A sleep physician has warned there is an “epidemic” of sleeping disorders in Australian high school students, partly caused by the abuse or overuse of prescription medications as study aids.
Chris Seton of Westmead Children’s Hospital said he’s observed a spike in cases of students misusing stimulants like Ritalin or wakefulness drugs like Modafinil in the lead-up to exam season.
“The kids I see in year 12 at this time are in crisis,” Seton said, adding that it’s apparent “through their sleep deprivation, it is the spring time peak.
I hate the word epidemic, but I don’t know what a better word is.”
Conversely, he’s also observed the increasing usage of the hormone melatonin, a naturally-occurring sleep aid.
Seton said students are now using melatonin to take the edge off prescription stimulants and energy drinks, an combination he likens to “taking Panadol for a headache and hitting your head against the wall.”
New research suggests rate of teens abusing prescription pharmaceuticals has jumped in recent years, with the National Drug Research Institute suggesting some users “may be trying to get a sleep effect from using codeine.”
Seton’s statements come after HSC students faced ridicule for a Facebook page which encourages users to vent about their exam stresses. He also described an over-representation of patients who attend expensive private schools.
All of this points to ever-increasing pressures placed upon young Aussies from a number of sources. As young guns nationwide continue their final exams, Seton urges anyone with a sleeping problem to seek help before resulting to rampant self-medication.
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