Drug Abuse and Teens

1
Drug Abuse and Teens

• Facts
• Myths
• Prevention
• Detection
• Solutions
• Resources

by Colleen Deaven Brighton Community Education,
in association with Brighton Hospital
2
Facts

• More adolescents die each year as a result of
  drug/alcohol related accidents.
• The three leading causes of death for 15 to 24
  year olds are automobile crashes, homicides and
  suicide alcohol/drug use is a leading factor in
  all three.

3
Facts

• Adolescents presently using alcohol or tobacco
  are more likely to use illicit drugs.

4
Facts

• Dependence on alcohol and other drugs is also
  associated with psychiatric problems such as
  depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant
  disorder, or antisocial personality disorder.
• Alcohol is often perceived as the "lesser of two
  evils" because it's legal -- and thus parents may
  be more tolerant of its use.

5
Facts

• The average age when youth first try alcohol is
  11 years old for boys and 13 years old for girls.
• Over three million teenagers are alcoholics.

6
Facts

• For every dollar spent on drug use prevention,
  communities can save 4 to 5 dollars in costs for
  drug abuse treatment and counseling.

7
Myths

• Experimentation is normal. All kids try alcohol
  and pot.
• This implies that experimenting is harmless.
  This is dangerous thinking.
• Kids need to experiment so they can learn their
  limits.
• Adolescents dont have the maturity to set sound
  and reasonable limits. That is why a drinking
  age exists.

8
Myths

• Kids drink because we make such a big deal about
  it. Europe doesnt have a drinking age and they
  dont have a problem.
• Cultural standards are vital to model appropriate
  behavior. Alcoholism is a major problem in
  France and Ireland where drunkenness is condoned.

9
Myths

• High self esteem protects a child from the
  dangers of alcohol and drugs.
• The majority of addicts have low self esteem.
  This is however, a symptom of drug abuse, not a
  precursor. It is possible for a child with a
  high self esteem to become an addict.

10
Myths

• Children can drink as long as they do it
  responsibly.
• This sends the message that teens are expected to
  break the law as long as they do it responsibly.

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Prevention

• Establish school and community-wide awareness of
  drug issues.
• This should be long-term, over the school career
  with repeat interventions to reinforce the
  original prevention goals. For example,
  school-based efforts directed at elementary and
  middle school students should include booster
  sessions to help with critical transitions from
  middle to high school.

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Prevention

• Establish school and community-wide awareness of
  drug issues.
• New regulations that restrict access to alcohol,
  tobacco, or other drugs, are more effective when
  they are accompanied by school and family
  interventions.
• Age-specific, developmentally appropriate, and
  culturally sensitive.

13
Prevention

• Use law enforcement expertise to provide drug
  education to community.
• Target all forms of drug abuse, including the use
  of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants.

14
Prevention

• Use area professionals to provide prevention
  programs to students and their parents.
• Include skills to resist drugs when offered,
  strengthen personal commitments against drug use,
  and increase social competency (e.g., in
  communications, peer relationships,
  self-efficacy, and assertiveness), in conjunction
  with reinforcement of attitudes against drug use.

15
Prevention

• Use area professionals to provide prevention
  programs to students and their parents
• Include interactive methods, such as peer
  discussion groups, rather than didactic teaching
  techniques alone.
• Include a parents' or caregivers' component that
  reinforces what the children are learning-such as
  facts about drugs and their harmful effects -
  this opens opportunities for family discussions
  about use of legal and illegal substances and
  family policies about their use.

16
Prevention

• Establish a school-wide task force with an
  advisory council to plan actions.
• Develop specific guidelines for staff to follow
  as it pertains to addictive/using behavior.
• Clearly state a zero-tolerance policy.
• Educate students about the dangers of addictive
  behavior.
• Educate students about how to handle peer
  pressure.

17
Prevention

• Establish a relationship with local neighborhood
  watch group.
• Offer to have neighborhood watch meetings at the
  school and have a school representative present.
• Report all suspicious persons, groups, activities
  and vehicles to police.

18
Prevention

• Provide students with recreation and employment
  opportunities.
• Establish curriculum to include this.
• Establish a program where students can earn
  credit through community service.
• Encourage involvement on sports teams where the
  student can earn credit.

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Detection

• Why do kids use drugs?
• Pressure from friends wanting to fit in.
• Insecurity shyness, lack of self confidence.
• Escape to avoid the tensions of adolescence.
• All of these are reasons a child may try to self
  medicate. He/she is in pain and needs help.

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Detection

• Possible Signs of Drug Use.
• Sudden changes or marked swings in mood.
• Absenteeism or loss of interest in school,
  regular friends, hobbies and activities.
• Sudden drop in grades.
• Unusually aggressive behavior.
• Decline in physical appearance.
• Excessive tiredness and irritability.

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Detection

• Possible Signs of Drug Use (continued)
• New friendship groups (often older).
• Sores and rashes around the mouth.
• Unusual or unfamiliar smells/stains on clothing
  or in bedroom.
• Loss of appetite.
• Drug paraphernalia empty butane gas cans,
  scorched tinfoil, baggies, heat discolored spoons
  or knives, scales, roach clips.

22
Detection

• Possible signs of drug use (continued)
• Sudden weight loss.
• Slurred speech, unclear thinking, poor short-term
  memory.
• Unusual secretiveness.
• Lying and stealing.

23
Solutions

• The most common and effective way for an
  individual to combat his or her addictive
  behaviors is through a self-help support group,
  with advice and support from a health care
  professional. 
• Treatment should involve family members because
  family history may play a role in the origins of
  the problem and successful treatment cannot take
  place in isolation.

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Solutions

• Prevention works!! Make it work for you through
  knowledge and education

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Resources

• Books
• Kuhn, Cynthia, (1998). Buzzed The Straight Facts
  About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol
  to Ecstasy. W.W. Norton Company.
• Trimpey, Jack, (1996). Rational Recovery The
  Cure for Substance Addiction. Pocket Books.
• Twerski, Abraham J., (1997). Addictive Thinking
  Understanding Self Deception. Hazelden
  Information Education.

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Resources

• Journal Articles
• Johnson, Patrick B., Phd. (2000). The
  relationship between adolescent smoking and
  drinking and likelihood of illicit drug use.
  Journal of Addictive Diseases, 19, 32-41.
• Marshall, Shelley, B.S. (1999). The
  multigenerational treatment setting for the
  chemically dependent adolescent. Journal of
  Addictive Diseases, 18, 101-110.
• Wise, Brian K., Cuffe, Stephen P., Fischer,
  Timothy. (2001). Dual diagnosis and successful
  participation of adolescents in substance abuse
  treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment,
  21, 161-165.

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Resources

• Web Sites
• www.focusas.com Focus Adolescent Services
• www.drugabuse.gov National Institute on Drug
  Abuse
• www.samhsa.gov SAMHSA Web Center for Substance
  Abuse Prevention

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Resources

• National Groups
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug
  Dependence (NCADD) 20 Exchange Place, Suite 2902
  New York, NY 10005 [phone]
• American Society of Addiction Medicine 4601 North
  Park Avenue, Arcade Suite 101 Chevy Chase, MD
  20815 [phone]
• American Council on Alcoholism 3900 North Fairfax
  Drive, Suite 401 Arlington, VA 22203 (703)
  248-9005