|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Bay Area teacher describes how pressure, pain and silence fuel opioid vulnerability in schools
The opioid epidemic is often discussed in statistics such as overdose deaths, hospitalizations and prescription rates. But in our high schools, it’s the quiet domino effect that both students and teachers are noticing: Anxiety, stress, and the following silent normalization of pill misuse.
“Most teenagers simply don’t see themselves as ‘at risk,’” said Tony Battilega, who teaches health to high school freshmen at Foothill High School in Pleasanton. “But what they do not realize is that opioids often start with something as simple as taking an extra pill after surgery or trying something a friend says is harmless.”
Students today are more aware than ever of their mental health, yet this
awareness hasn’t always meant safer coping mechanisms. Teachers say stress, academic pressure, and social media have created multiple new layers of vulnerability. “We talk about stress management, about asking for help,” Battilega explained. “But there’s still stigma. Students worry they’ll be judged or get in trouble if they admit they’re struggling.”
The Bay Area is known for high achievement, naturally leading to more stress among the youth. This stress compels many, especially teenagers, to use opioids, leading to addiction. Local educators are calling for more open conversations, not only about the apparent dangers of opioids, but also about why many students feel drawn to them. “Addiction doesn’t start with bad people making bad choices,” Battilega said. “It starts with pain, and sometimes just a desire for that pain to stop.”
Battilega stressed that early education is one of the most powerful tools for
prevention. His classes include lessons on brain chemistry, recovery, and how to
support a friend who may be using such drugs.
“We want them to understand that addiction is a health issue, not a moral failure,” he said.
Students across Pleasanton and the wider Bay Area are beginning to take
initiative too, by organizing awareness weeks, inviting guest speakers, and
learning to use Narcan, a life-saving medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
“When students realize how much power they have to look out for one another,” said Battilega, “that’s when change really begins.”
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
Draeger’s Market closing store in Blackhawk, cites ‘declining condition’ at plazaJanuary 9, 2026 4:37 pm
