Troubled Teens Resources

“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.”
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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.

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