Opioids trigger a surge of dopamine in the brain, causing an intense feeling of pleasure and a strong desire to make that pleasure last, even if the behavior that caused it is harmful. Over time, however, users require more and more of the drug to experience pleasure, or even to feel normal. This effect is exaggerated in young people, whose developing brains are more supple, making them more susceptible to addiction and dependency. Long-term opioid use can cause irreversible changes in the brain, inhibiting the user’s ability not only to feel pleasure but also to form memories and interact socially with others.
Opioids are drugs that target the opioid receptors in the brain, including illegal drugs like heroin as well as prescription medications like oxycodone and morphine.
Just because a doctor prescribes a drug doesn’t make it safe. Opioids are prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain resulting, for example, from serious injuries, surgery, or debilitating diseases like cancer. When prescribing opioids, doctors consider a number of different factors. Without talking to a doctor, you can’t know how a given opioid will affect you. Even with a prescription, opioids carry serious risks and can have harmful or fatal side effects, especially when misused. You should never take prescription opioids from a friend or family member, even if you’re in pain, as it’s extremely dangerous. Plus, there are illegally produced counterfeit pills out there that might look like a prescription pill you recognize but did not come from a doctor. These pills can contain life-threatening drugs or chemicals.
Opioids are extremely dangerous drugs, and overdose is always a risk. Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal drug that anyone can obtain at any age without an ID. I can help you get some. By carrying naloxone, you could potentially decrease the chances of a friend suffering a fatal overdose. If you ever suspect a friend is overdosing, your first step should be to call 911. A law called the “The Good Samaritan Law” protects you and your friend from getting into trouble if you seek help during a drug-related overdose.
I am proud of your decision to not use opioids. You’ll face a lot of tough decisions throughout your life, and sometimes you might make the wrong choice. Just know that you can always talk to me, no matter what – even if you’ve made a mistake and find yourself in a situation you can’t find your way out of. I won’t freak out. I’ll figure out a way to help.
The current opioid epidemic is one of the largest drug epidemics in U.S. history. Opioids include prescription medications used to treat pain as well as illegal drugs such as heroin.
The greatest risks associated with opiate use are addiction and overdose. In 2016, one in five deaths among young people were related to opioids.
Opioid use may also lead to serious injury due to inhibited coordination and mobility.
Other effects include tooth decay, breathing difficulty, compromised immune function, chronic constipation, and heart attack.
Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous opioid that’s more potent than heroin. It accounts for more overdose deaths than any other drug. Doctors use it to treat pain only in the most severe cases. But it’s also made and sold illegally and sometimes combined with or passed off as other drugs. You can’t taste it, smell it, or see it, and an amount equal to two grains of salt could be enough to cause an overdose.
Just because a doctor prescribes a drug doesn’t make it safe. When prescribing fentanyl, doctors consider a number of different factors. Without talking to a doctor, you can’t know how it will affect you. Even with a prescription, it carries serious risks and can have harmful or fatal side effects, especially when misused. You should never take fentanyl from a friend or family member, even if you’re in pain, as it’s extremely dangerous. Plus, there are illegally produced counterfeit pills out there that might look like a prescription pill you recognize but that did not come from a doctor. These pills can contain life-threatening drugs or chemicals.
Fentanyl is one of the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths.
The greatest risks associated with opiate use are addiction and overdose. In 2016, one in five deaths among young people were related to opioids.
Opioid use may also lead to serious injury due to inhibited coordination and mobility.
Other effects include tooth decay, breathing difficulty, compromised immune function, chronic constipation, and heart attack.
The age limit for alcohol is based on research showing that young people react differently to alcohol. Teens get drunk twice as quickly as adults and have more trouble knowing when to stop. Drinking even a small amount can cloud your judgment and cause you to put yourself in a risky situation where you or someone else gets hurt. I don’t want that for you.
Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate that you can be open with me about this. Right now, your brain is in the middle of a really important phase of its development. Drinking during this phase can actually interfere with that development and make you more prone to addiction. In fact, research shows that taking your first drink in your early teens puts you at a much greater risk of developing a serious problem with alcohol or other drugs later in life.
I am hoping you will make your own choice, and I am here to help you with that. Alcohol can cause permanent damage to your brain, particularly as it relates to memory, motor skills, and coordination. It’s also a leading factor in sexual assault and the top three causes of teen deaths: car accidents, homicide, and suicide. I’m not saying this to scare you. I just want you to have the facts about alcohol’s effects.
When I was young, we didn’t know nearly as much as we do now about the risks involved. Recent research has revealed just how harmful it is to drink during the teenage years when your brain is still developing.
There are many reasons why teens drink, including the social pressure to fit in, the idea that most of their friends are drinking, or because they simply don’t realize how harmful it can be to their developing brain and body.
Alcohol disrupts sleep and interferes with sleep patterns by reducing time spent in deep restful sleep.
Alcohol is a diuretic and causes the body to lose important vitamins and minerals required for athletic performance.
Alcohol disrupts the muscle-building process as alcohol is metabolized first, pushing aside other nutrients needed for muscle recovery.
Alcohol spikes the production of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, which impairs thinking, raises blood pressure, decreases bone density and muscle tissue, and increases abdominal fat.
It’s still illegal for anyone under 21. This age limit is meant to protect adolescents from its harmful effects. Your brain is completing some very important development, and using marijuana during this time can interfere with that development, specifically in the areas dealing with memory and problem solving.
I am sorry you’re feeling anxious; I know how that feels. While marijuana may make you feel relaxed while you’re using it, it can actually make you feel worse in the long run. A chemical in marijuana, THC, mimics one of the brain’s neurotransmitters that makes you feel good, reducing the amount your body makes on its own. Once you’ve become dependent on THC, you’ll feel good when you’re using it, but you won’t have enough of your own chemical messengers to feel good when you’re not using it. Maybe together we can think of some other ways to help you relax?
