What is Teen Painkiller Addiction?

Learn More About Teen Pain Pill Addiction

Prescription painkillers are becoming popular substances of abuse among people of all ages. However, more and more young people are acquiring these substances, misusing them, and developing addictions that are exceptionally difficult to overcome. Painkillers like OxyContin, Opana, Vicodin, and Fentanyl are all classified as opioids and are known to be just as addictive and harmful as heroin. Considering the dangers that come with abusing these drugs, it’s crucial for adolescents to receive proper treatment as soon as possible in order to avoid the long-term harm that results from abusing painkillers.

If you’re the parent or guardian of a teen who is struggling with the abuse of prescription painkillers, then you are probably overcome with worry for your child as he or she grapples with this sort of issue. Conversely, if you’ve only just realized that this is a problem for your child, you may be at a loss for what you can do to help your teen defeat a painkiller addiction. Luckily, you and your teen have many options available to you. With effective addiction treatment, your child’s painkiller addiction can become a thing of the past.

Statistics

Statistics of Teen Painkiller Addiction

While reportedly on the decline, prescription painkiller abuse is something that just under five percent of adolescents engage in. Additionally, studies have shown that most teens who abuse prescription painkillers for recreational purposes get them from their family members or friends who have prescriptions for these substances. Lastly, research shows that the children of parents who talk to their adolescents about abstaining from drug use are over 40% less likely to begin abusing substances like painkillers.

Causes and Risks

Causes and Risk Factors of Teen Painkiller Addiction

Finding out your teen is abusing prescription painkillers can be quite the shock. You may wonder why and how this happened and are curious as to what led your child down this dark path. To get a better idea of what could have contributed to the development of your teen’s prescription painkiller abuse problem, read through the following:

Genetic: Since certain gene clusters were discovered that can make addiction a heritable concern for some people, your child’s genetic history may have contributed to him or her now struggling with this issue. If your child’s family members also grappled with addiction, this could explain why this is now a problem for your teen.

Environmental: If your teen’s peers abuse prescription painkillers or if your child is exposed to substance abuse, then the likelihood of your child misusing painkillers is greater. Furthermore, if your teen struggles to cope with turmoil or doesn’t have adequate backing from friends and loved ones, he or she might turn to painkiller abuse as means of coping if he or she is able to acquire these substances easily.

Risk Factors:

Prior substance abuse
Poor coping skills
Past trauma
Family history of substance abuse
Experiencing severe acute or chronic pain
Easy access to prescription pain medications

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms of Teen Painkiller Addiction

Depending on the painkiller that your teen is abusing, as well as the amount that he or she consumes to get high, you may or may not be able to discern if he or she is grappling with a mild, moderate, or severe addiction to these sort of drugs. It could be helpful, however, to look through the following and see how many symptoms are affecting your teen:

Behavioral symptoms:

Stealing medication that has been prescribed to someone else
Social withdrawal
Slurring speech
Diminished participation in enjoyable activities
Deception regarding whereabouts and/or activities

Physical symptoms:

Pupil dilation
Itchiness
Impaired coordination
Heavy perspiration
Disrupted sleep patterns
Decreased blood pressure
Constipation

Cognitive symptoms:

Poor decision-making skills
Disorientation
Confusion

Psychosocial symptoms:

Irritability
Drastic changes in mood
Depression

Effects

Effects of Teen Painkiller Addiction

To say that your teen’s life can be adversely affected by the abuse of prescription painkillers is an understatement. If your child doesn’t get professional treatment to mitigate this issue, he or she is destined to experience the following:

Suicide attempt or attempts
Suicidal ideation
Social isolation
Onset of mental health concerns
Legal problems, including being arrested
Family discord
Disciplinary action at school
Development of physical health problems
Damaged relationship with parent(s) / guardian(s)
Damaged peer relationships
Academic failure

Co-Occurring Disorders

Co-Occurring Disorders & the Complexity of Teen Painkiller Addiction

For some young people the abuse of drugs like prescription painkillers occurs because they are struggling with the symptoms of an untreated mental illness and are looking to escape their turmoil. Additionally, some youth come to grapple with such concerns after they’ve misused these drugs. Whatever your child’s circumstances, it’s helpful for you to know that your teen can receive effective treatment that addresses his or her painkiller abuse problems and one or more of the following co-occurring illnesses:

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Persistent depressive disorder
Other substance use disorders
Major depressive disorder

Withdrawal & Overdose

Effects of Withdrawal and Overdose of Teen Painkiller Addiction

Effects of prescription painkiller withdrawal: Should your child begin displaying the following effects, he or she is experiencing painkiller withdrawal. This unfortunate consequence of painkiller abuse can be very uncomfortable, and stresses the need for professional addiction treatment for you teenager:

Watery eyes
Vomiting
Tremors
Sleep problems
Runny nose
Powerful cravings for painkillers
Nausea
Muscle pain
Loss of appetite
Irritability
Heavy perspiration
Fever
Dysphoria
Diarrhea
Bone pain
Agitation

Effects of prescription painkiller overdose: If your teen is abusing prescription painkillers, he or she is at risk of experiencing an overdose. An overdose is caused by the body being overwhelmed by a substance that it can’t process. Therefore, if you notice your adolescent child displaying the following effects, call 9-1-1 as soon as possible to save your teen’s life: