Lynette Scavo, one of the women on the TV Show Desperate Housewives, had a lot on her plate. She was a working mother of three sons and a daughter. Two of her sons were twins and both had Attention Deficit Disorder. When she felt overwhelmed, she often turned to their medication to give her the boost of energy to keep going through the day.
When one thinks of illegal substance abuse, they often think of drugs like marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. What they usually do not think of are the prescribed drugs because if they are prescribed how can they be abused? Prescription drug abuse is a very serious problem, but one that often goes unnoticed because the substances themselves are legal. According to the Foundation For a Drug-Free World studies show that teens are more likely to have abused a prescription drug versus an illegal drug. The abuse of prescription drugs is an incredibly dangerous and underrated problem.
Substance abuse of prescribed drugs can be a problem for the actual patient it is prescribed for, and for others who have been able to acquire the drug. The most abused drugs are painkillers, depressants, and stimulants. Why are people abusing these drugs anyways? The painkillers can cause a high for the user due to their ability to kill pain. The central-nervous system depressants can also create a sort of high feelings that leaves the user calm and relaxed. Lastly stimulants have been used not only for the feeling they create, but also to help the user be more productive. This in particular is a problem across college campuses due to the workloads of today’s college students.
The first element of the problem is the stigma behind these medications. Most people, especially young adults, think that because they are prescribed, they are okay to take. The problem with this is that what might be okay and safe for one person is not necessarily safe for another person, and could be potentially fatal. Because these substances are legal, people think it is okay to share with their friends or even sell to others. All of these drugs affect the nervous system, and all of them have a high chance for addiction.
The next element of the problem is that these drugs are not only abused by people who are acquiring them without a prescription, but the people who have actually been prescribed. Because the substances have such a strong effect, they are very easy to become addicted to. The patients then begin to take doses stronger than recommended and also begin to self-medicate. The most famous example of this problem is the death of Michael Jackson. His doctor prescribed him medications that he did not necessarily need and he eventually over-dosed. This example also provides evidence for the problem of doctors over prescribing these types of medications. This is especially common with drugs like Adderall and Concerta. Parents believe their child has Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and it then becomes relatively easy for the parents and the children to go through the tests and get the drugs prescribed. This effects the child’s development, and they can go on later to sell the drug when they realize they do not really need it.
There are other side effects of abuse of prescribed drugs that are very dangerous as well. Stimulants can cause unusually high heartbeats, paranoia, and high temperature fevers. They also alter the mind and people might do things they would not normally do. Depressants can cause shortness of breath, slurred speech, fatigue, and even seizures. Overdosing on depressants or mixing with alcohol is a recipe for fatality. Abuse of painkillers can cause nausea and drowsiness. All of these drugs alter the way one thinks and one’s actions. Because of this, the chances of abusers contracting HIV or another STD is much higher and those who do not abuse these substances.
This is a growing problem, but how do we address it? It would be impossible to completely eliminate the drugs from use because there are users who do use the substances responsibly and genuinely need them. The best way to fix the problem would be to eliminate the reasons why people feel like they need to take the drug. Because of this, the abuser is in control of the solution and they must take it upon themselves to stop abusing prescribed drugs.
Works Cited
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/prescription-drug-addictions#2
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription-drugs.html
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-drugs
I wrote on a very similar topic and found the essay interesting to read and get a different perspective on it. Like preston said, the organization could be improved. One way to do this and make it easier to read would be to have a clearly defined thesis at the beginning of the essay.
Darby, I really like that you chose this topic, as prescription drug abuse (especially ADD/ADHD) is incredibly prevalent in today’s college culture and beyond. I feel like you could narrow your focus just a little more to center the argument around just one type of drug (stimulants or pain killers, rather than both) in order to really provide more detailed information and examples. I also like that you brought up the point about doctors over-prescribing medications. Maybe changing the organization of your essay to introduce that point a little more fluidly and continuously would benefit the readability of the paper. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this essay- good job.