Painkiller Addiction in Teens

Painkiller abuse and addiction is one of the most unfortunate and devastating forms of addiction and overdose, leading to death.  Thirty eight percent of all overdose deaths in the U.S. are attributed to painkillers, causing over 17,000 deaths per year.  In nearly every case, painkillers were originally prescribed for entirely valid medical reasons. Patients might have needed the medication temporarily for anything from surgery to broken limbs, but they became addicted to the drugs over the course of their recovery and increasing doses or mixture of doses with alcohol or other drugs is a typical cause for drug overdose and death. 

History and Prevalence of Painkiller Addiction

While modern painkillers are much different, this type of medication has existed for centuries. The modern history of painkiller addiction, however, begins in the 1700’s when opium was made into a solution called morphine. From morphine came codeine. In the 1930’s, Methadone was synthesized and, since then, American pharmaceutical companies have released dozens of various painkillers, the majority of which carry a high risk for abuse.

If you’re the parent of a teenager or young adult, it is essential that you understand the risks of painkiller addiction. Young adults, between the ages of 18-25, are the highest abusers of prescription meds, with 12% reporting having abused prescription meds in the past year. This is pretty much the case for all addictive drugs, but in other areas, painkiller abusers are not homogenous or easily categorized. The exception seems to be that women experience chronic pain, are prescribed pain relievers in higher doses, and use them for longer periods than men. 

When a person’s drug-seeking behavior scales completely out of control and begins to compromise their physical and psychological health, a full-blown addiction is present. Addiction is far more serious than a strong desire to use drugs – it is a neurological disease that feels inescapable to the person suffering.

Painkillers are incredibly easy to become addicted to, even for people who otherwise exhibit no addictive tendencies. Even a person who has exhibited no previous addictive patterns can easily become addicted to painkillers after even a short time. As such, the DEA now reports that painkillers have surpassed marijuana as the most common gateway drug for first-time drug abuse. 

Outward Symptoms of Painkiller Addiction

Painkiller abuse is not as obvious as other common addictions. Many painkiller addicts may have few or no outward symptoms. Painkillers do not typically produce profound impairment in verbal or motor functions (at least not until they amount taken is very high), they have no discernible smell, and the pills themselves are often very small and easy to hide.  Painkillers are quite easily purchased at work or school from other students or peers who have taken them from the medicine cabinet of a family member.

The longer an addict is actively using prescription painkillers, the more likely you are to be able to pick up on symptoms. Increasing symptoms to look for over time include:

• Drowsiness: Nodding off mid-conversation or in other inappropriate settings.
• Poor hygiene. This includes infrequent bathing, unkempt hair and facial hair, and wearing same clothes repeatedly.
• Frequent flu-like symptoms: Side effects which can mimic the flu, including nausea, fever, and headache.
• Weight loss. Painkillers suppress appetite. After a period of abuse, this will often lead to noticeable weight loss in the addict.
• Financial discrepancies. Painkillers are an expensive habit to maintain. They may rapidly run through their available funds and eventually resort to stealing money or valuables from others.
• Social withdrawal: Withdrawal from family and friends.
• Neglects responsibilities: Neglect of household chores and bills; calling in sick to school or work more often.
• Increased sensitivity: Normal sights, sounds and emotions becoming overly stimulating to the person; hallucinations.
• Blackouts and forgetfulness: Forgetting events that have taken place and experiencing blackouts.
• Defensiveness: Becoming defensive and lashing out in response to simple questions in an attempt to hide a drug dependency, if users feel their secret is being discovered.

The pathological urges to use these drugs can also drive people to borrow, buy or steal the drugs from friends and family. As an act of desperation, some individuals may resort to seeking out illegal substances that closely mimic painkiller effects is commonly purchased off the streets.

Typical Cost to the Teen Addict

Painkillers can also be relatively inexpensive or easy to obtain, given the right circumstances. Most addicts begin using painkillers as part of a prescribed recovery plan under the care of a physician. During this time, the price of painkillers is often very inexpensive, especially if offset by the user’s insurance.

This is only the beginning of the issue for most painkiller addicts, however. Once their prescription runs out, addicts find themselves still physically craving the painkiller medication. This will require them to either purchase more of the drug than they are prescribed or continue buying the drugs on the street after their prescription has run out. While prescription painkillers are usually about $40-$100 for an entire bottle, that price can skyrocket on the street. Addicts seeking to buy the same drugs at street value are often looking at spending 10-13 times the market value of these prescription drugs.

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Painkillers simply mask the pain for which they are taken. They don’t “cure” anything. Someone continuously trying to dull the pain may find himself taking higher and higher doses—only to discover that he cannot make it through the day without the drug.

