America Discovers One In Eight US Teens Misuses Pain Drugs
A new analysis of surveys done between 2007 and 2009 among American teens shows that one in eight US teens misuses pain drugs. This survey shows also that the age at which teens started abusing these drugs was younger than anticipated, that many start at 16 or 17, instead of 18 and older as was previously thought.
At 16, a small number of students begin to abuse these drugs and then the numbers grow through the rest of the teen years. The report concluded that there needs to be more drug education provided to students at an earlier age than was previously assumed.
Some of these young people were abusing these drugs to get high and others were taking the pills for some other pain than that for which the drug was prescribed. In most cases, the young people were using medication that had previously been prescribed for them, but some teens took other people’s pills.
Certainly, There Are Tons Of Prescription Drugs Available To Abuse
In the last couple of years, the Drug Enforcement Administration has sponsored and promoted drug take-back days where people can safely get rid of drugs that have expired or that are unneeded. In four take-back days from 2010 to 2012, the DEA collected 773 tons of unwanted drugs. Some of these drugs would have been abusable by young people living in the household or who were willing to steal them when visiting some other household.
Overdoses from pain-relieving drugs have been climbing along with growth in the number of prescriptions for these drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that nearly 15,000 Americans died as a result of an overdose of opioids in 2008. Compared to the number of similar deaths in 1988, today’s numbers are three times higher.
Narconon Drug Rehab is the Choice for Thousands Of Families
The new pain relievers like Oxycontin and Vicodin are highly addictive. A person who uses these drugs over a long period or who abuses them repeatedly risks becoming dependent on them. Dependence can lead to full-blown addiction, where a person’s whole existence begins to focus on acquiring and using drugs.
If someone tries to get sober on their own, there are multiple barriers in their path. The process of withdrawal can be miserable when not supported properly, and a person must literally learn how to enjoy life without drugs. A person’s reliance on drugs like painkillers can impair their ability to maintain relationships and make rational decisions. A recovering addict must relearn the life skills that are needed to weather the challenges of daily life.
This is where the long-term Narconon drug rehab excels. The withdrawal period that starts the recovery is supported with generous doses of nutritional supplements that help calm the spasms, cramps, aches, and pains. Physical techniques called assists calm the body’s reaction to the changes, and techniques to aid relaxation. With this assistance, an individual at Narconon can have a much more tolerable withdrawal than they might expect.
Once this step is complete, each person does the New Life Detoxification step, a low-heat sauna and nutritional supplement regimen which helps cleanse the body of residues of drugs and drug metabolites.
This is the initial phases of the Narconon drug rehab program. It commonly takes eight to ten weeks to complete the program and start planning for a positive future. Contact us today to learn more our entire road to recovery.
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