How to Identify Common Pills Abused by Teens

How to Identify Common Pills Abused by Teens Addiction Drug Use Prescription Medications Print How to Identify Common Pills Abused by Teens Identify the pills, then have a serious conversation By Vincent Iannelli, MD facebook Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. Learn about our editorial policy Vincent Iannelli, MD Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician Updated on February 04, 2020 SW Productions/Photodisc/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Prescription Medications Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Youre not the first parent to find a few pills in your childs pocket while washing their clothes. Considering the epidemic of prescription drug addiction and an uptick in overdoses around the United States, its all too common. Addiction is an inclusive disease that does not discriminate by social or economic status. Unfortunately, some kids use, abuse, and sometimes become addicted to drugs. This behavior goes far beyond traditional substances, such as alcohol, cocaine, and heroin.  Today, kids (and adults) also abuse  cough medicines, glue, and many prescription medications.?? One of the first steps you may want to take when you find an unknown pill is to identify which drug it is. Knowing the medications that are abused most often and how to search for pills will help you figure that out. The Most Commonly Abused Pills According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), commonly abused classes of prescription drugs include:?? Opioids: Prescribed to treat pain.Central Nervous System Depressants: Prescribed to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.Stimulants: Prescribed to treat narcolepsy, ADHD, and obesity. More specifically, the most commonly abused prescription drugs by brand and generic name are: Adderall, Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine)OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet, Endocet (oxycodone)Darvon (propoxyphene)Demerol (meperidine)Dilaudid (hydromorphone)Lomotil (diphenoxylate)Nembutal (pentobarbital sodium)Ritalin (methylphenidate)Valium (diazepam)Vicodin, Lortab, Lorecet (hydrocodone)Xanax (alprazolam) The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offers a helpful booklet for parents that can tell you more about these drugs: Prescription for Disaster: How Teens Abuse Medicine.?? It includes photos and many of the common street names as well. Familiarizing yourself with slang terminology can help you decode your teens conversations if needed. Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs How to Identify DXM A round, red pill with the markings C C C might also be among the cache of meds you just found in your kids pocket. Restarting the pill identification wizard, and again searching by shape and colorâ€"this time for a round and red pillâ€"will give you a number of options. Although there are many similar pills, only one has those markings: Coricidin HBP Cough Cold Tablets. Although it is just a cold and cough medication, many teens actually abuse the dextromethorphan (also called DXM) contained in these little red pills.?? Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold is also known as triple C in the illicit drug market. In addition to dextromethorphan, it contains an antihistamine. Teens take it in higher than recommended doses to produce a quick high, hallucinations, and/or dissociation. Deaths from kids abusing DXM and Coricidin have been reported. How to Identify Adderall One small, round, blue pill that you might also find is Adderall. It has the marking AD on one side and the number 10 on the other. If you use the pill identification wizard on Drugs.com  and search by Shape/Color using the terms round and blue, the resulting  long list of pills includes only one with those markings: Adderall 10mg tablets. Some teenagers take Adderall without a prescription simply to help them concentrate and to do better at school. Others take it to get high, either getting it from a friend or buying it at school.?? Adderall pills can either be swallowed or ground up and snorted for a quicker effect. Signs of Adderall Overdose The Next Step Using a pill identification database, such as the National Institutes of Healths Pillbox, you can run a search for any mysterious pills you find.?? Once you identify them, its time to decide what to do about it. Usually, this involves discussing the pills with your child. If you dont think that a meeting with your child will go well, you might talk to a relative or adult your child respects. They may be willing to sit down and have a conversation with your teen on your behalf. This may help them open up about whats going on and give you some insight into the next steps to take. Don't Be Afraid to Get Help You can also go the professional route and schedule a visit with your pediatrician or a child psychologist. If you raise your concerns about your suspicions that your child is  abusing drugs, they can bring up the subject during the appointment. A Word From Verywell While it can be shocking and upsetting to find unknown pills in your teens possession, do your best to approach the situation with a clear head. There are a number of steps you can take  that can get them the help they need but starting with a calm, caring demeanor is a good place to start. Listening to what they have to say rather than heading straight into consequences or lectures can help take your conversation where you want it to go. Should You Test Your Teen for Drugs?