When we think about teen drug abuse, most of us think about marijuana or cocaine. But a growing number of teens are abusing prescription drugs, including those prescribed for attention deficit disorder (ADD).
According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America:
- 1 in 5 teens has abused a prescription pain medication.
- 1 in 5 has abused prescription stimulants or tranquilizers.
- 1 in 10 has abused cough medication.
A study in the journal Pediatrics reported that from 1998-2005, there was a 76 percent increase in calls to poison control centers about teens abusing ADD drugs.
The study did not indicate if the misuse of the drugs was among teens with ADD, but the researchers suggested that it was more likely to be occurring among teens who were using the drugs nonmedically.
Misuse of the stimulants prescribed for ADD may be becoming more common because teens and college students are under increasing pressure to do it all.
A 2009 article in the New Yorker depicted several students at highly competitive colleges who were using the ADD drug Adderall as a “neuroenhancer” to help them power through classes, ace tests, excel at their side jobs, run student organizations, and party like rock stars on the weekends.
I liken this situation to what is happening with steroids in professional sports. Yes, players know that it is illegal and dangerous to take the drugs, but many of them feel compelled to take them in an effort to keep pace with the enhanced performances of teammates who are doing it.
There is no doubt about it “” off-label use of ADD drugs is very dangerous. Common side effects of the drugs include headaches, sleeplessness, and a decreased appetite. Overdoses of stimulants can cause serious symptoms, including a rapid heartbeat and severely high blood pressure. In rare cases, the effects can prove fatal.
When used appropriately, prescription medication can be very effective in treating ADD. But it is not the only treatment option. Many other natural treatments, including exercise and fish oil supplements, can be beneficial and can eliminate the need for prescription medication or lower the dosages a teen with ADD needs to control symptoms.
You can find out more about ADD medications as well as natural treatments in my Healing ADD Power Program.
I recommend that all of my patients take fish oil. To order the Amen Clinics NeurOmega fish oil supplements, click here.
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Dr. Amen,
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your books and I had a good experience down at your clinic in Newport Beach, except I am left alone. My final appt. was on Saturday, October 25 @ 1:00 p.m. with Dr. Halweg and he was LESS than enthusiastic about helping me out. He reviewed my brain scan findings and explained them to me. It made sense. But here is what I am talking about. I am from Oregon and came all the way down to Newport to your clinic. At the final evaluation Dr. Halweg refused to give me a prescription for the medications that he suggested that I take. He suggested that I take Lyrica and Topomax. I have NO problem whatsoever with that, but he wouldn’t write out a script that I could fill while I was there in California and then proceeded to tell me that he couldn’t because I live in Oregon. He told me to go to Oregon and have my General Practitioner prescribe them for me. Here is where it gets strange. My doctor is on call for another week and I can barely manage. I went into the doctor anyway to try to get what I need and they turned me away. I went off all meds to come and get the scan done and I feel like crap. It’s been 6 weeks of me on NOTHING and I am at my wits end. I was under the impression that I would get the medication that I need while I was down there. I am very, very disappointed that I have to suffer like this. I have called the clinic back and they ran interference and told me to continue to look for someone here to help me. Dr. Halweg also spent about a good 20 minutes talking about Melanotan which really has nothing to do with my scan or what medications I need & at the end of that conversation he stated, “We aren’t having this conversation though.” I am simply wondering what I should do, what route would be the best to take. I am anxious, stressed and disappointed. Can you help and if not, what can i do?? Please, please let me know.
Warmly, Maryann Crofts
I think a person in my family is abusing drugs. I don’t know what or how because he has no job and no auto or any way to get these that I know of. What on earth can one do to help someone who is doing this. They are only 18 and has been on ADD drugs in the past but off now.
Dear Dr. Amen,
How do I persuade my 23 year old son who was recently diagnosed with ADD to give natural remedies a chance? He used drugs for 4 years. He has been drug free for 3 months and has not started taking Concerta or Aderall (Straterra had too many side effects). His Phychologist has him on Lexapro and wants him to continue taking the Lexapro 20mg with Concerta or Aderall. He also doesn’t sleep well. I believe in natural healing; what should I do? I am in New York
Elena
Dear Dr. Amen,
How do I persuade my 23 year old son who was recently diagnosed with ADD to give natural remedies a chance? He used drugs for 4 years. He has been drug free for 3 months and has not started taking Concerta or Aderall (Straterra had too many side effects). His Phychologist has him on Lexapro and wants him to continue taking the Lexapro 20mg with Concerta or Aderall. He also doesn’t sleep well. I believe in natural healing; what should I do? I am in New York
Ellen
I have innattentive type ADD. I only take low dose Vyvanse 2-3 days a week when I have tp sit and handle paperwork type issues related to home or business. Because I am 49 and a nurse I wonder if it ages people like some of the patients I have seen who abuse amphetamines. Will this or similar drugs for treatment of ADD increase cortisol levels as with caffiene or interfere with other hormones in our bodies?
