Abusing Over-The-Counter Drugs: Dangerous Sign that Could Lead to Suicide

Editorial

14:59 JST, March 8, 2025

An increasing number of young people are taking large quantities of over-the-counter cold and cough medicine in an attempt to escape from their anxiety and stress. There have also been many cases in which people have taken to a hospital after attempting suicide by taking excessive amounts of medicine.

How to prevent such overdoses has become a critical issue from the perspective of suicide prevention. It is important to investigate the circumstances and causes of young people’s overdoses and to extend support.

Over-the-counter drugs are safe to use as long as one follows the prescribed dosage and usage. But if they take a large amount of the drugs, they may experience symptoms such as loss of consciousness, irregular heartbeat or liver damage, all of which can be life-threatening.

In addition, there are many people who intentionally take large amounts of over-the-counter drugs in an attempt to kill themselves.

The Japanese Society for Emergency Medicine and another organization studied patients from the end of 2022 to the end of 2023 who were taken to a hospital in an emergency after attempting suicide. The organizations found that the 44 medical institutions nationwide that participated in the study had treated around 2,000 people for suicide attempts.

By age group, women in their 20s made up the largest group of people who attempted suicide, at 398. Among those from 10 to 39 years old, the number of women and girls who attempted suicide was double that of men and boys. The most common method of attempted suicide for both men and women was overdosing, and for women, this accounted for nearly 70% of cases.

People who have unsuccessfully attempted suicide are at high risk of actually committing suicide. Emergency and critical care centers nationwide should refer people who have been brought in after attempting suicide to specialist doctors and support organizations so they can receive mental health care and prevent them from attempting suicide again.

To prevent people from buying large quantities of medicines, stores currently limit the number of drugs that customers can purchase at one time. But this is not very effective because it is possible to purchase more at other stores.

If the use of My Number identification cards becomes more common, it will probably be possible for the cards to have a function that will keep a record of purchases of over-the-counter drugs. There is room for consideration in the future on this point.

One cause of the overdose problem is likely that more and more young people do not have anyone to turn to at home or at school and are becoming isolated, as they are unable to seek advice.

It has become a problem in society recently that the area known as “Toyoko” in Tokyo’s Kabukicho district has become a hangout spot for young people who abuse over-the-counter drugs. It is not uncommon for such young people to become involved in prostitution or so-called dark part-time jobs.

Many young people who have worries have been visiting a consultation facility near the Toyoko area set up by the Tokyo metropolitan government last year. The facility, which provides snacks and beverages, aims to be a place where young people can easily stop in.

Facilities where young people can feel safe to talk about their worries and receive support should spread nationwide.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 8, 2025)