INCREASING USE OF ANTIANXIETY
PILLS.
THEY'RE CONCERNED THIS COULD BE
THE NEXT DRUG EPIDEMIC.
DOC SIEGEL JOINS US NOW.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANTI-ANXIETY
DRUGS LIKE XANAX, FOR EXAMPLE?
>> VALIUM.
KLONOPIN.
STUART: CAN YOU GET HIGH ON THAT
STUFF.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING THIS
STORY.
THIS IS THE UNTOLD EPIDEMIC.
IF YOU COMBINE THE THINGS WITH
OPIOIDS WHICH IS ON A BIG
INCREASE, YOU INCREASE YOUR RISK
OF OVERDOSE DEATH BY 10 TIMES.
YOU KNOW WHY?
INSTITUTE OF DRUG ABUSE, FROM
BENZOS, HAS QUADRUPLED.
14 MILLION PRESCRIPTIONS WRITTEN
>> 14 MILLION.
THIS IS HIGHLY USED SUBSTANCE TO
CONTROL ANXIETY.
I'M NOT SAYING IT DOESN'T HAVE
USES, BY THE WAY.
BUT I'M SAYING IT LEADS TO
INCREASED RISKS OF OVERDOSE,
ESPECIALLY COMBINED WITH ALCOHOL
AND OPIOIDS.
IT IS SOMETHING NOT TAKEN
LIGHTLY.
STUART: IS IT FAIRLY EASY TO
NOT ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD, GIVE
ME SOMETHING?
>> YOU'RE ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD.
STUART: I'M BEING HYPOTHETICAL.
THIS IS SERIOUS SUBJECT.
>> YEAH.
STUART: IT IS EASY TO COME
ACROSS, IT IS EASY TO GET A
SUBSCRIPTION, ISN'T IT?
>> IT SHOULDN'T BE.
STUART: BUT IT IS.
>> IT IS DEA RESTRICTED DRUG.
DOCTORS SHOULD BE SERIOUS ABOUT
OPIOIDS, PRESCRIBING PERCOCET,
OXYCONTIN, ALL OF THAT, I THINK
WE'VE TAKEN SPOTLIGHT OFF THESE
DRUGS WHICH ARE HIGHLY
ADDICTIVE.
IT SHOULDN'T BE EASY TO COME BY.
YOU'RE RIGHT, TOO EASY TO COME
BY.
TOO MANY DOCTORS FLICKING THE
PEOPLE CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT FOR
ANXIETY AND INSOMNIA.
IT IS A GOOD CHOICE.
WE HAVE TO MONITOR IT FOR
DAILY, WHATEVER DOSE IT IS, BUT
YOU TAKE IT DAILY OVER A LONG,
LONG PERIOD OF TIME?
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> NO.
STUART: NO?
>> NOT HOW I LIKE TO USE IT.
>> NORMAL PEOPLE USE IT IF THEY
HAVE A BOUGHT OF ANXIETY,
OCCASIONALLY, USE IT FOR THAT.
NOW I DO HAVE PATIENTS THAT ARE
ON IT EVERY DAY.
PSYCHIATRISTS DO USE IT EVERY
DAY.
WHAT YOU SAID IT IS NOT THE ONLY
WAY TO DO IT.
MORE FOR EPISODE OF PANIC OR
ANXIETY OR SLEEPLESSNESS.
WHEN YOU START USING EVERY DAY
AND DOSE REQUIREMENT THE GO UP,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDICTION.
IT SUPPRESSES BREATHING.
IF YOU COMBINE IT WITH THINGS
LIKE ALCOHOL OR OPIOIDS YOU
INCREASE YOUR RISK OF DEATH.
FOR THAT.
STUART: I'M GLAD WE GOT IT ON
THE AIR.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DEVELOPING AND
SERIOUS STORY.
>> PROBLEM WITH ADDICTION IN
THIS COUNTRY IS COMBINED
PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT JUST OPIOIDS.
IT IS ALCOHOL AND ALSO THIS,
BENZOS.
STUART: I HAVE TO GET THIS ONE
IN AS WELL.
ANOTHER STUDY FINDS TEENS
FREQUENTLY USE SMARTPHONES ON
THEM ALL THE TIME, MORE LIKELY
TO DEVELOP ADHD, ATTENTION
DEFICIT DISORDER.
>> YOU CAN'T FOCUS, IMPULSIVE,
BEHAVIORIAL PROBLEMS.
FLITTING AROUND ALL THE TIME,
SITUATION?
POINT OUT 50% OF OUR YOUTH AN
THREE OR FOUR HOURS A DAY.
IF YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH THAT,
INSTEAD OF WITH FRIENDS, OR
FAMILY OR LOVED ONES.
YOU ACTUALLY THAT PROBLEM, TWICE
AS MORE LIKELY DEVELOP A PROBLEM
WHERE YOU CAN'T SUSTAIN NORMAL
INTERACTION.
YOU CAN'T FOCUS AND DEVELOP
IMPULSIVITY.
STUART: IS THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE?
I LIKE IT.
I DO.
SO --
>> THIS STUDY OUT OF USC WAS
THEY'RE MIDDLE OF DEVELOPING.
BY THE TIME YOU GET A LITTLE
OLDER, PRESUMABLY YOUR PATTERNS
CHANGE.
YOU WILL NOT DEVELOP ADHD NOW
BUT YOUR POINT IS FAIR.
I THINK IT IS A RISK FOR OLDER
PEOPLE, ADULTS.
WE'RE IN ADHD SOCIETY, STUART.
STUART: TO BE SERIOUS FOR A
SECOND, MY ATTENTION SPAN IS
VERY LIMITED.
THE TIME, DOING NEWS.
THE THING A COUPLE HOURS A DAY.
>> GO TO THE FARM, USE IT LESS
OFTEN.
DO MORE INTERACTION WITH GREAT