By Alyssa Delloro
Staff Writer
Drugs. In modern society, this is not a shocking word. No one is surprised when tabloids reveal that the latest teen starlet is a drug addict, or that this or that celebrity was arrested for possession. They’re everywhere, and while the media is full of campaigns striving to de-glamorize drug use, drugs remain just as flashy and attractive. But this image doesn’t reveal the more subtle use of drugs – self medication.
The term refers to the use of self-soothing substances to remedy an untreated and often undiagnosed condition, and it can encompass everything from the use of over the counter painkillers, to alcohol, to illegal drugs like marijuana.
Indian Trail High School & Academy students are not immune to the trappings of drug use. That’s why the school received the Safe and Supportive School Grant from the state Department of Instruction this fall, granting the school $75,000 to address several problems, including drug abuse. The initiative strives to reduce the number of alcohol and drug violations by 2 percent.
Indian Trail is currently working with the Professional Services Group, Inc. and Community Impact Programs, a Kenosha organization providing community-based treatment, support, education, and supervision for at-risk youth and their families. Amy Riedlinger, dean of students, said the organization will become more visible in January when it plans to hold grade level presentations and focus groups.
It’s easy to see why such an initiative may be needed. A rising number of teenagers are using, and have actually begun abusing substances less in party situations, and more on an every day basis as a coping method. A recent National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism survey showed that of those who reported substance abuse in the last year, about 37 percent of them were self-medicating.
This can be attributed to the fact that teen depression and substance abuse can often go hand in hand. A report from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy showed that a staggering 2 million teens have felt depressed in the last year, and that depressed teens are more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs. They are also twice as likely to form an addiction.
And yet, despite the risks, teen are still using. Why?
“[It] seems obvious, but they help take your mind off life for awhile and just allow you to have a good time,” said a female Indian Trail student who was interviewed anonymously due to the sensitive topic. “[Although] it’s better to deal with problems and have fun legally…it’s easier to get by with a little help.”
Teens start self-medicating for a variety of reasons. Another anonymously interviewed high school senior said that they did it as an alternative to actual treatment for depression, saying that they felt drug use to be a more acceptable alternative than formal aid.
“I don’t need to take therapy. That’s…for crazy people, and I’m not that bad. I just need help getting by every now and then,” the student said.
In reality, drug use can make symptoms worse. Teens who smoke marijuana at least once a month are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than non-users, and the risks associated with long-term marijuana use can even include schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis.
But marijuana isn’t the only illegal outlet teens are using.
Besides marijuana, prescription drugs are the most abused substance by teenagers. Every day 2,500 young people use a prescription pain killer to get high for the first time, and 3.2 million high schoolers report having abused an over-the-counter medication at least once in their lives.
Prescription drugs are plentiful and easy to obtain. About 65 percent of teens who abuse say they got them from friends and relatives.
Some think that prescription drugs are less dangerous than illegal substances. They’re prescribed by doctors, after all. However, there are negative side affects. Abusers can experience withdrawal symptoms, problems with and possible loss of vision and hearing, numbness, and even hallucinations.
In fact, when asked, an Indian Trail senior said that they had experienced hallucinations as a side affect from abusing Adderall.
Drugs are dangerous; it’s a widely known fact. The world doesn’t need another person telling teens not to abuse drugs, because people are going to do what they want with their bodies, regardless of what they’re told, said Che Kearby, Indian Trail AP U.S. History and AP Government teacher. It’s up to each individual to make the choice and find out for themselves how they want to live their lives. What’s important to remember is that there are consequences for each decision made in life, he said. Some things can never be undone.
“If you’re depressed, you can smoke, get drunk for a night, and feel better; but it won’t get rid of the depression. Your problem will still be there in the morning,” said Ed Anderson, Indian Trail school counselor. “If you continue to [self-medicate] to cope, in a short period of time, you will just add another problem: substance abuse. Addiction.”