Teenagers are misusing prescription medicine for anxiety, says a study
The study found that while the rate of exposure in children under the age of 6 had decreased, the rate for teenagers had gone up from 17.7 exposures per 100,000 children to 27.3 exposures, from 2000 to 2015.
As we continue to spread awareness and talk more about mental health issues, it is important to understand the role of medicines in treating different mental health disorders. Some people, who are put on such medication to improve mental health can find themselves addicted to the drugs and may overuse them, which can be extremely harmful to their health.
According to a recent report, the number of teenagers taking and overdosing from anxiety medication has risen dramatically in the past decade. The study was published in the journal Clinical Toxicology and found that a 54 per cent increase in such cases involving children from the age of 12 to 18 was experienced in the time period of 2005-15.
According to the researchers of the study, the study group found that the increasing rate of reported benzodiazepine exposures appears to reflect the increasing rate of benzodiazepine prescriptions that have been reported all over the country of America in the past decade.
The study found that while the rate of exposure in children under the age of 6 had decreased, the rate for teenagers had gone up from 17.7 exposures per 100,000 children to 27.3 exposures, from 2000 to 2015.
Half of these reported exposures were intentional abuse, misuse or attempted suicide.
The study blamed the easy availability of prescription medicines for the misuse of the drugs and advised parents to be aware of the proper use, dosage, storage and handling of such drugs.
- 16-Dec-2019
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