[Overdosing of popular medicines available without a prescription, a new trend among teenagers].

Abstract

Introduction: For last several years popularity of substances which improve concentration or/and cause hallucinations has considerably increased. There is a conviction that most frequent addictions among teenagers are cigarettes, alcohol or drugs of abuse. A very dangerous phenomenon has been ignored, becoming more common among scholars and students - usage of medicines available without doctor's prescription (over the counter drugs - OTC). Popularity and fame of these specifics comes from side effects observed especially when overdosed.

Material and methods: In years 2007-2012 in Clinical Toxicology Laboratory of Medical Pomeranian University 4304 toxicological analyses was conducted with specified direction on drugs analysis (39% of all analyses made in that period). In some cases, especially of young people, a doctor ordering the analysis pointed as possible cause of intoxication "recreational usage" of OTC drugs. Those suspicions were confirmed by toxicological examinations.

Conclusions: It seems that dominating character feature of people who abuse psychoactive substances is emotional immaturity. Maturation process can be impaired or completely inhibited by abusing psychoactive substances. This is processes are considered which enhance immaturity of person's personality - so called defense mechanisms.