugs. The number of illegal drugs available at any given moment are too numerous to even count. Each drug will have differing effects. They always quickly and devastate their health. Some of the drugs are not as bad in the short term. Overall, they are still bad habits.

You can find the recreational type drugs such as heroin, cocaine, LCD, Ecstasy and other hallucinogens. The effects and addictive qualities of these so-called club drugs are nasty. On the other hand, some teenagers find themselves addicted to prescription remedies for common ailments. Drugs such as muscle relaxants and painkillers are addictive bad habits.

Like talking about sex, having a conversation with your teen about drugs and alcohol can be, well, a bit uncomfortable. Sure, you may hear about how you should talk to your children about illegal substances whenever you get the opportunity – but having the conversation itself can be so awkward that many parents choose not to do it, not to mention that many parents feel too uneducated about booze and drugs to even talk about it! In fact, a recent study conducted by Action on Addiction in the United Kingdom found that over 40% of adults choose not to have these necessary conversations with their children and teenagers, but rather leave it up to the schools. If this sounds familiar, then take note: children and teenagers often want to hear about drugs and alcohol from the mouths of their own parents rather than their health class teacher.

But how exactly do you got about having this conversation without appearing uneducated – or worse – hypocritical? Here’s what you need to know in order to best educate your kids about the dangers of drugs and underage drinking as effectively as possible.

Give Them Warnings That Are Tangible. it’s no secret that most tweens and teens think that they’re invincible. If you warn your child that drinking and doing drugs will kill them – even though your teen is surrounded by people who have not died from alcohol or certain drugs – they won’t get as scared as you’d like them to. However, if you tell your child that drinking and doing drugs can cost them thousands of dollars a year – not to mention make them smell horrible – and you’ll see a change in their behavior quickly!

Try To Relate To Your Teen. Tweens and teens have an uncanny ability to see straight through any fibs; therefore, if you are staunchly against drinking and drugs, even though you may have experimented yourself as a teen, you’ll just end up confusing your child. Be honest with your child – if you did drugs as a teen, tell them why you did it, and why you chose to stop it. Your teen will appreciate your honesty, as opposed to labeling you as a “hypocrite”.

Find Out Who His Or Her Friends Are. When it comes to raising teens, knowledge is half the battle – that’s why you should make the effort to become familiar with you teenager’s friends. You don’t have to know everything about them; rather, you want to do so in order to determine if they’re positive influences on your teen. It won’t take long for you to get a feel for your teen’s friends’ personalities – if someone rubs you the wrong way, try to limit how much time your teen spends with him or her.

Be Supportive. If you’ve discovered that your child drank at a party or took drugs, your first reaction may be to punish them. While discipline is completely necessary, it’s important for your teen to know that you’ll love them no matter what – this will teach your child that it’s okay to approach you about their upsetting behavior rather than keep it secret.

Above all, accept the fact that you won’t be around to monitor your child’s activities for every hour of every day – no matter how tempted you may be! Instead, trust that you instilled proper values within your children that will help them to make the right decisions when it counts, therefore setting them up for future success long into adulthood.