After 17 years with our adoptive child, we still struggle. She’s 21 with serious impulse control issues. When she’s stressed, she chops off her hair shorter than a new recruit in bootcamp. She exercises at least two hours a day and lives on apples and oranges. She’s 6′ 2″ and very thin. She steals when she’s stressed and we fear she’ll get caught but we don’t know how to stop her. Yesterday, the insurance company canceled her car insurance because of numerous accidents and tickets. Don’t know how she’ll be able to afford insurance again. We fear a terrible reaction when she realizes how costly it will be IF she can find insurance. She has a phobia of being homeless and broke. She saves every penny so has some in savings. She doesn’t want to contribute to food costs or anything, even though we are struggling financially. She says if we were good parents we wouldn’t charge her anything. She’s bringing home more than we are.
She recently got a job close to home that she likes. She takes online classes part time and has a 3.8 GPA. On the surface, things look good. She’s beautiful and is very friendly and outgoing. If she got a scholarship or education loan, she wouldn’t have to worry about money. Our income is below poverty level so she qualifies. She won’t apply for a scholarship because she has a privacy phobia. It doesn’t make sense. College tuition and books are paid for but she needs money for room and board.
She often sabotages success. She recently stayed out all night and didn’t take her meds. She called and we warned her she had to take med on time. She ignored us and took them in the morning and then ended up fainting at work and was sent home. She is a new employee on probation and needs this job. It took months to find it. Because we brought up the seriousness of taking the meds on time, she got furious. She became verbally abusive and then said to kick her out or beat her up…horrible things.
We would like her to move out but we aren’t going to kick her out. She has no place to go and no friends. We’re depressed. We did everythig possible to help her and spared no expense getting services.
Doesn’t mean anything to her. We’re the scapegoats for mistake she makes. The moment she doesn’t like something we say, she attacks us viciously. I’m afraid my husband is going to have a stroke. My heart hurts whenever she starts on us.
Her therapist for the last three years was enabling her. We thought he was helping her but found out that he let her live with him for two weeks while his wife was out of town. His wife found out. Now they’re getting a divorce and he wants my daughter to move in with him. He’s 64. He’s been married for 40 years. This is all so bizarre. If we don’t let our daughter stay with us, she will do something stupid like stay with him for free room and board. We ask her to contribute money for food and expenses since she now has a job. She resents contributing one cent because she says she needs money in case we kick her out.
Our daughter had a horrendous beginning her first few years of life…locked up in an attic and her scalp burned with a cigarette. There was sexual abuse at age two. However, we aren’t the villains. We saved her.
Now we’re broke from getting services to help both our kids. We’ve also had job losses and lost most of our 401K. We’re facing bankruptcy. The money doesn’t matter as much as the drama and heartache we feel.
I’m 61 and haven’t been able to find steady work in two years. My husband had to move to a different town to get a job. We’ve been married 29 years so being apart so much is depressing, not to mention cost for extra housing.
He’s afraid for me to be alone with my daughter when she gets angry. I stay in my room with a locked door most of the time when she’s home.
We to make a difference in a child’s life. Now we know some kids can’t bond. We don’t look forward to the holidays. Our daughter sabotages every special event. She says holidays are phony traditions. Credit card companies are canceling us so this year we won’t be able to buy gifts anyway.
We love our daughter and don’t want her to spiral downward. She’s a great student and has so much potential. She’s very loving abd affectionate at times too. If she went away to college and could be with kids her own age, it might help. She’s talented and extremely intelligent. She needs a network of support. We do too. We have no one and she doesn’t either, except us.
Raising a child with a personality disorder is extremely difficult, especially when there is no family nearby. Some children need a village. We have no illusions that we weren’t the right parents for our child. We have little hope things will improve if we can’t find a miracle soon. We are burned out. We have no one to turn to for help. Any suggestions welcome.