- Open Choose a medical group or hospital
Change Location
Sutter Health
- BOOK APPOINTMENT
- MENU Open Menu
Book Appointment
Walk-In Care
In-person care for minor illnesses.
Urgent Care
In-person care for moderate illnesses and injuries.
Video Visits
Virtual care with a Walk-In Care clinician.
Primary Care
Ongoing care and wellness for everyone.
COVID-19 and Flu
Resources for vaccination and boosters.
Patient Login
- Sign In to My Health Online
- Enroll in My Health Online
- Learn About My Health Online
Patients and Visitors
Get personalized, coordinated care across Northern California through the Sutter network. View Patient Resources
My Health Online
Make appointments, message your doctor and more through our patient portal. Enroll Now- Find a Doctor
- Find a Location
- View All Services
- Request Records
- Pay a Bill
Patient Resources
- Contact Us
- Patient and Visitor Information
- My Health Online Patient Portal
- Classes and Events
- Doctor Referrals
- Health and Wellness
- COVID-19 and Flu Resources
Billing and Insurance
- Pay a Bill
- Accepted Health Plans
- Cost Estimates/Charges
- Medicare Advantage
- Sutter Health Plus
Treatments and Services
Access award-winning, comprehensive primary and specialty care for your whole family. View All Services
Schedule a Visit
Convenient care options for your everyday health needs. Book AppointmentGet Care
Featured Services
- Mental Health
- Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Imaging
- Pediatrics
- Orthopedics
- Cancer
- Heart and Vascular
- Dermatology
- Physical Therapy
- Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT)
- Labs
- Urology
- Neuroscience
- Women's Health (OB/GYN)
- View All Services
Research and Education
Our contributions to medical research and education lead to better healthcare outcomes. Research at Sutter
Graduate Medical Education
Join our robust training programs led by nationally known healthcare leaders. Explore OpportunitiesResearch
- Clinical Trials
- Research Studies
- Publications
- Investigators
Education
- Residencies and Fellowships
- Continuing Medical Education
About Us
Explore the ways we provide innovative, compassionate care through our network. Learn About Sutter Health
Work at Sutter Health
Shape the future of healthcare and build your career within our diverse teams. Find JobsAbout Sutter Health
- About Us
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Awards and Honors
- Leadership
- Annual Report
- News and Media
- Patient Stories
- Business Programs
Community
- Giving
- Volunteer With Us
- Community Benefit
Careers
- Jobs at Sutter
- Physician Opportunities
- Residencies and Fellowships
- Find a Doctor
- Find a Location
- View All Services
- Request Records
- Pay a Bill
Patient Resources
- Contact Us
- Patient and Visitor Information
- My Health Online Patient Portal
- Classes and Events
- Doctor Referrals
- Health and Wellness
- COVID-19 and Flu Resources
Billing and Insurance
- Pay a Bill
- Accepted Health Plans
- Cost Estimates/Charges
- Medicare Advantage
- Sutter Health Plus
Patients and Visitors
Get personalized, coordinated care across Northern California through the Sutter network.
My Health Online
Make appointments, message your doctor and more through our patient portal.
My Health Online
Make appointments, message your doctor and more through our patient portal.
Get Care
Featured Services
- Mental Health
- Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Imaging
- Pediatrics
- Orthopedics
- Cancer
- Heart and Vascular
- Dermatology
- Physical Therapy
- Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT)
- Labs
- Urology
- Neuroscience
- Women's Health (OB/GYN)
Treatments and Services
Access award-winning, comprehensive primary and specialty care for your whole family.
Schedule a Visit
Convenient care options for your everyday health needs.
Research
- Clinical Trials
- Research Studies
- Publications
- Publications
Education
- Residencies and Fellowships
- Continuing Medical Education
Research and Education
Our contributions to medical research and education lead to better healthcare outcomes.
Graduate Medical Education
Join our robust training programs led by nationally known healthcare leaders.
Graduate Medical Education
Join our robust training programs led by nationally known healthcare leaders.
About Sutter Health
- About Us
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Awards and Honors
- Leadership
- Annual Report
- News and Media
- Patient Stories
- Business Programs
Community
- Giving
- Volunteer With Us
- Community Benefit
Careers
- Jobs at Sutter
- Physician Opportunities
- Residencies and Fellowships
About Us
Explore the ways we provide innovative, compassionate care through our network.
Work at Sutter Health
Shape the future of healthcare and build your career within our diverse teams.
Work at Sutter Health
Shape the future of healthcare and build your career within our diverse teams.
- Home
- Health and Wellness
- For Teens by Teens
- Drugs
- Prescription Drugs
Prescription Drugs
Learn the signs and side effects of prescription drug abuse.
Teens participating in the Summer Wellness Programs
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Prescription drugs can bring relief to people with medical conditions and chronic pain. However, if taken without a prescription or abused in another way, they can cause serious harm.
Misuse and abuse of prescription drugs is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Painkillers, also called opioids, are the most commonly abused prescription drugs.
Prescription drugs fall into three main groups:
- Opioids, such as Oxycontin, codeine and Vicodin.
- Depressants, such as Valium and Xanax.
- Stimulants, such as Adderall and Ritalin.
Misusing these medications can cause serious health consequences for teens’ still-developing bodies and brains. Short- and long-term effects may include:
- Paranoia.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Dangerously high body temperature.
- Drowsiness or fatigue.
- Nausea.
- Constipation.
- Slowed or shallow breathing.
- Disorientation and lack of coordination.
- Convulsions or seizures.
- Disinhibition and lack of judgment, leading to risky behaviors.
Signs of Misuse
If you or a friend shows these behaviors, it means that prescription drug use is turning into abuse or addiction.
- Incorrectly following instructions and doses for taking the medication; for example, taking more than one dose or crushing pills into powder to snort or inject.
- Mixing medications with other drugs or alcohol.
- Taking someone else’s prescription medicine.
- Going to a number of doctors and pharmacies to get the drugs.
Sharing Prescriptions
“Borrowing” drugs from a friend is extremely dangerous because the drug can act very differently in your brain and body than it does in the person who medically needs it.
For example, one-fourth of teens think that ADHD medication can be used as a study aid. However, if you borrow Ritalin from a friend and you don’t have ADHD, the drug will react differently and could cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, delirium, panic, paranoia and heart failure.
Resources
- Drug Guide, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and the Center for Addiction
- NIDA for Teens: Prescription Drugs
Last reviewed: November 2019
