Alarming Trend in Teen Drug Use

    If you guessed that marijuana was the Number One drug most often abused by American teens, you’re right.  But, what about the Number Two drug? You may be shocked to discover that it’s not cocaine, or heroin, or methamphetamines—instead, it’s the drugs found in the family medicine cabinet.           

            “Prescription drug abuse is a serious addiction issue for teens and adults,” said Alan Flory, ReDiscover President and CEO.  “Parents need to be aware that some teens experiment with drugs by raiding the medicine cabinet at home, trying prescriptions that belong to other family members.  And, people with addictions may also steal prescription medications—especially pain killers—from medicine cabinets outside their own homes, including from grandparents or neighbors or friends.”

            According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, more teens abuse prescription drugs than any other illicit drug, except marijuana; more than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined. Every day, 2,500 kids age 12 to17 abuse a prescription painkiller for the first time and more people are getting addicted to prescription drugs. Drug treatment admissions for prescription painkillers increased more than 300 percent from 1995 to 2005. 

            Some teens mistakenly believe that abusing prescription drugs is safer and less addictive than abusing street drugs.

            “Teens need to know that prescription drug abuse is every bit as serious as street drug abuse,” said ReDiscover Counselor Angie Lewis. “Medications may be accessible in their own home, but prescription drugs are dangerous and can be lethal when taken by people who were not prescribed to take them.”

            What are some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs?

            Although many prescription drugs can be abused, The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the three classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused are:

• Opioids, which are most often prescribed to treat pain;
  
• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; and
  
• Stimulants, which are prescribed to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  
  “Drug abuse is still drug abuse whether people are using illegal street drugs or abusing prescription medications.“ Lewis said.  “Never use someone else’s prescription or allow a friend to use your medications.  It’s a serious health risk and it is also breaking the law.”
  

            Flory added, “Parents can help protect kids from prescription drug abuse by making some changes at home.  Think about what prescription and over-the-counter drugs you have.  Where are medicines kept? Would you know if some medications were missing?  It’s important to monitor and secure medications in any home. It’s also important to realize that not just teens are at risk—adults and older adults can develop prescription drug addictions.”

            Help is available.  If you suspect that someone you care about is experimenting with drugs or has a drug addiction, call ReDiscover’s Crisis & Access Line at 816-966-0900.  ReDiscover is a local leader in drug prevention and drug recovery.  ReDiscover is helping the community fight its drug problems by expanding its services to provide a new local program to help people in Lee’s Summit who have substance abuse issues.   For more information, visit www.rediscovermh.org.

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ReDiscover’s Dr. Nancy Osborn on Fox 4 This Morning

Rediscover: Tackling Teenage Suicide Issues

http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=6309390

Kansas City News  Related Items Rediscover helps people tackle difficult issues, like suicide.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report suicide as the third leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24, exceeded only by accidents and homicide. Adults can easily disregard the level of pain felt by teens. But for teens the pain is real, and sometimes it can seem like too much.  What are some warning signs?  Lack of interest in activities Trouble concentrating Feeling hopeless/guilty Changes in eating or sleeping habits Talk about death or “going away” When should we be alarmed? Begins collecting weapons Researches ways to die Gives away personal items Threatens suicide verbally Shows increased irritability Becomes happy for no reason after depression DON’T'T FORGET….ReDiscover is hosting the CEU-approved workshop TEENS WHO HURT to bring mental health professionals together in an effort to learn about new ways to help troubled teens heal. This educational event allows professionals in the mental health field to learn more about Techniques for Re-channeling Rage, Critical aggravating factors that include Devaluation & the Erosion of Community, and Strategies for working with difficult adolescents.  Nationally acclaimed speaker Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy will discuss teens, violence and the process of healing. Download the Brochure here. About ReDiscover http://www.rediscovermh.orgFor interviews, Contact Robin Blakely 660-973-2723 or Robin@GetPRTHERAPY.com ReDiscover, a non-profit community mental health agency, offers a full spectrum of programs and services for people whose lives have been affected by mental illness and/or substance abuse. ReDiscover helps men, women, and children, including those who have limited income, no insurance, or who are under-insured.

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Know the warning signs to watch for of teens at-risk of suicide

by Robin Blakely
Special to the Journal

People sometimes don’t believe that teens and young adults can experience the kind of pain that leads to thoughts of suicide. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is actually the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds, exceeded only by accidents and homicide.

“Adults sometimes disregard the level of emotional pain felt by teens,” said Dr. Nancy Osborn, a psychologist who specializes in working with youth and families in ReDiscover’s Adult and Family Services program. “Many teens experience a lot of pressure from many different sources, including from themselves. Sometimes they do not feel they measure up to others’ expectations or even to their own expectations. Their feelings can become very intense and sometimes they feel like they have very little support.”

Osborn has worked with youth for more than 20 years and has developed a particular expertise helping kids and families who range from moderately to extremely challenged.

“Teens who are at risk for suicide often suffer from depression,” Osborn said. “A teen with depression may not know how to escape from his or her emotional pain. Suicide may seem like an opportunity to escape whatever is going on. At a particular moment, to some distressed teens, dying may seem like the only way out.”

Most of the time there are warning signs, such as obvious depression or increased isolation. Sometimes teens talk about not wanting to be around or that they express that they are feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes there are no apparent warning signs that a teen is on the brink of suicide.

“An ordinary situation like a fight with a friend or a bad grade on a test or the combination of several disappointments may not seem like alarming events to the average adult because ordinarily they are not alarming,” said Alan Flory, CEO and president of ReDiscover. “But, at a vulnerable point in time, ordinary situations may be more than a teen can manage. So, even though a single event may seem trivial or unimportant to a parent or friend, what the teen is going through may feel severe to the teen. The real issue is not about the event that happened, it’s about the feelings invoked by the event – and those feelings are never trivial – they are monumentally important.”

Osborn agreed.

“It is important for friends and family to be aware if the teen is experiencing pressure or seems to be overwhelmed,” Osborn said. “It is very important to keep the lines of communication open.”

Communication is particularly helpful when the teen experiences one or more major losses or is facing stressful life events like a school problem, a breakup with a girlfriend or boyfriend, the death of a relative, or the divorce of his or her parents. At times like these, early warning signs can be when a teen exhibits one or more of the following:

• Lack of interest in favorite activities
• Trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
• Talk about feeling hopeless
•  Remarks about feeling guilty
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Talk about death in general
• Talk about “going away”

“Adults should be alarmed and intervene whenever a teen is exhibiting self-destructive behavior like drinking alcohol, taking drugs or even driving recklessly,” Flory said.

Other warning signs that a teen or young adult is at-risk may include participating in one or more of the following activities:

• Begins collecting weapons
• Researches ways to die
• Gives away meaningful personal items
• Threatens suicide verbally
• Shows increased irritability
• Becomes happy for no reason after long depression
• Directly attempts suicide

 How can you help someone who is suicidal?

“Many times teens think they can help their close friends through issues – like experiencing suicidal thoughts – alone,” Osborn said. “It is obviously important to remain supportive, but if any individual is thinking about suicide, it is imperative to get professional help quickly. Go to an adult. If the first adult you approach does not understand or seems like they don’t want to listen, keep asking for help until your requests are genuinely heard. There is hope – teens can make their way out of their depression/suicidal ideation. Treatment really does help.”

Help is available. There are many resources for teens in need. If you or someone you know is considering suicide or is suffering from stress, depression or anxiety, ReDiscover or other community mental health agencies can help.

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