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An addiction to painkillers brings a whole host of issues with it, aside from money problems. Although many addicts are able to maintain relatively normal lives, keeping jobs, families, hobbies, etc., there often comes a time when their addiction becomes overwhelming. As their tolerance grows, most prescription addicts become unemployable or at the very least unable to hang onto quality jobs. At the same time, the cost of their addiction continues to increase. This combination of factors can often lead to theft, robbery, and other crimes, all of which carry substantial jail time. Teenagers will often resort to stealing money from their parents’ purse or wallets or committing petty theft.

Painkillers can also be a slippery slope into even more dangerous, unregulated drugs. 

Effect on the Addict of Painkillers in Teenagers

Painkillers, in the correct setting, are highly regulated and strictly controlled drugs. Their side effects are serious and they are only meant to be used under the direct supervision of experienced clinicians. They are also meant to be used exclusively in the short-term because the effects of the drugs can be extremely harmful over time. Physical effects of painkillers include a sensation of deep relaxation, lack of sensitivity to pain (both emotional and physical), drowsiness, constipation, and slowed respiration.

Painkillers derived from opioids can have serious effects on the brain. Opiates interact with opioid receptors in the brain and prevent the release of a chemical called GABA, which regulates the flow of dopamine in the brain. This accounts for the euphoria these drugs create and is also linked to long-term brain issues including depression.

As always, the longer a person uses painkillers, the more serious the risks become. Users who abuse painkillers in the long-term run the risk of muscle spasms, cardiovascular issues including heart attacks, and even death⁹. Painkillers are the most common cause of overdose in the United States, with over 20,000 people dying from painkiller overdoses in 2016 alone.

Permanence and Relapse of Painkiller Addiction in Teenagers

Painkillers are often compared with drugs like opiates and heroin, in terms of the difficulty of recovery. Over 90% of people recovering from opiate addiction will experience a relapse. The vast majority of these relapses occur within the first week of sobriety, but many others relapse within the first 30 days.

Since relapse is common, it’s important to understand the reasons and triggers which most often lead back to the drugs. When an addict is actively using painkillers, the drug affects the mesolimbic system of the brain, responsible for sensations of pleasure and reward. As an addict continues to use drugs, they begin to affect the chemistry of the brain, conditioning them to crave the drug, even needing it to feel any sensation of pleasure whatsoever. This condition requires a great deal of time and effort to overcome.

Most addicts will require a period of time deliberately set aside for early recovery. A controlled treatment center environment is essential, especially for teenagers. After the cravings have become less frequent, therapeutic sessions, 12-step programs, and religious programming are often effective in preventing a return to their addiction.

Detox of Painkiller Addiction in Teenagers

When an addict has used painkillers for an extended period of time, they can expect to suffer a period of withdrawal after giving up the drug. Severity and length of withdrawal depend upon the person, the length of drug abuse, and the quantities they were taking.

Early withdrawal symptoms will typically include agitation, anxiety, muscle aches, insomnia, sweating, and exhaustion. Depending on the severity of the addiction, the addict may also experience abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. While all of these symptoms are quite uncomfortable, they usually subside within 7-10 days and are not typically lethal, barring any unforeseen complications.

There is not necessarily a profound medical contraindication for withdrawal in a home setting. However, patients who attempt withdrawal without professional support are far more likely to relapse during the process. 

Physical and Mental Difficulty of Recovery

The road to permanent recovery is a long one. After the addict undergoes the initial withdrawal and detox phase, they will need to go through additional phases of recovery.

Once the initial withdrawal phase is over, addicts will continue to experience powerful cravings which wrack their entire body and psyche. As a result, some recovery plans for opiate addiction include tapering protocols. During this time, addicts will be prescribed medications which act on the opioid receptors in the brain to reduce frequency and power of cravings. Over time, these drugs will be tapered off, until the addict is no longer dependent upon anything at all.

For most addicts, recovery should also incorporate therapy. This can vary greatly depending on the person and the recovery center or group they approach to help them. Therapy can take place in an inpatient, outpatient, 12-step, religious, individual, group, or family setting, or any combination thereof. What’s important is that the addict discover the underlying causes of their addiction and make appropriate changes to their worldview and their lifestyle in order to further ensure against any chance of future relapse.

New Adventure Treatment Center is a Certified Addiction Treatment Center For Teens

If your son is struggling with pain killer addiction, he needs professional help to ensure permanent recovery. This program employs experienced and well-educated therapists and counselors to make sure that his addiction is a thing of the past. Addiction will turn your son into a shell of his former self. It’s important to understand that, as terrifying and all-consuming as addiction might be, there is a solution. There is a way out.

New Adventure Treatment Center has a complete course of treatment for addiction, including an extensive Aftercare Program to protect against relapse. Call 888-289-6818 today – swift action can prevent your teenager’s addiction from spiraling further out of control.