Troubled Teens Resources

The fight against teen age drug abuse, specifically against prescription drug abuse, is a bit harder for parents and law enforcement in the state of Florida. Both abusers and dealers have been flooding into the state because it’s one of several states in the country that does not keep a central data base of prescriptions filled.

Recent reports have indicated that illegally obtained prescription pills now out paces illegal drug abuse as the reigning threat our teens at risk face nationwide.

“Drug abusers and drug dealers have discovered a soft spot in the nation’s prescription drug system — the Sunshine State — and they’re exploiting this weakness with increasing regularity.

The number of prescriptions written in Florida for morphine, codeine, meperidine, oxycodone and hydrocodone rose 142 percent between 1997 and 2005…Between 2000 and 2006, an average of 341 people died in the state each year by overdosing on Oxycontin and Percocet.

There’s a reason Florida has become so popular with the prescription drug crowd — and it’s not the sunshine.

The state lacks a central database that would enable authorities to monitor excessive — and suspicious — purchases of prescription drugs, and investigate abuses.
[…]
Drug addicts and dealers often will choose the path of least resistance. When one state cracks now on some aspect of the drug trade, the purveyors of illegal products inevitably seek out new territories.”

(source)

Parents are already likely aware of the newest and startling report detailing the state of teen age drug abuse and the rampant amount of prescription drug abuse by teens at risk. The most startling aspect of the report, however, was not the alarming numbers of offending teens but that parents are either, for the most part, unaware or indifferent.

“Despite indications that most parents have their heads firmly planted in the sand (if not buried somewhere even less pleasant), 4 out of 5 high school students say they are regularly exposed to drugs in their schools.”

Those whose duty it is to collect the collapsed and comatose bodies of overdosed American teens are not very surprised and offer very basic counsel that parents need to start heeding.

“For those of us in the EMS fields, this may not come as much of a surprise. Even in my supposedly protected rural area, I am always taken aback by the number of overdose calls we get at local schools. The most important warning that comes from this report is that the parents seem to be completely unaware of the this increasing trend in their children’s schools. We can do two things:

1. Take care of our own first. Talk regularly and often with your own children about drugs in their schools. What drugs do they come in contact with?
2. Get involved in your community education projects. Talk to your local police agencies about what drugs they are seeing more commonly on the street this year. Arrange to provide assistance to their school outreach programs with a demonstration of the life-saving techniques we will have to use in the case of an overdose.”

(Source)

If it isn’t cocaine, it’s meth. If it isn’t meth, it’s marijuana. If none of those drugs are available, troubled teenagers are turning from their friendly neighborhood dealer to their parent’s medicine cabinet. And unfortunately, millions of adults are medicated. Gee, I wonder if there is a correlation.

Most adults do not abuse their meds, however, teens at risk for addiction tend to be sorely tempted to abuse any drug, anywhere they can find some. Following on the heels of prescription drug abuse is abuse of over-the-counter cold medicines. Though the idea of putting both prescription and cold meds under lock and key is depressing to contemplate, it is a simple short term solution. But then, there are the parents who are unaware of the problem or are careless with their medicines. There’s where education comes in.

“We know from prior experience that education is the most effective way to keep kids from abusing all types of substances, including over-the-counter medications.”

The Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America estimates 2.4 million teens have abused cough medicine to get high — some as early as the eighth-grade.
[..]
“A handful of pharmacies have moved it behind the counter and keep track of how many bottles are purchased by whom, but there’s still a decent potential for abuse,” he said.

“Often, teens will take 10 to 20 times the normal dose in order to get a buzz, which can approach levels of toxicity.”

At extreme doses, the medicine can cause hallucinations, lightheadedness, heart problems, vomiting, seizures and loss of consciousness.

McGeorge said teens have died from passing out after an overdose, vomiting and aspirating stomach material into their lungs.”

(source)

Schools for troubled teens do not represent a last option or a desperate choice. Quite the opposite, given prescription drug abuse, meth labs, binge drinking, internet addiction and a whole host of other obstacles a teen must run, if that teen demonstrates behavior that indicates he is likely to stumble, a military boarding school or specialty school can assure that the teen at risk will finish the race.

