Rising Sedative Addiction: A Silent Crisis Among Young Adults

The growing trend of sedative addiction among young adults has become a silent but alarming crisis. This issue highlights the increasing dependence on sedatives and the urgent need for awareness, prevention, and support to address the underlying causes and its impact on mental and physical health.

There has been a notable increase in sedative use disorders among adolescents and young adults, emphasizing the need for better prescribing practices and increased awareness to curb the misuse of these powerful medications.

Research from Rutgers Health shows a sharp rise in diagnoses related to sedatives, hypnotics, and anti-anxiety medications in young people since 2001. The study, published in Addiction, examined diagnosis trends between 2001 and 2019.

These medications are often prescribed for anxiety and sleep issues. However, Harvard Health notes that consistent use can lead to tolerance, requiring higher doses for effectiveness. This can lead to problematic patterns of use, resulting in significant distress and impairment, classified as sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorders. According to national data, these disorders affect 2.2 million Americans.

Using Medicaid data from nearly 7 million young people in 2001 and 13 million in 2019, researchers found that the prevalence of these disorders tripled among adolescents and quintupled among young adults during this period. The surge may be linked to increased availability and misuse of these medications, as well as improved awareness and diagnosis.

Sedative, hypnotic, and anti-anxiety medications are obtained through medical prescriptions and nonmedical sources, such as friends or medicine cabinets. The study found higher rates of disorders among youths with prescriptions. However, most young people diagnosed with these disorders did not have a prescription, highlighting the importance of addressing nonmedical use and prescribing cautiously.

Comorbidity with other substance use disorders was common among those diagnosed. Adolescents were most likely to also have cannabis use disorder, while opioid use disorder was prevalent in young adults.

Though less common than other substance use disorders, sedative-related disorders pose significant challenges in treatment and often coexist with other substance misuse, requiring attention from clinicians and researchers.

Understanding these trends can help improve resources and care for affected youths, according to the study authors, who include experts from Rutgers, Columbia University, and New York University.

For questions or comments write to writers@bostonbrandmedia.com

Source: scitechdaily‍