Painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin are the prescription drugs most commonly abused by teens. In fact, within the past year nearly one in 10 high school seniors has abused Vicodin and more than five percent of seniors have abused OxyContin.
Painkillers are also the most abused type of prescription drugs by 16- to 17-year-olds, followed by stimulants, tranquilizers, and sedatives. Almost two out of five teens report having friends that abuse prescription painkillers and nearly three out of 10 report having friends that abuse prescription stimulants. Kids are starting to abuse painkillers as early as 12 years old.
How Do Teens Take Painkillers?
There are several ways painkillers can be taken. Most teens report swallowing pills, but they can also be crushed and snorted for an intensified effect.
Signs and Symptoms
Short-term effects
Painkillers can cause drowsiness, inability to concentrate, apathy, lack of energy, constriction of the pupils, flushing of the face and neck, constipation, nausea, vomiting, and most significantly, respiratory depression.
Long-term effects
If a teen abuses painkillers for a period of time, he can become addicted to the drug and experience withdrawal symptoms when he stops taking the drug. Associated with addiction is tolerance, which means more and more of the drug or a combination of drugs is needed to produce the same high or euphoric feeling, possibly leading to overdose.
Potential Drug Interactions
Always consult your teens’ physician before giving them any medicines if they are already taking a prescribed painkiller or other medication, as it may be dangerous to use them together. Painkillers should not be used with alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines. Since these substances slow breathing, their combined effects could lead to life-threatening respiratory depression.11
What Is a Painkiller Overdose?
Physical signs of painkiller overdose include pinpoint pupils, cold and clammy skin, confusion, convulsions, severe drowsiness, and slow or troubled breathing.
What Is Painkiller Withdrawal?
Due to the physical dependence produced by chronic use of opioid painkillers, teens who are prescribed opioid medications need to be monitored not just when they are appropriately taking the medicine, but also when they stop using the drug to reduce or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of withdrawal can include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, and involuntary leg movements.
Street or Slang Terms for Painkillers
Oxies, OC, oxycotton, 80s, percs, vikes, and vikings are commonly used terms to refer to painkillers.
Yes…I said I’m not addicted too; however the lone intervention of my oldest daughter saved my life over 2 years ago. I know you don’t want anyone calling you out on the carpet, however, there are times when you need to listen to what others are saying to you and evaluate it for a moment, before shutting down your mind do it. Sometimes, especially those who truly love you, may be making some sense. For me, it was prescription drugs. I absolutely refused to believe that I was addicted. Everyone around me knew except for me. After all, I had been a nurse for many years and felt that if I was addicted, surely I would know. The drugs, however, clouded my ability to self evaluate…even to think at all. All I knew (in the back of my mind) was that if I didn’t take my drugs, I didn’t feel well. During the later years of my addiction, I began to sense my own impending death. My death became an obsession in my thought process; sleeping away my life was the perfect option for me. That way, my death would come easy…in my sleep. It’s amazing and very cruel, what the drugs say to us. Drugs became my everything. I did nothing without them. I didn’t go anywhere without them. I didn’t do anything without them. Even as a Christian, I never once realized that drugs had slowly but surely become my god. I should have known that I was in grave danger because I broke one of God’s Holiest Commandments, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”
Today, I ask you to do an instant replay in your mind, of the comments that have been said to you about your Addiction and to what I’m saying to you here. Do you understand that you are Addicted, or, are you saying to yourself that it’s impossible…as I once said? For mostly all drugs, you should more easily know if you are Addicted. As far as prescription drugs, know this…if you have been taking addictive prescription drugs for longer than 7 days on a regular basis, you ARE Addicted or close to it. It’s not about what you say you are as much as it being about what your body craves and says. Most of the time, there is no realization of Addiction because this is the medicine that your trusted doctor prescribed! Just because a doctor prescribed them to you doesn’t mean you are not Addicted. Just because you found them in your parent’s medicine cabinet, doesn’t mean you are not Addicted. In today’s times, doctors are the #1 culprits of addicting people for their own self gain. Once Addicted, they’ve got you in the palm of their grubby little hands and you are an easy paycheck for them. Unfortunately, there are way too many of these doctors around. You hear about doctors and scientists who have made great strides in medicine; however, you don’t hear about doctors who have been arrested for being “legal drug lords” in their communities and those that have been professionally disciplined in their state or have had their license suspended or revoked; this information is kept from us.
I say these things to you because I care. God kept me alive for this purpose. I was supposed to die on May 10, 2008 and miraculously survived when I wasn’t supposed to. I went to hell and back with Addiction. My story is interwoven in the pages of my personal blog http://AnAddictNoMorePrivateThoughts.com. It’s not a pretty story but it’s mine and I share it because I want to save your life today. If you are addicted or even think you are, get help immediately. Don’t abruptly stop any drugs! This will put you into dangerous withdrawal. Withdrawal is the worst nightmare anyone could ever go through; it’s worse than having a flesh-eating disease. It’s horrific and you feel as though you are in hell. There are ways to detox safely without the nightmare and without the risk to your life. If you don’t know what to do, the best thing to do is to get to the nearest emergency room and tell them you are addicted and need to detox. If they don’t believe you, call a drug rehab or community drug outreach, and ask them what to do. Sometimes, ER doctors can’t be bothered and will unfortunately tell you to wean yourself off of the drugs or cut them in half! That’s WRONG advice. Don’t listen. When you are addicted, whether from a doctor’s prescription or by your own choice, you will be totally disrespected and looked down upon by medical professionals. Many doctors themselves, are Addicted, so BEWARE! YOU are the one who has to want to be healed and YOU are the one who needs to fight for it (or suffer and face certain death).
