Why teens are using
Teens report many reasons for abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Like with street drugs, prescription and OTC drugs are often abused by teens to get high.
This might be to party, to escape reality, to experiment, or to relieve boredom.
But teens also say there are other reasons to abuse prescription drugs, beyond just getting high:1
- Some teens say they abuse these drugs to help them cope, such as to manage stress, depression, or anxiety, or to help them relax.
- Teens also report abusing prescription drugs to help them deal with pressures. For example, some teens say they abuse stimulants to help them do better in school
by increasing alertness or concentration. Others report abusing stimulants to help control their weight.
- Teens also report they are abusing these drugs to self-medicate, in order to do things like relieve pain or sleep better.
Teens also give other "practical" reasons for abuse of these drugs. For example, they say they abuse prescription painkillers because they believe it is not illegal,
there is less shame attached to using them, there are fewer side effects than street drugs, and because some parents "don't care as much if you get caught."2
Talk to your teen about the risks of taking any medication without a doctor's supervision. Prescription and OTC drugs are powerful and, when abused, can be just as
dangerous as street drugs.
Found out your teen is abusing Rx drugs?
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