“Youth need programs designed not to punish, but to heal and equip them to be valued by, and to value, themselves, their families, and others. The Helping Disciplines incorporated in the Tipton Academy include but are not limited to “Animal Assistance”, “Structure”, “Positive Peer Culture”, “Cognitive Self Change”, and an “Individualized Educational Program”. These disciplines are widely recognized as some of the most successful difference makers for troubled teens and adults.”

Each program listed above equips the teens with the tools that he will need to thwart peer pressure, succeed academically, manage emotions and chart a course for the future.

Cognitive Self Change is a prime example.

“This discipline is remarkably distinct in that it teaches how to dramatically alter one’s belief that he is the victim of his own feelings and circumstances. In this discipline, excuses are not accepted. Change takes place when a person makes a conscious decision to think differently about himself and the world in which he exists. The program is an integrated, cognitive behavior change program for youth which includes cognitive restructuring, social skills development, and development of problem-solving skills. It is presented in the format of a small group setting (PPC groups).”

Tipton Academy for Boys

“John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy, said, “While destructive street drugs like meth and crack produce gruesome news images and headlines, prescription drug abuse has quietly become a major part of our Nation’s addiction problem. Too many Americans, and increasingly, too many young women, simply do not know the addictive potential of these medicines.”
(source)

Teen Girls Exceed Teen Boys in Script Abuse

The same report goes on to describe an emerging trend. Women have always comprised the minority when it comes to addictions and deaths associated with street drugs. They are now, however, in the lead when it comes to incidents of prescription drug abuse. Teen age drug abuse is represented in those figures as well.

“… when it comes to teen prescription drug abuse. Nearly one in ten (9.2 percent) teen girls report using a prescription drug to get high at least once in the past year, compared to one in 13 (7.5 percent) teen boys.”

Theories describe young teen girls as more vulnerable because, while boys drug use has to do more with “sensation seeking”, females tend to be trying to fulfill emotional and psychological needs, a type of self- medicating

“…females abuse drugs and alcohol to increase confidence, reduce tension, cope with problems, lose inhibitions, or to lose weight.”

Basic Guidelines

Some basic suggestions for parents, especially as prescription drug abuse pertains for young girls :

• Address negative self esteem or body image issues
• Never share medications or use them outside of a physician’s care and supervision
• Closely monitor and regulate the supply of prescription drugs in your home
• Properly dispose of any unneeded or expired prescription drugs

The Office of National Drug Control Policy offers a great deal of relevant information.

Another area requiring teen crisis intervention is found in your medicine cabinet. Teenagers have been going to extreme measures to get high. The newest fad, mentioned in an earlier post goes by the name “Trust”. An amazing moniker for what is basically a game of Russian Roulette.

We reported that teens are having parties, the centerpiece of which is a huge collection of pills that the kids randomly choose from in the hopes of getting a “buzz”. The collection is gathered from medicine cabinets at home and delivered to the party and thrown into the mix. Obviously it is a recipe for tragedy.

Here are some guidelines that a parent can use in dealing with prescription drug abuse.

1. Educate yourself and your teen about the risks. Prescription drugs can be just as dangerous and addictive as “street drugs,” and can be lethal. Talk to your teen about the dangers of these drugs.
2. Keep track of quantities. Take note of how many pills are in a bottle or pill packet and ask other households your teen visits to do the same, such as grandparents or other friends.
3. Talk to friends, relatives and school administration. Make sure your friends and relatives know about the risks, too, and encourage them to regularly monitor their own medicine cabinets.
4. Follow directions carefully. Make sure you and your teen use Rx drugs only as prescribed by a medical doctor and take only the recommended dosages as indicated for both Rx and OTC drugs.
5. 5. Discard old or unused medications.
6. Monitor your teen’s time online. Check browser histories and set a time limit for how long your teen can be online. For more information on how to monitor your child’s online activities, visit theAntiDrug.com’s online tutorial.
7. Be observant. If you find your teen is quickly going through cough syrup, or you find empty bottles and pill packages among your child’s personal effects, talk with her, listen carefully, and determine if there is a problem. If there is a problem, call your family physician immediately.
8. Find other ways to relieve stress and have fun. Many teens point to personal and family stress, as well as boredom, as reasons they abuse Rx and OTC drugs. Help your teen find other ways to relieve pressures, for example through positive activities that interest your child, positive friendships, or by simply listening and offering guidance. Also, help your teen find constructive ways to pass time and set a good example yourself.

(source)

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)

The first few times a college student abuses prescription drugs might be to get thru exams. Then the addition of sports or a part time job cuts into study time and he finds he need more hours of the days to stay awake. The natural progression from there is to find drugs to go to sleep when the uppers won’t let you. From there, recreational use is the next easy step and, according to statistics, it ’s a step too many teenage college students take.

“…a recent study which found a dramatic increase in prescription drug abuse on college campuses from 1993 to 2005. The study, “Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities,” was released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

Nearly half of full-time students binge drink and/or abuse prescription and illegal drugs, according to the report, and 1.8 million full-time students meet the medical criteria for dependency of a controlled substance.

Abuse of prescription opioids, or pain killers, increased 342.9 percent; abuse of prescription tranquilizers such as Xanax and Valium rose 450 percent; and abuse of prescription stimulants such as Adderall was up 93.3 percent from 1993 to 2005, according to the study.”
(Source)

Shopping for a Doctor

Students claim that it is easy to acquire scripts, just a matter of knowing the students who have a legitimate script or shopping for a doctor who will write one without bothering to question the list of fake symptoms presented.

If you think you have made it safely past the shoals of teen age drug abuse, there is an entirely new and dangerous arena that your teenager faces in college. With incredible pressure, easy availability and seemingly no other means of “keeping up”, a college student is beset by a whole different set of reasons to fall into drug dependency.

The constant stream of pharmaceutical commercials aimed at adults do little to help a parent teach a troubled teen that medication isn’t the first or best answer for solving problems. In a culture and society that emphasizes instant gratification, teaching an at-risk teenager that restraint and discipline are virtues becomes an increasingly uphill battle. A specific problem with prescription pills is the veneer of safety that they offer. A drug abusing teenager is likely to think he is safer taking a pharmaceutical than he is with a street drug.

Just as a parent has to accept the reality of malicious strangers and predatory sex offenders as given threats in their at-risk teen’s everyday life, parents need to be aware of a constant underlying theme in film, in advertising and in music is to “get high” or “feel better”. A combination of peer pressure and society’s unfortunate obsession with the quick fix can cause a teen to conclude that self-medicating is a normal and acceptable way of dealing with upset and pain.

“According to the most comprehensive study on U.S. teenage drug abuse, the intentional abuse of legal medicines continues to be a “pernicious problem”.

“Overall prescription drug abuse has become a more important part of the nation’s drug problem,” said Dr. Lloyd Johnston, who runs the ongoing University of Michigan study.

Last December, the survey found that 9 percent of 16- to 18-year-olds intentionally abused prescription narcotics such as Vicodin in 2006.

“The use of Oxycontin has doubled among 8th graders (12- to 14-year-olds) since 2002,” Johnston said.

Other common household drugs popularly misused included dextromethorphan, found in cough syrups.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a not-for-profit lobby group sponsoring the briefings, said parents are part of the problem.

“The problem in general is the parents’ attitudes (were) as bad as the kids on this subject,” said Steve Pasierb, chief executive of the Partnership.

“The parents think they know all about drugs so they say, ‘At least it’s not heroin’,” he added.

“Kids like it because it’s hot and it’s new, they believe it’s safe and there’s relative ease of access.”

And taking tablets from home medicine cabinets is cheaper than buying drugs from street drug dealers.
[…]
“Kids see prescription drugs differently,” said Dr. Herbert Kleber, a former U.S. drug policy adviser to the White House. “They’re more pure and have a guaranteed potency.”

Kleber said most of the kids get information online on what drugs to take. “There are numerous Web sites they can go to learn the pros and cons,” he said.”
(Source)