If you have a teenager, you need to be concerned about opioid abuse. Studies show that more than 2 million people ages 12 years and older had some type of opioid disorder in 2016 alone. In fact, about 3.6 percent of all adolescents between the ages of 12-17 misused opioids in 2016. Those are alarming statistics. You might not realize that opioid use doesn't just include the use of illicit drugs, such as heroin. It also includes the use of prescription pain medication; medication that's prescribed on a regular basis after dental work or serious injuries. If you suspect that your teen is addicted to opioids, you need to get help for them as soon as possible. If you're not sure how to spot possible opioid addiction, take a look at the information provided below. Here are some tips that will help you identify an addiction. 

Your Teen is Interested in Your Medication

If you've been prescribed pain medication that your teen seems to be overly interested in, it's time to take a closer look. Teens often gain access to opioids through their own homes. If you've found your teen going through your medicine cabinet or if your prescription medication is disappearing faster than you're using it, your teen may have an opioid problem. 

Your Teen has Unusual Marks

When teens abuse opioids, they're looking for a high similar to the one they can get from heroin use. To do that, they often look for other ways to take the opioids they're abusing. One way to do that is through injections. If you suspect that your teen is abusing opioids, take a closer look at their body, especially their arms, legs, feet, and neck. These are the areas where teens tend to inject the opioids after they've crushed them into a fine powder and heated them up. If you find small needle marks or clusters of sores in any of these areas, it's time to get help for your teen. 

Your Teen Complains of Continued Pain

If your teen was prescribed pain medication for an injury or for dental work and they've continued to complain about pain, the first thing you should do is talk to their doctor. They could have an underlying condition that's causing continued pain. If they're cleared by their doctor, you need to start looking at a possible opioid addiction, especially if they've asked you to refill their prescription beyond the refills that were available or they've gone through their medication faster than they should have. 

Don't take chances with the health and safety of your teen. If you suspect that your teen is addicted to opioids, seek help through an opiate addiction treatment facility. With treatment, your teen can overcome the addiction before it destroys their life.