Troubled Teens Resources

Has Oxycontin abuse touched your family yet? An in-laws’ son recently succumbed to an overdose. The irony was that he had been clean for a few years. Just thought he’d take a “chill pill”, relax a little, no harm done. And perhaps if he hadn’t overestimated his tolerance, no harm would have been done. But for some reason he chose to take the same dose of Oxycontin that he used to take as a user and his body wasn’t up to it.

Now this was a young man, but statistics indicate that Oxycotinin abuse has doubled among kids 12 through 14 since 2002.

And then there are over the counter drugs.

“When she saw the empty medicine bottle on the front seat of her son’s car, Misty Fetko knew something was wrong.

Carl Hennon died at age 18 after taking an overdose of cough syrup in 2003 and his mother has been telling his story ever since.

A registered nurse from New Albany, Ohio, Fetko will testify before Congress on Thursday as part of a series of briefings she hopes will put the issue of over-the-counter and prescription drug abuse higher on the agenda.

“By the time I got up to his bedroom he was already gone. I tried waking him, then my nurse training took over, but it was too late,” she said in an interview.”
(source)

Symptoms of Cough Medicine Abuse

A recent fad among teens and young adults is the abuse of cough and cold medicines containing the ingredient dextromethorphan, or DXM, in order to get high. When taken in large quantities, this ingredient can cause nausea, vomiting, life-threatening seizures, hallucinations, and even death. At least 14 people have died from taking excessive amounts of DXM.

Here are some symptoms to look for:

• Confusion

• Impaired judgment and mental performance
• Blurred vision
• Slurred speech
• Loss of coordination
• Rigid motor tone and involuntary muscle movement
• Tremor
• Dizziness
• Excessive sweating
• Irregular heartbeat
• Numbness of fingers or toes

In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, parents should watch for clues such as:

• Bookmarked Web sites about “robotripping” or DXM
• Packages of cough medicines containing dextromethorphan
• Sleep masks or cotton balls in a teen’s room, indicating they may using sensory deprivation to enhance the DXM “high”

(Source)