The following guest post on why and how painkillers are fueling drug addiction among teens is provided by Gordon Dickler.

Gordon Dickler is the Admissions Coordinator for Turning Point, a residential drug treatment program for men that “utilizes phased integration to fuse primary treatments and independent living.” Gordon has helped hundreds of families navigate the difficult road of choosing a program that suits their child’s needs. With great compassion, knowledge, and experience, Gordon communicates clearly how taking the right steps now can bring healing to hurting hearts and homes. Gordon’s personal recovery, combined with his educational background in substance abuse counseling and social work, provide him with a unique ability to relate to, and assist, clients and families who are struggling with addiction. He can be reached at 203-937-2309.

How Painkillers are Fueling Drug Addiction Among Teens by Gordon Dickler

The History of Teen Painkiller Abuse

The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 15% of high school seniors in the United States report abusing prescription medications, making them one of the most widely abused classes of substances among teenagers.

Up until the mid-1990s, opiate addiction was an affliction predominately limited to populations within urban, lower class neighborhoods. The release of the new fast-acting prescription narcotic in 1995, OxyContin, marked the beginning of an exponential climb in instances of opioid addiction among teens.

Teenagers within affluent neighborhoods all over the country were exposed to these powerful prescription opioids by merely opening their friend’s or relative’s medicine cabinets. This devastating phenomenon has effectively bridged the “class gap” for opiate addiction, redefining our society’s image, or perception of an “addict.”

But why would a teenager knowingly use a substance that is both deadly and addictive? The answer is, they aren’t doing it knowingly. In fact, most people aren’t aware of this troubling reality.

Why Painkillers Lead to Chronic Drug Abuse 

It is common for teenagers to fall prey to the notion that prescription painkillers are safer than heroin, their illicit counterpart. This is unequivocally false, as the chemical makeup is virtually identical and the produced effect is the same.

Prescription opioids are highly addictive, both physically and psychologically. A consistent pattern of abuse can result in an agonizing withdrawal syndrome when ingestion ceases for periods lasting longer than 12-24 hours. As a result, teenagers become dependent on the drug merely to feel “normal.” As the tolerance to the drug increases, larger and larger quantities are needed to achieve the desired effect.

The street value of an 80mg oxycodone tablet can range anywhere from $40-$100 a pill, and it is not uncommon for individuals who have engaged in prolonged abuse to require 2-3 pills daily. Do the math. There is an exorbitant cost associated with prescription painkiller addiction. Ultimately, as the vicious cycle perpetuates itself, financial resources become exhausted and the addicted teen will eventually pursue a more cost-effective and easily obtainable option: Heroin.

As if this wasn’t enough, the biological implications of opioid addiction are such that it can take the brain 12 months, or more, to heal once the use does stop. A teenager who has struggled with painkiller addiction does not experience simple joy and pleasure in the same way that someone with a healthy functioning brain would. Their brains have essentially been hijacked to believe that the painkiller is the only potential source of ease and comfort. This endless pursuit of relief eventually trumps all other survival mechanisms; rational thought doesn’t even begin to enter the picture once the addiction has taken hold.

It’s Not too Late to Seek Help

The good news is, if the conditions are right, this seemingly insurmountable problem can change. It simply takes time and the right care. Everyday teens are entering treatment and finding that sobriety is not only achievable, but fun and meaningful. The behavioral health industry has responded to the incredible need for teen-specific recovery programs with curriculums that blend clinical treatment, academic support, and leisure/hobby development.

Selecting the appropriate program is exceedingly important and certainly a daunting task without some help. If you or someone you know is in need of some support or guidance in finding help, please feel free to reach out to an addiction treatment professional. You are not alone!