Signs and Symptoms of Prescription Drug Abuse by Teenagers

Teenage prescription drug abuse is becoming a prevalent problem these days. That is mainly because compared to illegal substances like marijuana, heroin or cocaine, prescription drugs are more readily available and can be bought easily from drugstores.

The reported figures regarding prescription drug abuse among teenagers are alarming indeed. According to studies, one out of five teenagers has abused medication prescribed for pain. One out of five teenagers has also used both tranquilizers and stimulants. One in ten, on the other hand, is into cough medication.

If you are a parent to a teenager, how would you know if your teenager has a prescription drug addiction? The common signs of prescription drug abuse are described below.

1. Health. People become unhealthy after a prolonged period of prescription drug abuse. You should be concerned when your teenager feels lethargic most of the time, to the point of refusing to get up in the morning. A sudden change in your teenager’s weight is another indicator of prescription drug addiction. Redness of the eyes, pupil dilation and shaky hands are other signals that you should suspect prescription drug abuse with your teenager.

2. Attitude. It is normal for teenagers to be rebellious, or at least try to dissociate themselves from the rest of the family. However, when your teenager consciously changes his behavior in such a way that you no longer recognize who he is, this should alert you to the possibility that he may be into prescription drug abuse.

Your suspicion should be heightened if he begins to be secretive and if he always asks you for money but without telling why he needs it. It can even go to the point that he may steal things from home to fuel his addiction. Missing school or doing poorly in school is another indicator of prescription drug abuse.

3. Appearance. Changes in appearance can be tricky signs of prescription drug addiction because it may mean that your teenager is responding to peer pressure. If the change is too radical or if your teenager has totally lost interest in the way he or she looks, then you should check for prescription drug abuse.

4. Other signs. Aside from the physical and behavioral changes that you might see in your teenager, you should also look out for other signs in the home. If someone in your family is in prescribed medication, you should see if there are any missing pills or tablets in the bottle. You should also check if there are any other unfamiliar drugs at home. Missing valuables is another sign you should look out for.

What to Do If Your Teenager Has Prescription Drug Addiction

Once you have confirmed your suspicions that your teenager is doing prescription drug abuse, you should act immediately. It all starts with a talk with your teenager, although you could do prescription Drug Testing later. However, rather than focusing on the prescription drug abuse, you should zero in on the problem causing it.

Your teenager may get angry at you for what he may see as meddling in his life, but it is important for you to impress upon him that you are doing this because you love him. In helping him deal with teenage prescription drug abuse, it is essential for you to be honest with him and to cultivate trust and credibility with him.