Teenage Prescription Drug Abuse Essay - 1427 Words

Teenage Prescription Drug Abuse Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription†¦show more content†¦Steroid abuse by teen athletes and abuse of performance-enhancing supplements like creatine is also on the rise (Performance-enhancing drugs and your teen athlete, 2008, The Mayo Clinic). Although some teens may feel jaded and cer tain that they know ‘drugs are bad,’ and drugs fry your brain like the famous fried egg in a pan in the popular television commercial immortalized during the 1980s, many well-educated teens and young adults do not see the same risks inherent in prescription drugs or drugs that make them feel better or run faster (The Partnership’s fried egg message, 2008, Partnership for a Drug-Free America). â€Å"For a sizable group of people in their 20s and 30s, deciding on their own what drugs to take - in particular, stimulants, antidepressants and other psychiatric medications - is becoming the norm. Confident of their abilities and often skeptical of psychiatrists expertise, they choose to rely on their own research and each others experience in treating problems like depression, fatigue, anxiety or a lack of concentration. A medical degree, in their view, is useful, but not essential, and certainly not sufficient,† reports the New York Times, citing incidents of y oung adultsShow MoreRelatedTeen Abuse Prescription Drug Abuse1422 Words   |  6 Pagesleading drugs used and abused by teenagers in America. According to Elizabeth Larsen, â€Å"The Centers for Disease Control classifies prescription drug abuse as the worst drug epidemic in United States history† (Larsen p.4). This is the worst drug epidemic in history because of the percentage of teenage usage. Based on different studies, pills are the most commonly abused drug among twelve- and thirteen- year olds because of how easy they are to access. In fact, many teens that abuse prescription medicationRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse Among Youth1346 Words   |  6 PagesThere is a growing trend of drug abuse among youth which can’t be ignored in today’s society. It has been reported that â€Å"the greater numbers of young people were reporting weekly consumption of alcohol and young drinkers were consuming larger amounts per drinking occasion† (Coleman Cater, 2003). Teenagers who persistently use drug out of control often experience serious problems. Those problems are related to physical health, mental health, academic difficulties, social relationships, and so onRead MoreDrug Abuse And Addiction Among Teenagers1704 Words   |  7 PagesStudies have shown that prescription drug abuse and addiction among teenagers is on a steady incline. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, â€Å"prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, of for the experience or feelings elicited.† This is a pervasive problem that is in fact consuming the lives of many teens, primarily because prescription drugs are easily accessible in their environment. There are several interpersonalRead MoreGunnar Monical. Professor Greg Murray. Egl 101-13. 17 March1401 Words   |  6 PagesGunnar Monical Professor Greg Murray EGL 101-13 17 March 2017 Pills aren’t Thrills In the hectic pill-popping world we live in today, around 6.5 million people in the U.S. currently abuse prescription medication and out of those 6.5 million, 4.5 of those people abuse pain relievers according to Nova Science Publishers (Greer). Codeine, oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax just to name a few of the favorites among abusers (Fahey and Miller). These medications can end up on the streets and in the handsRead MoreThe Epidemic of Teenagers Using Drugs1687 Words   |  7 PagesEpidemic of Teenagers Abusing Drugs Krystyn Romualdo COM/156 November 18, 2012 Jackie Hudspeth Jr The Epidemic of Teenagers Abusing Drugs To have known so many people that have struggled with drug addiction in their teenage years it has become very apparent what a vital time in one’s life it is to know the dangers of abusing drugs as a teenager. Even though not all teens abuse drugs, it is an epidemic in the United States because more teens are turning to drugs to escape or use out of boredomRead MoreEssay about Correlation Between Drug Use and Suicide717 Words   |  3 PagesCorrelation Between Drug Use and Suicide   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americas on-going drug abuse epidemic continues into this millenium, and there are many social problems linked to drug use, including suicide. The disparity of daily life in suburbs or the inner cities are why many people have fallen into their reliance on drugs, including alcohol. Patros and Shamoo (1989) describe the abuse of drugs and alcohol as a slow form of suicide. But many drug abusers choose to end their life before drugs have time to claimRead MoreThe Article A World Split Apart 856 Words   |  4 Pagesillustrating that our society is given â€Å"too much† freedom. As a result people cannot handle it, resulting in abuse and misuse of the rights bestowed onto us. This is exceptionally true in the world of medicine; meant for treatment of illness, has led abuse of prescription drugs. How are our prescription drugs being abused? First, an understanding of basic rights to treatment in relation to prescription medications recently enacted. Patient’s Bill of Rights essentially guarantees treatment to the recipientRead MoreSelf Esteem And Body Image Problems1491 Words   |  6 PagesLow self-esteem and body image problems are too much to handle alone for some teens. A few may become depressed and lose interest in activities or friends. Some go on to develop eating disorders or body image disorders, or use alcohol or drugs to escape feelings of low worth. It can be tempting to compare ourselves with others. The trouble with that is, not everyone grows or develops at the same time or in the same way. Media images and other outside influences can affect ones psyche. Some parentsRead MoreDrug Addiction1074 Words   |  5 PagesDrug Addiction Drug abuse is an increasing epidemic in today’s society. There are so many types of drugs being abused today, both legal and illegal. These drugs affect the human body in many different ways. Drug abuse can lead to addiction. â€Å"Drug addiction involves the repeated and excessive use of a drug to produce pleasure or escape reality despite its destructive effects† (â€Å"Environmental Health Perspectives,† 2005). Drug addicts believe that drugs are necessary for them to have a feelingRead MorePrescription Drugs Essay1014 Words   |  5 Pages Prescription drugs have been proven to be much worse than marijuana. The fuss people make over the legalization of marijuana does not make sense when one thinks about the effects that overdosed or misused prescription drugs has had. Overdosed prescription drugs kill around 47,055 people a year, and overdosed prescription drugs have no death record. The health effects of overdosed prescriptions are much worse when compared to overdosed prescription drugs. Also, the dangers of prescription drugs