Search
Close this search box.

Prescription Drug Abuse

Plus signs

Prescription drug abuse includes many types of drug misuse, from taking another person’s ADHD medication to snorting or injecting ground-up painkiller tablets to get high. Teens tend to obtain medications for prescription drug abuse from family and friends. Many teenagers believe that since a medication is prescribed, it’s not dangerous.

What Is Prescription Drug Abuse?

Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescribed medication without a prescription, in a manner other than prescribed. A prescription drug abuse definition encompasses the misuse of prescription medications for nonmedical reasons. The causes of prescription drug abuse include an individual’s addictive desire for reward and relief, as well as the desire to self-medicate due to underlying mental health conditions.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription drug misuse and prescription drug abuse occurs among 48 million Americans (aged 12 and older). In other words, approximately 20 percent of the US population has admitted to prescription drug misuse or shown prescription drug abuse signs.

Drug misuse emergency department visits and prescription drug abuse treatment admissions have risen significantly in the 21st century. Negative outcomes that may result from prescription drug abuse include overdose and death. Prescription drug abuse recovery options include outpatient or residential treatment for prescription drug abuse rehab.

Sources: The Mayo ClinicNational Institute on Drug AbuseSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

It's Time to Make a Change

We Can Help You on Your Path to Mental Wellness

Teens smoking weed out of a bong; in need of treatment for THC dependency.
Clinical

Understanding THC vs. CBD: A Guide for Concerned Parents

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape of substance use, parents and guardians may find themselves uncertain, trying to understand the intricate world of cannabis products, whose popularity among teenagers has seen

A young lady suffering from depression due to highly stressful school work.

School Stress and Teen Depression: Navigating the Challenges

Table of Contents Understanding the mental health challenges faced by our teenagers is a real concern for many parents and guardians. The journey through adolescence is often paved with various pressures, among which school-related stress stands prominent. This stress, if

A young female teen vaping while at school.

Physical Signs That Your Teen Is Vaping Too Much

Table of Contents Parents and guardians across the United States share a growing concern that resonates deeply—a concern for the well-being of their teenagers amidst the widespread phenomenon of vaping. Raising teenagers in today’s world, where the allure of vaping

Two teens smoking weed; they are in need of treatment.

Treatment and Support for Teens Struggling With THC Use

Cannabis is one of the most frequently used recreational drugs in the world with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimating that 192 million of the global population used it in 2020 [1]. The prevalence of cannabis use