The Facts on Teen Opioid Abuse in America

The Prevalence of Teen Opioid Abuse

For most of the 20th century, the worst types of drugs that teens were experimenting with were marijuana and maybe some psychedelics. In the 21st century, there's now a big problem with teen opioid abuse. Aside from substances like alcohol or over-the-counter medications, opioids are some of the easiest, as well as most dangerous, substances teens can get their hands on. Sometimes they're prescribed opiate-based medications by doctors, but teen opioid abuse can also happen by raiding a friend or family member's medicine cabinet.

The Dangers of Teen Opioid Abuse

Teen opioid abuse is one of the leading causes of heroin addiction in the world today. Heroin is another form of an opiate, but most people don't start off by using a drug with such a dangerous reputation. It usually begins with the abuse of prescription medications, but this can be a very difficult habit to keep up with, and teens are much more likely to become dependent to opioids. Teens' brains haven't fully developed, so their prefrontal cortex isn't properly allowing them to make logical decisions. Teens are naturally impulsive and lack a lot of experience that allows them to make the right choices, but adding opioids to the mix makes teens believe they need this substance in order to feel well. Whether they're using the drug to deal with stress, mental illness or peer pressure, their dependence can lead to a life of unmanageability.

Opioid Dependence and Withdrawal

Addiction is a progressive disease, so having teens enter addiction treatment as soon as there are signs of a chemical dependence is the best way to ensure these teens won't live a life that revolves around abusing opioids and little else. The first step in addiction treatment is for teens to go through a medical detox. Different addiction treatment centers may have various detox methods, but they're designed to help monitor the teen's health as well as reduce his or her symptoms of withdrawal. When teens stop using opioids, the neurotransmitters in their brain will begin to misfire while the body tries to regain equilibrium. This is where medications like methadone and Suboxone come in. These medications trick the brain by occupying the space in the brain that opioids were previously in. The teen can also be put on an opioid receptor blocker like Naltrexone, which will help with the initial cravings that come along with early sobriety. If you want to help your teen before it's too late, allow Freedom From Addiction to help. We'll do our best to help you find a treatment facility that will help your teen see that they never have to use opioids again, and they still have a chance to regain control of their life.