Teen Percocet Addiction

Table of Contents
Percocet Primer
About Abuse
How Abuse Develops
Spotting Addiction
What to Do

According to the 2010 Monitoring the Future Survey, teens often turn to prescription drugs for recreational use. In fact, 7.7 percent of teens surveyed admitted that they had used prescription medications within the previous year, and they had done so in the absence of medical need.

Many teens consider Percocet their drug of choice, as it is plentiful and easy to obtain. Teens who abuse Percocet do so at their peril, however, as the drug has some nasty side effects that can kick in and cause serious damage in a very short period of time.

Percocet Primer

Percocet was made to control pain, and it’s commonly given to people who are recovering from surgery or dealing with a significant amount of pain that’s only expected to last a short period of time. Percocet comes in tablet form, and the coating on the outside of the tablet is designed to stay in place until the pill reaches the user’s stomach. Then, small doses of the medication are released into the system, providing pain relief that lasts for several hours.

Percocet contains two ingredients, acetaminophen and oxycodone. The two medications tend to augment one another, providing pain relief with a softening of the consciousness that makes the pain seem less important. Percocet is a brand name, and it’s not the only formulation of the drug on the market. Other names include:

• Endocet
• Tylox
• Magnacet
• Xolox

Taken properly, Percocet can cause unpleasant side effects such as constipation, dizziness, difficulty sleeping and trouble breathing. These side effects can be magnified if someone takes the drugs in conjunction with alcohol or other medications, and some people who have liver difficulties and stomach difficulties have severe side effects from low doses of the medication.

Abuse

While taking the drugs at the proper dose might be slightly dangerous or uncomfortable, taking the drug at high doses can be downright deadly. For starters, the oxycodone in the Percocet tablets can be a severe nervous system depressant. When a user takes in Percocet, the drug attaches to receptors in the brain and releases a rush of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine. This rush is followed by a period of extreme relaxation, and sometimes, that relaxation is so thick that people simply forget to breathe.

In addition, the acetaminophen in Percocet is far from benign. This medication is also used as a pain reliever, but it must be processed by the liver. Teens who are addicted to Percocet may be taking extremely high doses of the drug, thereby exposing their bodies to huge amounts of acetaminophen and doing major damage to their organs. According to a study published in the journal Hepatology, the body works to counter these high doses by releasing chemicals in the liver and slowly, the body becomes accustomed to living with higher-than-normal acetaminophen doses in the liver. It should be noted, however, that this study was done on mice, and some mice didn’t survive the high doses of acetaminophen they were given. Even with advanced protection, some died. Acetaminophen overdose is a real concern in Percocet addicts.

Teens who abuse the drug might call the pills “percs,” “happy pills” or “hillbilly heroin.” They may take large doses of the drugs in tablet form, or they may crush the pills and snort them in order to feel a larger rush on an immediate basis. Some teens crush the medications and inject them, and this can be particularly dangerous. According to an article published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, people who inject crushed tablets in this way can develop a pulmonary embolism, or a blockage that travels through the veins and to the heart, causing death.

Some teens take Percocet in so-called “pharm parties,” where all medications are placed into a bowl and the teen is encouraged to ingest handfuls of medications at the same time. The teen may not know what he or she is taking, and it’s rare for the teen to know the dosages of the medications ingested. This can be particularly dangerous, as the teen may take two drugs that interact poorly and could die from this combination.

How Abuse Develops

Some teens develop a Percocet addiction after a major injury or illness. They began taking the medication to help them deal with the episode, and over time, they began to feel as though they need Percocet to get through the day. It’s important to make a quick distinction here, however. People who take Percocet for a long period of time commonly discover that they need to take higher doses of the medication in order to feel the same effect. This is known as tolerance, and it is totally normal. Teens who take Percocet in the absence of pain, who take the medication because they feel compelled to take the drug for other reasons, have an addiction. These addictions can develop, however, if a drug dependence is not stopped and the teen isn’t weaned off the drugs when the pain is gone.

Other teens develop Percocet addictions through basic experimentation. They may have found pills in the family medicine cabinet, or they may take drugs that have been prescribed for their friends. They’re curious about the drugs, and they take them to see what they will do. Over time, these teens also develop a dependence and addiction.

Prescription sharing by teens is surprisingly common, and many teens report that it’s easier than ever to get drugs at school or in their neighborhoods. In fact, teens who are taking drugs for legitimate purposes may find that they’re pressured to give the drugs to other people. According to a study published in the Harvard Health Letter, up to 60 percent of teens taking prescription medications are approached by others who want to take their medications.

Teens who are addicted to Percocet are rarely enjoying their addiction. In fact, they may be completely miserable. As the addiction takes hold, they may find that they’re spending some, if not all, of their time thinking about when they can take another dose. They may spend all of their money on drugs, and they may resort to stealing in order to feed their addiction. They may feel awful about this behavior, but are simply unable to make it stop. Some teens take Percocet at such high doses that they change the chemical structure of their bodies. They become unable to make feel-good chemicals on their own, so the only time they’re able to feel happy and positive is when they’re under the influence. This chemical addiction can be extremely isolating and frightening to the teen, and he or she may be unable to see how the addiction will end. Some even consider suicide a viable option as the addiction deepens and their fear and isolation grows.

Spotting Addiction

Teens are secretive people who aren’t known for talking about their fears at length with their parents. Your teen may never approach you with details about the addiction. That doesn’t mean, however, that teen addiction is impossible to spot. These warning signs often indicate that a teen has a drug addiction issue:

• The teen seems sleepy and uncoordinated most of the time.
• Grades slip, and the teen stops expressing an interest in sports or other activities.
• The teen seems disheveled or unkempt and expresses no interest in his or her appearance.
• The teen may laugh inappropriately, giggling at tiny inside jokes no one else seems to understand.

You may also notice that your prescription doesn’t last as long as it should, or you may find your teen making up pains and illnesses in order to get a prescription for Percocet from the doctor.

Teens who fall into these categories may also be at higher risk for addiction, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America:

• Teens with a history of depression, anxiety or another mental illness
• Those who believe that drug use isn’t dangerous
• Rebellious or impulsive teens
• Those who begin drinking alcohol or using other drugs when they are younger than 12

What to Do

If you think your teen is abusing Percocet, it’s time to speak up. Teens in the throes of an addiction may be simply unable to stop taking the drugs on their own. In fact, if they do try to stop the abuse alone, they may face serious and frightening side effects during withdrawal that may drive them deeper into addiction. In short, they need help in order to truly heal, and you’re in the best position to provide that help. We want to help you make it happen. At Newport Academy, we have a variety of programs to help addicted teens recover from Percocet abuse. Some programs require the teen to stay in our facility for a period of time, and others can be completed while the teen lives at home under your care. Call us today to find out more about how we can help.