12.13.23 News Release from the NIDA
Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023… yet overdose death rates among teens have risen in recent years.
Read ArticleIf you have ever had surgery, you were most likely prescribed Oxycodone, an acute painkiller that contains opioids.
Many medications that contain opioids are legal and safe when used as prescribed. These include oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine.
However, there are many unsafe and illegal ways to use opioids, such as heroin or misusing or abusing prescription medications.
When you have an opioid medication or drug in your system, it binds to opioid receptors attached to nerve endings. When this binding takes place, pain signals to your brain are stopped, and dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel good, can flow freely.
A rush of dopamine minimizes pain across your whole body system, and it creates feelings of calm and euphoria. This is why people are often prescribed an opioid medication after surgery, when pain is intense and in a specific area.
For a deeper understanding of what an opioid medication does to your body, check out this video from Osmosis.
Like any drug, opioid medications can be misused. But, opioids are much easier than some other drugs to become dependent on, and they are prescribed in large numbers in the United States. According to Osmosis, they are the leading cause of drug-related deaths worldwide.
Opioid tolerance occurs when your body becomes used to the drug. You need more and more to achieve the same feeling you previously had with a smaller amount, so you continue to increase your dose.
Dependence is when your body becomes so tolerant to the drug that you have to take it just to feel normal. Your brain maintains balanced levels throughout your body, and it will overcompensate with repeated use of an opioid. Without the drug, your body will feel bad because of your brain’s adjustments. So, the cycle continues.
This cycle of repeated use is what makes it so hard to stop. Your brain and body react in extreme ways in the absence of the drug once you become dependent. These effects, called withdrawal, can range from depression, chills, hallucinations, and extreme intestinal pain.
The more and more you take as your tolerance level increases, the closer you get to overdose. Your body can only take so much before it shuts down completely. Relapsing with a smaller dose after treatment or sobriety can also cause overdose.
It is important to note that once a person is addicted to opioids, their brain has experienced a complete change in chemical function. Addiction is not a moral failure, and should not be treated as such.
The United States has a high rate of opioid prescriptions, and a high rate of opioid misuse.
In 2017, prescriptions for opioids reached more than 190 million in the United States. That same year, 11 million people reported misusing their opioid prescription, and 45,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose.
Since then, prescriptions have dropped slightly, as doctors and medical professionals seek alternative treatments for pain. But, the problem still exists.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the opioid prescribing rate in the U.S. hit its peak in 2012 with 81.3 prescriptions written per 100 people. In 2018, that number dropped to 51.4 prescriptions per 100 people.
While that is an improvement, this still means that almost 170 million opioid prescriptions are written every year in the U.S. With what we know about the rate of opioid addiction, this is too many.
There are a few things we can do to help slow the addiction rate of opioids, and prevent deaths.
First, if you or a loved one are prescribed opioids as a painkiller, ask your doctor if there is an alternative medication or therapy you can try first.
If you are prescribed an opioid medication and use it, never take more than prescribed. Also, never share your medication with anyone, and never take someone else’s medication.
If you or a loved one experience two or more of the following behaviors or symptoms* within a year of using opioids, you are considered to have Opioid Use Disorder:
*Descriptions of behaviors and symptoms derived from DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Opioid Use Disorder.
The more we know about opioids, and the dangers that come with them, the smarter we can be about our decisions and behaviors. This knowledge can and will save lives.
We’re in this fight against opioid misuse together.
Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023… yet overdose death rates among teens have risen in recent years.
Read ArticleThis week - and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
Watch VideoDuring October, we celebrate all the possibilities that prevention brings! Together, we’re partners in prevention.
Read ArticleOur youth are uniquely vulnerable to potent marijuana and the risks associated with current-day substance misuse. Check out this article from Safe and Sober Founder, Kurt Larson.
Read ArticleAugust 31st marks International Overdose Awareness Day – the world’s largest campaign to end overdose.
Read ArticleThe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the American public of a sharp increase in the trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine.
Read ArticleBinge drinking is all the rage with BORGs, a new alcohol concoction.
Read ArticleAn all-too-familiar story of prescribed medications leading to deadly addiction.
Watch VideoHow can you help teens stay safe on prom night? Keep reading to find out.
Read ArticleThere is an opioid crisis sweeping the nation, and fentanyl is at the center of it.
Read ArticleWhy do teens vape? Mental health plays a big part in their reasoning.
Read ArticleA new generation of nicotine addicts have easy access to vaping, and they don't know the risks.
Read ArticleLearn why parents have been easing up on alcohol rules, and the consequences they don't know they're bringing on.
Read ArticleThere are ways to spot marijuana use in teens. Learn about some here.
Read ArticleApproaching your teen about serious topics can be hard. This gives you a good place to start.
Read ArticleLearn about the dangers of the wide-spread drug, cannabis
Read ArticleThe drug market might be following your teen home.
Read ArticleVaping paves the pathway to other addictions for young nicotine users.
Read ArticleHow a WWII study proves this parenting theory wrong
Read ArticleLearn about nitrous oxide and its popularity with teens.
Read ArticleSubstance misuse is growing among teens. Learn some of the factors, and what you can do about them.
Read ArticleLearn about the various types of impaired driving and the dangers they create.
Read ArticleRead about the ways language around addiction is changing.
Read ArticleAll teens are at risk of falling into substance misuse. Learn how to spot the signs and what to do about them.
Read ArticleLearn why alcohol impaired driving has been on the rise, and what you can do to stop it.
Read ArticleA look at how alcohol affects the developing brains of teenagers.
Watch VideoThis product was supported by SAMHSA grant funding.
Watch VideoReal talk from real teens on avoiding alcohol in high school.
Watch VideoWe break down the science and social factors of nicotine addiction.
Watch VideoLaw enforcement officers talk about their experiences with underage drinkers.
Watch VideoHealthline's Carly Vandergriendt shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about alcohol.
Read ArticleThe story of one young life cut short by a dangerous decision and tragic circumstances.
Watch VideoBro! For the first time ever, teenage girls now consume more alcohol than their male peers. Read why this flip of the alcohol gender gap has serious implications.
Read ArticleWhy binge drinking is a prevalent issue among teens, and how you can prevent it
Read ArticlePandemic Disruptions Continue for Students and Families
Read ArticleThe decision to drink and drive can impact your future and put lives in danger. Choose to say no.
Watch VideoFor your family. For your friends. For your future. For you.
Watch VideoMany teens are still struggling with emotional challenges as the world moves on from COVID-19. Our featured guest contributor breaks down some of the warning signs.
Read ArticleMiddle and high school students have been in the center of a mental health crisis for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought the situation into sharp focus.
Read ArticleStart the conversation about mental health with your teen.
Read ArticleThe earlier you can start the conversation, the better.
Read Article