Keep Prescription Drugs Secure From Teens
Too often, addiction and abuse begin at home...

(HealthDay News) -- Teens' addiction to prescription or over-the-counter drugs often begins when they have easy access to medications in their homes, an expert says.

Many parents make a special effort to keep medications away from young children to prevent accidental poisonings, but don't realize that teens are the group most likely to misuse and abuse medications, said Dr. Eric Collins, an addiction psychiatrist at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Conn.

As many as 20 percent of American teens have abused prescription drugs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 50 percent of U.S. high school seniors said that narcotic drugs other than heroin would be fairly or very easy to get, according to a 2012 National Institute on Drug Abuse survey.

"Adolescents sometimes believe that medications prescribed by a doctor or available OTC are a medically 'safe' high, but this is just one of the tragic myths that prevail," Collins said in a hospital news release.

"This dangerous misconception, along with the easy availability of these medications, are key contributors to the prescription drug addiction crisis affecting more than 2 million American children," he added.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 26 is a nationwide program to encourage people to safely dispose of expired or unwanted prescription medications.

In advance of that day, Collins offered parents advice on how to keep medications out of teenagers' hands.

Keep all prescription and, if possible, OTC medications locked up and make sure that grandparents and other relatives do the same in their homes, he said. It's also a good idea to have an updated, written inventory of all prescription and OTC medications in your home.

Be sure to properly dispose of unused and expired medications, he reminded. One way is to take them to your local pharmacy. Don't pour them down the sink or flush them in the toilet because this can contaminate the water supply, Collins said.

-- Robert Preidt

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about prescription drug abuse.
SOURCE: Silver Hill Hospital, news release

September is Recovery Month

In its 25th year, Recovery Month promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental and substance use disorders. This year’s theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Speak Up, Reach Out,” encourages people to openly speak up about mental and substance use disorders and the reality of recovery, and promotes ways individuals can use to recognize behavioral health issues and reach out for help. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover.

Get started by assessing your mental health with quick screenings for 4 common conditions.

Learn about ways to improve your health:

• Social Support: Getting and Staying Connected
• Healthy Diet: Eating with Mental Health in Mind
• Supplements: Weighing Benefits and Risks
• Stress: Coping with Everyday Problems
• Rest, Relaxation and Exercise
• Alcohol Use and Abuse: What You Should Know
• Finding Help: When to Get it and Where to Go
  
  

​Do something each day of May to work on wellness.

• Download the Mind Your Health Calendar with daily tips to boost mind and body

What can you do to spread the word that May is Mental Health Month?

Promote it with social media:

• If you’re a blogger, blog about it! 
• Use #mhmonth2014 on your Twitter or Facebook posts
• Follow us on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook– Twitter handle: @mentalhealtham or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mentalhealthamerica
• Share or retweet posts from Mental Health America