9781422270578

THE YOUNG ADULT DRUG LIBRARY: AN EDUCATION FOR TODAY

BY ERIC BENAC

MASON CREST M I A M I

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-4762-4 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4222-4770-9 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7057-8 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Project Manager: Andrew Morkes Cover and Interior Design: Tara Raymo • CreativelyTara Layout: Priceless Digital Media, LLC Publisher’s Note: Websites listed in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher reviews and updates the websites each time the book is reprinted.

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Introduction............................................................... 6 Meet Tyler: A Star Student-Athlete, Nice Guy, and Painkiller Addict ....8 Chapter 1: What Are Painkillers?................................13 Tyler Descends Deeper into Addiction and Takes His Girlfriend With Him ....32 Chapter 2: The Negative Physical Effects of Painkillers...37 Tyler and Kendra’s Story: Paranoia, Overdoses, and a Light at the End of the Tunnel ....50 Chapter 3: The Negative Mental Effects of Painkillers..55 Tyler and Kendra’s Story: Rehab, Treatment, Relapse, and Recovery . ..68 Chapter 4: Treating Addiction to Painkillers................73 Series Glossary of Key Terms.....................................89 Further Reading.......................................................92 Internet Resources...................................................93 Index....................................................................... 94 Author’s Biography and Credits.................................96 Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

Drug abuse remains a major problem in the United States and in other countries. In 2019, 13 percent of people aged 12 years and over reported that they had used an illegal drug in the past month, according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Abuse of prescription drugs, such as painkillers, is also a serious issue. Abusing drugs can have serious effects on one’s physical and mental health. It can also be deadly. One example is the rising number of drug overdoses, which have been fueled by the growing use and spread of the deadly opioid fentanyl. Nearly 100,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses from June 2020 to June 2021, according to the CDC. As a young person, you may have a lot of questions about drugs, addiction, and therapy as a result of the constant flow of information from your friends, parents, teachers, coaches, social media, and the news media.

About 20.1 percent of women and 10.6 percent of men report having had a severe headache or migraine in the past three months, according to the National Health Interview Survey. Many people take painkillers to treat this pain.

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It can be confusing, because some of this information is accurate, and some is incorrect. Your questions might include: How are drugs grown or manufactured? What are the negative physical and mental effects of drug use and abuse? What are the legal penalties for possessing illegal drugs? How do you know whether someone is addicted to drugs?

What are some treatment options for people who are addicted to drugs? The Young Adult Drug Library series provides answers to these and other questions about illegal and misused prescription drugs, addiction, and therapy. Each title spotlights a major drug or type of drug (such as painkillers); discusses the negative physical and mental effects of the addiction on the addict, as well as its effects on family and other loved ones; and provides an overview of treatment strategies for the addiction. Stories of those who are battling drug addiction are also featured in order to humanize these issues and to help readers better understand that anyone

Illegal painkillers, such as heroin, can be very dangerous. More than 13,000 people die in the United States each year as a result of heroin overdoses,

can become addicted to drugs, but also that recovery is possible.

according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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MEET TYLER: A STAR STUDENT-ATHLETE, NICE GUY, AND PAINKILLER ADDICT Tyler was the kind of guy who never seemed to struggle to get anything he wanted. It wasn’t hard for him to get perfect grades on every test and assignment. He was handsome and popular, and he excelled at every sport. Every girl in the school had a crush on him, because he was good looking, funny, and surprisingly humble as well. Tyler came from a good family with supportive parents who consistently taught him to be modest about his successes and to help others whenever possible. He volunteered at the local homeless shelter, became an Eagle Scout, planted trees, ran fundraiser marathons, and kept his schedule packed with activities. He even had time to meet a girl, Kendra, whom he dated throughout high school. Yet, Tyler was also not the kind of person people disliked because of his successes. He never turned his nose up at anybody, and he spent time talking to his athletic friends, as well as people outside his group. His best friend, Xavier, was a computer whiz and video gaming enthusiast, and Tyler never excluded him from events that other people would have not invited Xavier to attend. Things were looking great for Tyler his senior year. He was going to attend his dream college after graduation, followed by Kendra. Both had stellar

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Painkillers

Tyler not only loved football (and hoped to play in college one day), but also liked volunteering in his community.

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Meet Tyler: A Star Student-Athlete, Nice Guy, and Painkiller Addict

grade-point averages and were going to be named the co-valedictorians of their school. Tyler’s football team was undefeated and the favorite to win the state championship that year. Furthermore, Tyler fell in love with programming, thanks to Xavier, and he was planning on becoming a video game developer. But Tyler was to discover that things don’t always go according to the best laid plans and that the universe has a pretty cruel sense of humor sometimes. On the very last play of the state championship game, Tyler (the quarterback) dropped back for a pass with little time left on the clock. His team had to score a touchdown to win.

Tyler was wracked with pain during the trip to the hospital, but he received painkillers, which reduced his suffering to some extent.

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Painkillers

None of his receivers was open, so Tyler took off running. Tyler successfully evaded every tackler but one at the very end. With the grace of a gazelle, he leaped in the air over the defender. As he spun, he crossed the end zone and landed, hard, on his feet. His right ankle cracked in over a dozen places, and he fell to the ground, screaming in agony. The game was over, and his team had won. But Tyler’s future was in jeopardy because of his last-minute heroics. Emergency surgery saved his ankle, as the doctors were able to ensure that the bones would set and heal properly. However, Tyler was in a lot of pain, more than he’d ever felt in his life. Thankfully, Kendra was by his side as much as possible, helping him get his homework and turning it in for him. Life wasn’t easy, but he was able to get back into the groove eventually. However, Tyler’s doctor made a decision that day that nearly ended his life and permanently altered its course. Tyler’s pain was so intense that the doctor, wanting what was best for the young athlete, prescribed multiple painkillers to help him feel better. Tyler was the kind of guy who had never so much as smoked a cigarette or vaped in his life. Tyler didn’t even like to drink. Nobody had any idea how Tyler’s body would react to the painkillers he took. Would he be one of the many people who took them every year and never developed an addiction? Or would he have a hard time leaving them behind? Tragically, Tyler developed a long-lasting dependency on painkillers that we’ll highlight and discuss throughout the rest of the chapter-opening stories in this book.

