Can vicodin cause permanent damage to a teens developing brain?

[Scarface720]

im a 16 yr old male and last year (when i was 15) i was taking 1 or 2 vicodin a day (6 hours apart never at one time) for 2 months (7.5/750 mg) but then i stopped (that was 10 months ago) and i am now worried i damaged my mental/emotional growth as a teen. does it sound like i was abusing the vicodin? do you think i damaged my mental/emotional growth from the vicodin?? please reassure me because im still in puberty and i dont want this effecting my social skills or somethin.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

The molecules in Vicodin (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) are not damaging to the brain of people in the doses you described-- chemical toxicity is not an issue.  But there is considerable risk that your use of pills in the past will make you more susceptible to using them again in the future.  When we cross certain boundaries-- do things that we know we are not 'supposed' to do-- we are more likely to cross those boundaries again, for many reasons.  For example, we think that since we did it once and survived, we will survive if we do it again.  We didn't get in trouble once, so we won't get in trouble another time. You get the idea.

There also may be a part of you that learned that you could temporarily escape from your stresses by swallowing a pill.  There is risk that you will therefore use the pills again, when you are facing tough times-- and we ALL face tough times eventually.

I strongly encourage you to read the stories of those with addictions to opioids on the addiction forum on this and other web sites.  Realize that none of the people who are desperately trying to get off pain pills thought that THEY would get stuck on them.  We all thought we were 'different'-- that we were so smart that the bad things would not happen to us.  That is how addiction becomes a problem-- the person cannot picture himself or herself to have anything to worry about until it is too late.

Read the comments of others, and realize what a gift it is to NOT be stuck on pain pills.  

[Eebb26]

I think u r ok. I don't think that amount would be considered abusing and u have been off them for a long time. No perm damage I'm sure. U got your whole life ahead of you to screw up (Jk) enjoy life and stay away from the meds . I'm a mom of two and trying to get off percocet that I've been taking for a year. I'm scared shi^*less but I have to. They r running my life and I'm getting obsessed. And broke. I don't want to die either . I have heard of  ppl that have taken 10 x the amount u did for long time and no damage. Just be a good teen and go find a hobby you like
. Write back if u want. I'm a great listener and was a teen not that long ago :)

[Scarface720]

thanks, but if i was taking the same dose but for 3 months would that have caused any damage to my developing brain? because i dont remember exactly how long i was on it but im pretty sure it was 2 months.