Many Teens Overdose on Meds Prescribed for ADHD, Anxiety

MONDAY, March 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Taken appropriately, prescribed drugs used to deal with attention-deficit/hyperactivity dysfunction (ADHD) may also help teenagers and younger adults navigate their situation, however a brand new examine finds many are dying from overdosing on these medicines.

In 2019, benzodiazepines like Xanax and stimulants like Adderall accounted for greater than 700 and 900 overdose deaths, respectively, within the United States, in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“In latest years, there was appreciable consideration dedicated to dangers of habit related to diverted or illicitly obtained benzodiazepines and stimulants,” stated senior researcher Dr. Mark Olfson. He is a professor of psychiatry, drugs and legislation at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.

“The new examine serves as a reminder that prescription benzodiazepines and stimulants additionally pose overdose dangers to the sufferers who’re prescribed them,” Olfson stated.

Sadly, most of the overdose deaths amongst teenagers and younger adults who had prescriptions for these medication are intentional suicides, he added.

The upshot of the discovering? Doctors and fogeys must be cautious about prescribing and having their children take these medication.

“Prior to prescribing benzodiazepines or stimulants to younger folks, physicians ought to assess the affected person’s self-injury threat and think about different therapy choices for youth who’ve substantial threat,” Olfson suggested.

“Parents even have an vital position in stopping suicidal conduct of their adolescent and younger grownup kids, particularly if the younger particular person goes via a aggravating interval,” he added. “This can contain dad and mom paying attention to modifications within the youth’s conduct, listening to them, being supportive moderately than intrusive, taking suicidal threats critically, and serving to them to find skilled assist if essential.”

For the examine, Olfson and his colleagues collected information on privately insured youths aged 15 to 24 who had been seen in emergency rooms for overdosing on benzodiazepines or stimulants from 2016 via 2018. The investigators then recognized who amongst these sufferers had a health care provider’s prescription for these medication.

The researchers discovered that 29% of the overdose deaths from benzodiazepines had been amongst youths who had a health care provider’s prescription for the drug within the month earlier than overdosing, as did 25% of those that died from an overdose of a stimulant.

Among those that overdosed on benzodiazepines, 42% had been given a prescription within the final six months, as did 39% of those that died from an overdose of a stimulant, the findings confirmed.

The researchers additionally discovered that those that deliberately overdosed on benzodiazepines and stimulants had been extra prone to have latest prescriptions for these medication than these whose overdose was unintentional.

The findings had been revealed on-line March 2 within the journal Pediatrics.

Pat Aussem is vp for shopper medical content material growth on the Partnership to End Addiction in New York City. She stated, “This has been the deadliest 12 months on file, as we have skilled over 100,000 overdose deaths in our nation — the best it is ever been. Teens and younger adults have not been spared. Overdose deaths for 15- to 24-year-olds elevated between 2019 and 2020 by virtually 50%, and the speed of drug overdose deaths has been steadily growing.”

Having psychological well being issues is among the key threat components for an overdose in younger folks, Aussem stated.

“Feelings of loneliness, isolation and nervousness fueled by the pandemic have seemingly contributed to a way of hopelessness for a lot of,” she added. “Consuming alcohol and different medication, in addition to misusing prescription and over-the-counter medicines, could be a strategy to cope or self-medicate.”

Doctors want to coach dad and mom and sufferers on not solely what the treatment is used for and directions for taking it, but additionally the misuse and overdose potential, in addition to the dangers of mixing it with different substances like alcohol or opioids, Aussem suggested.

“Counseling along with treatment could assist to encourage more healthy methods of considering and behaviors. Taking the time to actually perceive how the affected person is doing in follow-up visits is vital, as effectively,” she stated.

Also, the United States continues to be flooded with counterfeit capsules that seem like Xanax and Adderall, along with ache capsules like Vicodin and Percocet, Aussem stated.

“The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration stories that two out of each 5 capsules they’ve seized comprise a probably deadly dose of fentanyl,” she stated.

“Health care suppliers can educate younger folks on the dangers of getting capsules from a buddy or off the road as a substitute of or along with a reliable pharmacy,” Aussem added.

“It’s vital for folks and different caregivers to watch signs and report any important modifications to the prescriber,” she harassed.

More info

For extra on psychological well being and medicines, head to the Partnership to End Addiction.

SOURCES: Mark Olfson, MD, MPH, professor, psychiatry, drugs and legislation, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City; Pat Aussem, LPC, vp, shopper medical content material growth, Partnership to End Addiction, New York City; Pediatrics, March 2, 2022, on-line