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Meet Tyler: A Star Student-Athlete, Nice Guy, and Painkiller Addict

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

co-occurring disorder: a condition that occurs when an individual experiences one or more mental health concerns that worsen their addiction and vice versa delirium tremens: a painful reaction that can occur with certain types of drug withdrawal, causing hallucinations, extreme pain, and serious depression holistic: refers to medical practices that consider a disease’s effects on a person’s entire body, and it may also refer to treatments that help a person with each of those symptoms psychosomatic: a term that describes nonexistent symptoms that patients may believe that they feel speedball: a combination of two or more drugs that have conflicting effects, such as an upper and a downer, that produce a very potent and dangerous high synthetic: refers to an item that is produced artificially using various chemical processes, such as drugs with a similar structure as opium (a natural painkiller)

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HEROIN

WHAT ARE PAINKILLERS? The Nature of Painkillers Painkillers are prescription drugs that people take to manage pain after injuries or surgeries. (Illegal opiates such as heroin are also used for pain; more on this dangerous drug later in this chapter.) Prescription painkiller medications are typically synthetic substances that either release endorphin chemicals to produce high levels of euphoria or calm the body’s reaction to pain. These substances have varying levels of potency. Some are appropriate for the treatment of minor pain, while others are used for more serious issues. For example, various over-the counter medications, like Aspirin or Tylenol, can be considered painkillers, because they can help reduce your symptoms. However, they are only effective for specific types of minor pain and are not addictive. Addictive painkillers are much more potent and are often derived from opium, a natural painkiller created from the seeds of the poppy plant. These substances release chemicals that create pleasure throughout the body and minimize your pain.

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Unfortunately, substances like these (called opioids or opiates) can become physically addictive very quickly. Some people may experience signs of addiction almost immediately after taking an opioid. It is important to note that not all abused painkillers are opiates or opioids. Some types work in similar ways on the body but can create different types of addiction that vary, depending on a person’s body. Which Painkillers Are Abused? Before discussing painkiller addiction symptoms and the ways they can affect a person’s family, it is important to discuss a few of the most commonly abused types on the market. These fall into three separate categories, although one painkiller type is more commonly abused than the others. We’ll highlight the general effects of each to help you understand them more fully. Barbiturates These drugs fall under many different names, including commercial listings like Nembutal, Seconal, and Phenobarbital. On the street, they are also called barbs, reds, tooies, yellows, yellow jackets, phennies, and red birds. Barbiturates cause feelings of well-being, lowered inhibitions, impaired coordination, memory troubles, respiratory distress, euphoria, and pain relief when abused. People may abuse barbiturates with other downers, like alcohol, to produce a very potent high. Others create a speedball with uppers like cocaine or methamphetamine to create another type of high. Unfortunately, these painkillers are often easy to find, because they’re highly prescribed and may be sold by people who no longer need to use them or who want to make money.

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Painkillers

Stimulants While stimulants may fall under the painkiller category, they are heavily abused as prescription drugs. They can cause feelings of exhilaration, mental alertness, increased heart rates, intense focus, euphoria, slurred speech, rapid breathing, loss of coordination, and even impulsive behavior. They may help manage pain but are typically prescribed for obesity management and conditions such as attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. Stimulants are important to list here because of their prescription status and their abuse with many painkillers. As mentioned in the previous section, stimulants (or uppers) can be abused with painkillers to create an even more intense high. Therefore, it is important to understand how they affect the body and the different ways that they may be abused by people, along with painkillers. Opiates or Opioids Opiate or opioid painkillers are by far the most commonly abused painkillers. Approximately 9.3 million people in the United States misused prescription pain relievers in 2020, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Note that this is just the number of people self reporting their abuse, meaning the real number is much higher. Opioids cause a release of endorphins that can create extremely pleasurable sensations in the body. They are potently addictive, because they can make the opiate receptors in your brain become dependent on them to feel pleasure. Opiates create a higher level of pleasure than your body can naturally produce, meaning it may become reliant on drugs to experience these feelings. Understanding these prescription painkiller types is critical when considering their abusive potential.

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What Are Painkillers?

Opioids That Are Stronger Than Morphine Morphine is the base painkiller created by distilling opium from poppy plants. It is still commonly used as a painkiller and can be very addictive. However, many substances are even more addictive than morphine. These include (in order of potency): • fentanyl • oxymorphone • hydromorphone Fentanyl is by far the most potent opiate and is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, making it one of the leading causes of addiction and overdose in the United States. However, any of the substances on this list can be incredibly addictive. Some (like methadone) are used in drug rehabilitation programs to help manage withdrawal pains and minimize reactions such as delirium tremens . Equivalent to Morphine Many opiates are on the same level as morphine and may be prescribed to manage similar pain levels. These include tapentadol and hydrocodone. These substances are less likely to trigger addiction because of their lower potency levels, but that doesn’t mean they are safe. Many people experience addiction to these substances every year and struggle to quit abusing painkillers. Weaker Than Morphine Doctors often prescribe these medications for minor pain issues, such as recovering after having wisdom teeth removed. Like • levorphanol • methadone • oxycodone

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Painkillers