Substance Use and Abuse Substance Abuse What is
Substance Use and Abuse
Substance Abuse What is Substance Abuse? • Substance abuse is any unnecessary or improper use of chemical substances for non-medical purposes. • Substance abuse includes overuse or multiple use of a drug, including alcohol, taken in combination with other drugs
Factors that Influence Our Decisions • School • Peers • Community • Religion • Past Experiences • Society • Family • Culture • Media/Advertisements
Media • Popular culture, which sometimes glamorizes the use of alcohol and other drugs, influences young people in Canada and around the world through the internet, television, and movies. • An example of this is the powerful advertising messages that link the consumption of alcoholic beverages with images of good times, popularity, and success
Physiological Effects of Substance Abuse Short-Term Effects • Slows brain activity • Strains liver • Slows reflexes (some may increase reflexes) • Loss of inhibition • High or happy feeling • Depression or mood swings • Faster pulse rate • Dizziness • Loss of appetite
Physiological Effects of Substance Abuse Long-Term Effects • Impaired memory • Menstrual irregularities • Impotence • Kidney damage • Lung problems • Risk of damage to fetus • Brain damage • Heart damage • Liver damage • Growth impairment • Possible birth defects
Drug Use Continuum • Non-use • Never used a particular drug • Experimental Use • Has tried a substance or several times • Use is motivated by curiosity about the drug effect, and peer influence • Occasional Use • Use is frequent and irregular, usually confined to special occasions • Availability, accessibility, and affordability influence use • Regular Use • Use has a predictable pattern, which may entail frequent or infrequent use • Usually the user feels in control of the drug use • Dependence Use • • Use is regular and predictable and usually frequent The user experiences a physiological and/or psychological need for the drug User will continue to use despite the consequences Drugs are often used alone and daily activities may be planned around drug use.
Drug Use Continuum Game • The Drug Use Continuum outlines five types (categories of dug use. • They are: non-use, experimental use, occasional use, regular use, and dependence use. • The class will be divided into 4 teams and each team will be read two statements from Level 1 (each worth 5 points), one statement from Level 2 (each worth 10 points), and one statement from Level 3 (each worth 15 points). • In a round robin format, I will read a statement to each team and that team must then assign the correct “type of drug use” to the person described in the scenario. • At the end of the game, the team with the highest score wins the game.
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Alex has tried marijuana a couple of times. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
EXPERIMENTAL
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Between classes, Lindsay has a cigarette while catching up on gossip in the area where the kids hand out to smoke. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
REGULAR
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Because pot is available and easy to get, Fred and his friends smoke up when they go to raves. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
OCCASIONAL
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Kelly looks forward to smoking a joint every day after school. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
REGULAR
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Brooke was curious and drank beer to see what it was like to be drunk. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
EXPERIMENTAL
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Elizabeth is dreading her father’s birthday party next week because he’s going to get drunk and embarrass her like he has before. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
REGULAR
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Like they did at the Halloween dance, Daniel and his friends drank before the Christmas dance to get into the holiday spirit. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
OCCASIONAL
LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS • Chelsea felt left out at the party, so she took a “drag” when the joint came around to her. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
EXPERIMENTAL
LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS • Melissa needs a cigarette every morning when she gets up in order to get herself going. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
DEPENDENCE
LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS • Tim’s father take methadone to help him lead a normal life. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
DEPENDENCE
LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS • Christie will only buy a certain kind of beer for parties. She says it is “her brand”. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
REGULAR
LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS • Rob needs to use more cocaine to get the same high as he did last month. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
DEPENDENCE
LEVEL THREE QUESTIONS • Tara and her boyfriend fight because she thinks that drinking every Friday night means he has a problem, but he doesn’t agree. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
REGULAR
LEVEL THREE QUESTIONS • Paul has been taking steroids for the past six months. He can lift more weights than when he started to work out. He feels great and is proud of his progress. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
REGULAR
LEVEL THREE QUESTIONS • Despite a suspension for being drunk at the last dance, Scott drank during his lunch on the day he returned to school. • What type of user is he? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
DEPENDENCE
LEVEL THREE QUESTIONS • Over the last month, Sue has taken a few diet pills from her mother’s prescription. She has lost five pounds, feels great, and is enjoying the attention from her friends about her new look. • What type of user is she? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Non-user Experimental Occasional Regular Dependent
OCCASIONAL
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