The morning after Kara babysat for Josh, I noticed my son’s prescription bottle had been drained of all but a few pills. I knew this because I keep meticulous watch over his medication. I’m aware there is a growing trend of children and teenagers abusing Ritalin and other prescription drugs.

My first reaction to the missing pills was, admittedly, anger. But during my quiet time with the Lord that morning, I realized I should lovingly confront Kara about the missing medication and her potential use of it. After all, the bigger problem was not that Josh was now short on pills but that Kara could have a life-threatening addiction.

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise among teens and young adolescents. One reliable source reports that one in five teens admits to having abused pain medications, prescription stimulants, and/or tranquilizers. Because many young people are not familiar with the dangerous side effects of these legitimately prescribed drugs, they assume their flirtations are harmless. But when taken incorrectly, prescription drugs can have dangerous results, such as seizures, respiratory depression, decreased heart rate, cardiovascular system failure, and feelings of paranoia.

Ask God to help you be an alert parent who’s aware of signs of drug misuse, and ask Him to show you other avenues through which you can help put a stop to this dangerous situation.