Chapter 12 Drugs of Abuse

What Do You Think

A physical addiction is more powerful than a psychological addiction.

Unlike smoking tobacco, smoking marijuana does not harm health.

People usually recover from dependency on their own.

Section 1: Drug Abuse Defined

Class activity

◦Create a list of positive and negative consequences that can result from drug use, misuse, and abuse. Are there more positive or negative consequences?

Section 2: Why do people abuse drugs?

Partner Activity:

Create a list of the reasons you think that people abuse drugs. Make a list of strategies to avoid some of the reasons you just came up with.

Section 2: Why do people abuse dugs?

Why do people abuse drugs?

• Peer Pressure• Family Members• Role Models• Media Messages• Perceptions of

Drug behavior

Misleading Information

PersonalityEuphoria

Section 2: Why do people abuse drugs?

Peer Pressure◦A strong factor that motivates people to abuse drugs is peer pressure.

◦A strong desire to fit in socially, risk-takers, drawn to dangerous behavior.

Section 2: Why do people abuse drugs?

Values- teens who lack strong internal values, such as the value of good grades, and high moral standards, often abuse drugs

Boredom- some people wrongly believe that taking drugs provides pleasure, excitement or fun.

Escape- people don’t feel loved, have no friends may take drugs as a substitute for what is missing.

Section 2: Why do people abuse drugs?

Personality- some people are naturally curious, and may want to try drugs to experience what they are like. It may be because they are shy or uncomfortable in social situations, relieve tension, or because a person has low self-esteem or poor self-image.

Section 2: Why do people abuse drugs?

Homework:Write a 1 page essay (10 Pts)

Topic: Entertainers, movies, songs, magazines, and books may portray drug abuse as funny or cool. What can you do to change this image? Write a 1 page essay outlining how we as a society can change the media’s outlook on drugs.

Section 3: Addiction

Drug Addiction- a physical and or psychological need for higher and higher doses of a drug.

Do you think anyone starts out using a substance in the hopes of becoming addicted?

Section 3: Addiction

Drugs & the Brain ◦Drugs provide a sense of euphoria by imitating the brain’s natural way of producing pleasure.

◦The acts of eating, being physically active, and relaxing all release endorphins.

◦The lack of these chemicals produces an unpleasant feeling known as dysphoria

Section 3: Addiction

How does addiction set in?

◦The craving created by withdrawal, and the need to take higher and higher doses, creates a spiral of physical addiction

Section 6: Kicking the Habit

Facing the problem

The first step in solving a drug problem is to admit that you have one.

The next is to seek help

Section 6: Kicking the Habit

Getting HelpPeople rarely recover from drugs on

their own Help comes in many forms including

hospitalization and drug-quitting groupsNarcotics Anonymous is a free, self-help

program of addiction recovery12 step programs-promotes personal

growth and lead’s to person’s helping others recover

Section 6: Kicking the Habit

Getting HelpNA offers psychological therapy

groups, individual psychotherapy, and drug therapy

Why might it be important to not talk about someone else’s problem outside the group?

Section 6: Kicking the Habit

Problems Along the WayWhen a person first becomes drug

free he or she has overcome a big obstacle

Next step is to develop a new support system

The best chance of staying clean is to develop a support system of other people who are drug free

Section 7: Helping Someone Else Kick the Habit

Signs of Drug AbuseThe best way to find out for sure if a person is

abusing drugs is to express concern and ask questions

Another way to show you care is to make the effort to help

3 things you can do to help a person with a drug problem:1. Make sure the person knows you don’t approve of

the drug habit2. Making available all the information you can

gather on the health effects of the drug

Section 7: Helping Someone Else Kick the Habit

Signs of Drug Abuse (Cont.) 3. Making sure the person knows, on choosing to

seek help, where to go for it. Drug addiction does not mean someone is

a bad person. Do not blame the person, it can make

them feel guiltyIf you want to help don’t judge or blame

the person

Section 7: Helping Someone Else Kick the Habit

Signs of Drug AbusePaleness/PerspirationDilated PupilsRunny nose &

NosebleedsJitters/HyperactivityAbility to go long

periods of time w/out food or sleep

Anxiety, anger, or unreasonable suspiciousness

Loss of memoryExtreme increases in

energy and talk-ativeness, followed by lethargy/ depression

Not caring about appearance

Broken appointments, promises, lying

Bad Grades, missing school, trouble w/law, family, or authorities