Alcohol, Smoking & Drugs

Can I Get Addicted to Melatonin?

Published: February 18, 2021

Dear TeenHealthFX,

I am 15 and have a hard time sleeping. I saw my doctor already. He said I can try to take melatonin to see if it helps. Isn't it addicting? How will I know if I am addicted?

Signed: Can I Get Addicted to Melatonin?

Dear Can I Get Addicted to Melatonin?,

TeenHealthFX is glad you saw your doctor about your sleep issues and was recommended something that can help. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in your body, but some people do not produce enough to have restful sleep. This is why some doctors recommend a melatonin supplement. Mayo Clinic explains that melatonin supplements are not addicting or habit forming. However, it is important to take it under the supervision of a doctor. People can react differently to melatonin and the amount you should take would be specified and modified to your needs by the recommending doctor.

In addition, melatonin can cause some side effects such as nausea, drowsiness, or dizziness so it is important to follow the directions on the label to make sure it is used properly. If you are still concerned about the use of melatonin, we recommend reaching back out to your doctor and ask any questions you may still have.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

Ratings

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the US among people aged 10-14 ¹

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US among people aged 15-24 ²

51% of youth (6-17) get treatment each year for a mental health condition ³

15.6 teenage girls for every 1,000 will give birth to a baby before they are 20 years old. ⁴

Only 6% of high school students get tested for STDs ⁵

1/3 of high school students who were currently sexually active used effective hormonal birth control the last time they had sex with an opposite-sex partner ⁶

Nearly 30% of female students currently drank alcohol and nearly 20% currently used marijuana.⁷

2.14 million middle and high school students currently vape ⁸

Over 80% of women and men both report having experienced their first rape under the age of 25. ⁹

Almost 40% of high school students have reported using marijuana at least once. ¹⁰

83.88% of 12- to 17-year-olds have reported using marijuana within the last month. ¹¹

One in four women first experienced intimate partner violence before the age of 18. ¹²

5.9 million teens have reported to drink at least once in the past month. ¹³

In 2022, there were 1,573 motor-vehicle deaths from underage drinks ¹⁴

About 1 in 10 children live in a home with a parent who has a drinking problem ¹⁵

Only 65 percent of teens consistently wear seat belts when driving or as a passenger. ¹⁶

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than any other age group. ¹⁷

49% of the youth report having less than 3 friends in 2022 ¹⁸

^{2.7 million youth report experiencing severe major depression}¹⁹

Over 3.3 million teens will be graduating from high school in the year 2023-2024 ²⁰

The average social media screen time for teens is 7 hours and 22 minutes per day ²¹