Page 26 | ABUSE Magazine
Source: NIDA For Teens
abusemagazine. org
What Are the Common Misconceptions About Prescription Drug Abuse? There’ s a reason that prescription drugs are intended to be taken under the direction of a doctor: if used improperly they can be dangerous. Teens are making the decision to abuse prescription medicines based on misinformation. In fact, many people think that abusing prescription drugs is safer than abusing illicit drugs. As the facts will tell you, prescription drugs can have dangerous short- and long-term health consequences when used incorrectly or by someone other than for whom they were intended.
What Is Prescription Drug Abuse? Prescription drug abuse is when someone takes a medication that was prescribed for someone else or takes
their own prescription in a manner or dosage other than what was prescribed. Abuse can include taking a friend’ s or relative’ s prescription to get high, to treat pain, or because you think it will help with studying.
What Are the Most Commonly Abused Prescription and Over-the- Counter Drugs? Opioids( such as the pain relievers OxyContin and Vicodin), central nervous system depressants( e. g., Xanax, Valium), and stimulants( e. g., Concerta, Adderall) are the most commonly abused prescription drugs. Drugs available without a prescription also known as over-the-counter drugs can also be abused. DXM( dextromethorphan), the active cough suppressant found in many over-thecounter cough and cold medications, is one example. It is sometimes abused to get high, which requires large doses( more than what is on the package instructions) that can be dangerous.