Research shows a sharp growth in sedation and anxiety medication disorders in adolescents

Research shows a sharp growth in sedation and anxiety medication disorders in adolescents

The prevalence of diagnosed disorders caused by recurrent use of sedative, hypnotic and anti-holiday medications among adolescents and young adults has increased sharply since 2001, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

Their study, published inSeeksexamined diagnoses of these disorders in adolescents and young adults between 2001 and 2019.

Sedative, hypnotic, and anti-ox medications are used to treat a variety of conditions, including sleep and anxiety disorders. According to Harvard Health, consistent use of these drugs can lead to a higher tolerance for their effects, meaning patients require higher doses to achieve the intended effects.

For some, a problematic pattern of use of these medications can cause significant impairment and distress. In this case, patients may be diagnosed with sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorders, which are estimated at 2.2 million Americans, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Using national Medicaid data on nearly 7 million adolescents and young adults in 2001 and 13 million adolescents and young adults in 2019, Rutgers Health researchers examined diagnoses of sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorders. The prevalence increased threefold in adolescents and increased in young adults from 2001 to 2019.

The increase in diagnoses of these disorders may be due to changes in the availability, use, and abuse of sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiety medications, as well as increases in the recognition, awareness, and diagnosis of these disorders. “

Greta Bushnell, assistant professor at the Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science (Pet Animals) and lead author of the study

Sedative, hypnotic and anti-anxiety medications are accessed in a number of ways, including through medical prescriptions as well as through non-medical sources such as a friend or in a medicine cabinet. The researchers found that the prevalence of sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder was increased among adolescents with prescriptions. However, the majority of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorder did not have a prescription for any of these medications.

"Efforts to nonmedically consume these drugs are important to reduce this disorder," said Bushnell, who is also an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health, "as it is cautious in this young population."

The researchers also found that most adolescents and young adults with sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorders had another comorbid substance use disorder diagnosis. Cannabis use disorder was the most common among adolescents and opioid use disorder among young adults.

"While sedative, hypnotic and anxiolytic use disorders are less common than other substance use disorders, clinicians and researchers need to draw attention to treatment difficulties and the association with other substance use problems in light of treatment disorders," Bushnell said.

Studying trends in youth diagnosed with the disorder can lead to a better understanding of the population and how to provide care and resources to support it, researchers say.

Co-authors of the study include Kristen Lloyd and Tobias Gerhard from Pets and Rutgers Institute for Health Care Policy and Aging Research. Katherine Keyes, Mark Olfson and Deborah Hasin of Columbia University; and Magdalena Cerdá from New York University.

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