Addictions to Prescription Pills in Teen Girls

Teen girls are slightly more likely to have a prescription drug use disorder or addiction than adolescent boys -- 1.6 percent versus 1.0 percent, according to the website of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Teen girls who abuse mind-altering prescription medications are just as likely to become addicted as those who use street drugs. Sometimes, prescription drugs are sold on the street right along with heroine, cocaine and other illegal substances.

  1. Types

    • A teen girl may take a parent's or friend's prescription drugs in order to change the way she feels. Perhaps she wants to relieve tension or boost her energy level. Commonly abused prescription medications include painkillers such as Vicodin or Percocet, tranquilizers like Valium or Xanax and stimulant drugs including Adderall and Ritalin. Some weight-conscious teen girls may be attracted and potentially addicted to Ritalin because weight loss is one of its common side effects.

    Abuse

    • Taking prescription drugs like the pain reliever OxyContin at higher-than-prescribed doses can create a feeling of euphoria. OxyContin has a high abuse potential, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse website. Some teens go so far as to crush a pill or empty the contents of a capsule and snort the drug, explains TeenDrugAbuse.org, a website published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Crushing pills or taking double or triple the recommended dose can create a high similar to that of street dope.

    Signs of Addiction

    • An intense craving for a particular medication is a common sign of addiction. Mood swings and weight fluctuations can also point to a prescription drug problem. Teen girls who have used painkillers regularly and abruptly stop taking them may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like stomachaches, nausea, tremors, anxiety, fever, sweating and sleep problems. Withdrawal can be a dangerous process and should be monitored by a health care professional, advise child development experts with Kids Health, a website published by the Nemours Foundation.

    Considerations

    • Prescription drug abuse may be stabilizing, but it's apparently not due to parental intervention. Parents are not taking the necessary steps -- such as keeping prescription medications out of reach or talking to their teens about the dangers of misusing prescription drugs -- according to the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study conducted by the Partnership at DrugFree.org and sponsored by Met Life in 2011. The study found that girls are leading the drop in prescription drug abuse; levels plummeted 30 percent in 2010.

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