Give God the chance to heal you. He is more than able.
Prescription Drug Addiction is usually the most unintended and unrecognized Addiction there is on planet earth. For the most part, it starts with your doctor. Your trusty doctor hands you a prescription for some painkillers or tranquilizers, and tells you “this will take care of our pain”. The problem is that they know that they have now handed you a Prescription for Addiction! If this hasn’t happened to you yet, BEWARE!
Doctors are trained as to what medicines will treat Pain, Anxiety, and Depression; however, very few are trained in treating the wicked Addiction these medicines cause. Yes…they do understand that there is the potential for serious and deadly Addiction. The problem arises in that they vicariously prescribe these drugs without taking Addiction very seriously. Many realize the Addiction factor and glory in the fact that they have now created a patient who will continue to return month after month, year after year, in order to keep up with their ongoing habit. Most doctors, if they have any hint of being questioned by the DEA, will abruptly discontinue the patient’s prescription which will place the patient in a most dangerous predicament of serious Withdrawal. Most of the time, the patient will not even realize this to be withdrawal and will end of at the ER with complaints that will never be coordinated with Addiction Withdrawal. When questioned by an ER physician as to drug abuse or addiction, they will always answer an emphatic “no” and probably feel very insulted. All the patient understands is that they don’t feel well unless they pop a pill that their doctor gave them; so, when questioned, they will never answer the question about whether or not they have a drug abuse problem because they don’t even know that themselves!
Prescription Addiction is, mostly a deliberate act on the part of your doctor in order to keep you as a patient. Human nature is such that people will always be loyal to those who are kind to them and to those who always give them what they need or want. As long as doctors are permitted to supply this life threatening need and patients are not educated as to the dangers of these horrific deadly drugs, this will go on. The law protects the doctors…NOT the patients.
This was the funny, funny Chris Farley, best known from Saturday Night Live. Funny guy. Not a funny death from an accidental overdose from his drug addiction. He suffered a horrific death at the hands of his captor…drugs. His death had been filmed by cameras in his home. That wasn’t funny either. When he accidentally overdosed by taking too many drugs, he was recorded to be screaming and clawing at the walls in his home because the drugs had completely overtaken his body and mind. Notice the rosary beads he is clutching in his left hand. He probably reached for them when he began crashing. Tragic, isn’t it? Unfortunately, everyone who messes with drugs (once or many times) will eventually die from their addiction. Please get help today. There isn’t any such thing as “one last high”. Your next high can be your last. Take advantage of the fact that you are still breathing. If it’s about someone you love, you need to schedule a professional intervention before the time comes when you wish you did. May God be reached out to by all those in the darkness of addiction. HE is the only answer. HIS name is JESUS. Get HIM. In my darkest hour, I found Him and He rescued me. This post is no joking matter.
To those of you who are not aware of withdrawal signs and symptoms, I’ve placed a link to a very brief review of what you need to know…both for yourself and someone you love who may be addicted. Withdrawal happens to ALL people who are addicted to any drug; however, because so very many become addicted by their doctor, you need to take a look at this. People feel that because their doctor prescribed a medication, even though it’s very addictive, that they will never suffer serious side effects…especially not addition. LIE!!!!!!!! Doctors are the #1 cause of prescription drug addiction in our country. So, please familiarize yourself with these basic facts. God to the link below…
Please join me at our newest Forum at the Link Above and get it all said about Addiction.
We have developed an entire social community for those affected by addiction. There are forums, blogs, videos, groups, weekly telephone discussions, and much more. Please visit us. We think you will find a home there where it’s safe and caring.
Are you taking any drug(s) for pain, depression, anxiety, ADHD, or to relax your muscles?
Are you finding that your medications just don’t do what they used to do to relieve your pain, anxiety, or despression?
Do you feel sick if you don’t take your next does?
Do you feel that you cannot go on without taking your medication?
Are you sleeping more lately than usual?
Are you emotions blunted?
Do you isolate?
How’s that anger? Can you control it or is it controlling you, lately?
Do you count your pills to make sure you have enough?
Are you taking more pills than what is being prescribed to you?
Do you put out of your thoughts the fact they you may have an addiction?
Do you think you have an addicton?
Do you miss out on getting together with friends or family because you’re just not in the zone?
Are you feeling hopeless? Depressed?
Do people tell you that you’re slurring your speach?
Are you losing touch with your family & friends so much so that you don’t socialize at all with any of them?
Are your kids fending for themselves because you’re finding that you can hardly help yourself?
Finding yourself pretending to have worsening symptoms in order to get your doctor to increase or add more drugs?
Are there changes in your mood, weight, or general health?
Having some financial problems because you are spending more and more money on Rx drugs?
Any memory lapses or difficulty finding words?
Just can’t get around to taking a shower or bath lately or skipping brushing your teeth?
How about sleeping…any probems in this category?
Finding that it’s becoming more and more difficult to concentrate?
Are you feeling a general loss of interest in things?
Has your “get up and go”, got up and went?
Feeling hopeless?
If any one of the above issues sound like you can relate to them, please get help from me or someone else who can profesionally help you. This is your life we’re talking about. If you think you may be in withdrawal, please to to your nearest emergency room so that you can get help to detox. Only 5% of Rx drug “users”, live to tell their story. Addiction is NOT a disease, but, it shares a common thread with some diseases such as cancer, in that it is terminal. Sometimes, Sobering news can get you sober for life.
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Thoughts of an Addiction Coach 
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