Who does prescription drug abuse affect the most? Is it teens, young adults, mid lifers, or senior citizens? We know that prescription drug abuse is becoming a nationwide epidemic and it does affect all of these groups, but it seems that young adults is the age group affected by prescription drug abuse the most of any other age group. Why is this? The National Institute on Drug Abuse did a study in 2010, and the results were surprising.
Only 7 % of teens ages 12-17 reported using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons, and only 4% of adults aged 26. However 13% of adults aged 13-25 reported that they used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. It seems this age group has several different motivations for using prescription drugs in ways they were not intended. They use prescription drugs to get high. They like the way it makes them feel, and they can get their hands on prescription drugs easier then street drugs. They may also feel that prescription drugs are safer then street drugs. They commonly use ADHD medications to help them focus and study better; it might even give them a competitive edge when dealing with academics.
Others may use prescription drugs to lose weight; ADHD medication can lessen your appetite so you may lose weight easily. Some young adults may get addicted to anti-anxiety medications, such as Xanax which they might take initially for anxiety, but end up needing to take the medication to feel more relaxed.
The misconception about prescription drug abuse is that it is not dangerous. This is not true. According to the study done in 2010, 3,000 people died from prescription drug abuse. That is 8 people a day, and a 250 % increase from 1999. For every death in 2010, there were 66 emergency room visits and 17 people admitted for treatment from prescription drug abuse. This is definitely a problem that needs attention. More than half of the young adults polled reported that they obtained the prescription drugs from a friend or a relative. Be informed. Prescription drug abuse is a real problem, don’t share your medications with others, and never take any prescription medication unless you are under the care of Doctor.