Chinese teens are turning to mind-numbing drugs to 'run away from reality' - BBC News

Students are seeking prescription drugs because they fear failure, a teen tells the BBC.

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Buckling under exam pressure, teens in China are turning to prescription drugs

At 14, *Xiaomei, a high-performing student from a coastal province in China, decided to overdose on cough medication.

She wanted to impress an older boy who told her it would help her relax. The tablets were usually only available with a doctor's prescription, but she managed to buy them online.

At first she found that they made her a bit dizzy. But she was soon hooked to the slightly numb sensation, which, to her, felt like a brief respite from the pressure of looming exams. When taken in large doses, the drug can cause serious side effects, including hallucinations and impaired coordination.

Eventually she tried other medication recommended to her on chat groups. Some were for pain or epileptic seizures. Sometimes she would take five tablets. Other times she would try more than 10 to feel the effects of different drugs.