Have you ever taken a prescription
drug that wasn’t prescribed for you? Or maybe you know someone who has? As UNC
Chapel Hill Nursing School students, we’ve come to Chatham County to help raise
awareness about the misuse of prescription drugs, and the different types of
consequences that can result. To accomplish this goal, we are working with the
school nurses to organize assemblies at local high schools, providing information
and educating the community through various media outlets.
Let’s be honest, life is stressful.
With school, homework, tests, deadlines, jobs, family, etc., it can all feel a
little bit overwhelming, and finding appropriate ways to handle the stress can
be tough. In these stressful situations our ability to make good decisions can
be altered. Our tendency is to lean toward less healthy coping strategies such
as prescription drug abuse.
But what is prescription drug abuse? Prescription
drug abuse is taking a medication that was not prescribed to you, or using it
for reasons other than its intended purposes. This can include taking a
friend’s medication for any reason, taking a family member’s leftover
medication, or taking more than the prescribed dose. Whether your intention is
to help a friend who has the same infection you just recovered from, to get
high, to stay up to study, or to make money – all of these are abuse and the
consequences can be devastating and far-reaching.
Stay tuned for additional posts on
tips and tricks on how tackle this sensitive subject, and understanding the
dangers of prescription drug abuse.
