They're Your Kids Too

We almost all have young people in our lives; whether they are our children, people who wait on us in restaurants, kids sitting in the same movie theater as we are, or working out in the gym with us. They are all around us, and each one of them is precious in their own way whether they know it or not. You may moan as you observe them with their odd piercings, or yell at them when they skateboard on the street. Or you may feel a beam of pride when you pick up the sports section of the paper and see that the team has scored another victory, even though you don't know a single player. They are all our kids. Our kids. We are all responsible for them.

That's why I'm writing today. Some of our kids are getting into things they shouldn't. Back in my day, it was marijuana and LSD. I don't remember anybody dying from either one; I know some lives were messed up, but I can still look on Facebook and see those kids grown up into functional adults. This is something much more dangerous, and from what I'm hearing, all to easy to obtain: I'm talking about prescription painkillers.

The rate of death from prescription painkillers has grown from 11,000 in 1999 to 20,000 in 2004. Researchers believe that the increasing misuse of prescription drugs among those 15-24 years of age accounts for the majority of the statistic. This problem is rooted in rural areas rather than the inner cities: West Virginia has the highest death rate from drug overdoses than any other state and it is now the number one cause of accidental deaths for our young people in West Virginia. 

Why are kids taking these dangerous drugs? Like some of their illegal counterparts, painkillers can create a feeling of euphoria and calm. And if one can make you feel calm, I suppose a young person might think that two or three will make you feel even better. They might not even realize they're doing anything wrong: look at all the commercials and ads for drugs. Most of them feature happy butterflies, sunny skies, smiling people. Nobody ever reads the small print on those ads, or listens to the whispered disclaimer. Maybe their parents take the prescriptions legitimately; maybe they've even seen their parents share their prescription with a friend themselves.  (There are reasons that you should never take someone else's prescription. You might have an adverse reaction to it.)  Unfortunately, some kids are not only taking pills that aren't prescribed for them, they're taking them in combination with others, or intentionally overdosing on them.

I have a very good friend who commited suicide by taking an overdose of prescription drugs. That was sad enough. But when I think about all the young people who will die this year accidentally from a drug, it's beyond sad. I think of their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, who will forever have that hole in their lives, always asking whether they could've done something different. There must be so many questions.

What can we do? I have two kids, one of whom is a teenager. We have had all the discussions about drugs that parents should have with their kids, and more. I like to use "teaching moments" so when something comes up, we use it (Heath Ledger, ie.) to drive home a point. We try to set a good example by not over-using pain medication: actually we never take anything stronger than Tylenol.  We take care of ourselves, and we take care of each other.

Kids need to know how important they are. I myself plan on making sure the young people in my life know how precious they are to me. I'll be sure to smile when I see them, and ask them how their day is going. If they look sad, I'll ask them if everything is OK. Sure, they probably won't tell me, but maybe they'll feel better knowing someone cared enough to ask.

What else can we do?

• Set good examples. Don't share your prescription drugs with others if you take them. Don't suggest that pills are the only answer to your problems -- if you have pain, are you also seeking out physical therapy and other solutions? How do you handle your own depression? Do you drink more, or do you try to talk about your problems, or seek professional help when needed? 
• Get involved in your community, especially where there are young people involved. Teenagers are full of ideas and energy! They will keep you young. The schools in Morgan County always need PASS volunteers to mentor young people. 
• If you're a business owner, give those young people a chance. Maybe you could offer one or two the chance to "shadow" your employees for a few weeks in the summer, as an opportunity to discover whether your industry might be a choice for them someday. Sometimes they can earn community service points doing this type of work, if it's required by their school district.
• Know your kids' friends. My daughter has grown up and had the same friends for 10 years. Now she's going to a different school in a city an hour away, so it's hard to get to know who she's hanging out with. But it's important. Always insist upon talking to the adult in charge of group activities, whether it's at their home, or in a public place.
• If it turns out a friend of your child's is having a problem, what do you do? I've had to confront this myself. I'm interested in hearing how other parents have handled it. In my case, I let the parent know that there might be a problem. And in another case, another parent let me know that my child might be having difficulty handling something, and I was very grateful. This can be very touchy, especially living in a small town.

Let me know your thoughts. How can we help our kids avoid making a dangerous mistake with prescription drugs?