Honestly, I don’t want you doing anything that can harm you. I’m interested in knowing why you think marijuana is safer than alcohol. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about marijuana, and it’s important to understand that marijuana is as dangerous as alcohol on the developing brain. Teens who begin using marijuana often have difficulty with emotions, lose motivation for school, and jeopardize lifelong friendships. Right now, neither option seems like a healthy choice.
That’s a good question, and I’m glad you’re asking it. It is never safe to get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence, and getting in the car with someone who has been drinking or using drugs like marijuana is also dangerous. Just like alcohol, marijuana can impair your judgment, meaning it is not safe to drive while under the influence. Not only is it not safe – it’s illegal to operate a car while under the influence of marijuana and can result in a DUI. This holds true for all drugs, including some prescription medications. If you are ever in a situation where you do not feel safe to drive or to get in the car with someone else, you can always call me.
There are physical and mental health consequences for young people who use marijuana while the brain is still developing. Using marijuana during this time can interfere with the reward center of the brain, “wiring” it for addiction. It can also inhibit attention, motivation, memory, and learning.
The risk of a heart attack is several times higher after using marijuana, which increases blood pressure and causes the heart to beat about 50% faster.
Using marijuana reduces oxygen in the blood, forcing the body to work harder to perform normal functions.
Marijuana use affects hormones in boys and girls and interferes with testosterone production.
Young people may think that marijuana helps with anxiety. The chemicals found in marijuana mimic one of the brain’s neurotransmitters, which makes the user feel good. Yet it reduces the amount the body makes on its own. Once dependent on THC, they will feel good when they are using it, but they may feel anxious and depressed without it.
Marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxins and carcinogens as tobacco smoke and causes the same respiratory illnesses. It deposits four times as much tar in the lungs as tobacco because it is unfiltered and inhaled more deeply.
Prescription drugs may not pose a temptation for you now, but that could change down the road. If that happens, I want you to know the facts so you can make an informed decision – or help your friends do so.
Just because a doctor prescribes a drug doesn’t make it safe. When prescribing drugs, doctors consider a number of different factors. Without talking to a doctor, you can’t know how a given drug will affect you. Even with a prescription, drugs carry serious risks and can have harmful or fatal side effects, especially when misused. You should never take them from a friend or family member, even if you’re in pain, as it’s extremely dangerous. Plus, there are illegally produced counterfeit pills out there that might look like a prescription pill you recognize but that did not come from a doctor. These pills can contain life-threatening drugs or chemicals.
I hear you’re feeling overwhelmed, but I don’t want you making choices that can hurt you. I want you to be able to cope with life’s ups and downs in a healthy way. If you are under a lot of stress, then let’s brainstorm some ideas on how to reduce your stress. If you think it would be helpful, we can speak with a professional for more guidance.
These drugs are very addictive because they produce a flood of dopamine – the brain’s “feel-good” messenger. When someone uses drugs to artificially raise their dopamine levels, it damages the brain’s ability to produce dopamine naturally, making it harder to feel good without the drug. This is what makes it hard to stop using drugs. And that’s why it’s important that these types of drugs be taken under a doctor’s care, so that they can properly diagnose and prescribe the correct dosage.
I am proud of your hard work and of the grades you earned without relying on stimulants. I understand that there is a lot of pressure to do well. But using a drug to do better on tests (or sports) is cheating, and research has shown it is actually tied to getting lower grades. And there are some serious side effects of misusing stimulants. Why don’t we explore other relaxation and time management skills to help you?
Each year, over half a million young people misuse or abuse prescription drugs for the first time, and that number is on the rise. Prescription drugs are often believed to be less dangerous than illegal drugs, when in fact many of them are more dangerous.
Opioids such as Vicodin, OxyContin, and codeine are prescribed to relieve pain and can cause drowsiness, nausea, and constipation. In 2016, one in five deaths among young people were related to opioids.
Depressants such as Valium and Xanax are prescribed to relieve anxiety or help with sleep. They can cause slurred speech, fatigue, low blood pressure, disorientation, lack of coordination, and seizures.
Stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin are prescribed for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They have many of the same side effects as cocaine, including paranoia, dangerously high body temperatures, and arrhythmia. High doses can cause heart failure and seizures.
E-cigarettes might seem like a safer way to smoke, but they’re not. A lot of people think they contain nothing more than flavored water and are harmless. But in fact, the heated vapor contains all sorts of harmful chemicals that are inhaled directly into the lungs. Even breathing secondhand e-liquid vapor is dangerous. I’m glad we’re talking about this because it’s a concerning trend, and I want you to have the facts.
Your brain is still growing and changing and will continue to do so till you’re about 25. Smoking before then can inhibit your brain’s development and increase your chances of becoming addicted. Using nicotine at your age may make it harder for you to concentrate, learn, or control your impulses. I want you to know these things because nothing is more important to me than your health and safety.
Because your brain is still developing, studies show that it isn’t safe for you to use any product that contains nicotine, including e-cigarettes. Whether you get nicotine from an e-cigarette or a cigarette, it’s still highly addictive and not good for you. Plus, nicotine is just one of the thousands of chemicals that e-liquid can contain.
E-cigarettes – also known as vapes, vape pens, or e-cigs – may look like pens, USB drives, or highlighters and may be used for highly concentrated marijuana and other drugs as well as nicotine.
Secondhand vaping aerosol contains nicotine, volatile organic compounds, and other harmful chemicals, which can cause cancer, asthma, and heart disease.
Thirdhand vaping aerosol is the residue left behind on carpet, furniture, and other surfaces, which can contaminate anyone who comes into contact with it, especially young children and animals.
