Drugs & Teens

KateSchool Based Clinic, Room E021

School Clinic

• Location• Services• Cost• Registration

IntroductionRemember that we don’t know the experiences of others in the room. Let’s be respectful, as this can be a sensitive topic. We all know people who struggle with drugs and alcohol.

DO NOT share personal information about yourself or others.

When we talk about “drugs” or “substances”, we mean alcohol, illegal drugs, some prescription drugs, and the currently legal alternatives to illegal drugs.

Feel free to ask questions!

Today

• Goals & Decision Making• Consequences• School resources• Trivia!

5 years from now…• Where are you living?• What kind of place?• With whom?• Are you working? Where?• Are you going to school? Where?• How do you feel?

Share out!

Drug use is risky

• Unintended consequences• Decision making• Hard for teens

What do you think are the possible worst case scenarios of drug use?

Decision Making

What do I care about most? How will drug abuse affect that?

Group Chat:Consequences of Drug Abuse

for TeensAbuse: pattern, harmful• Academic• Physical health• Mental health• Social• Legal• Consequences of having sex under the

influence

Academic Consequences of Drug Abuse

• Declining grades• Higher potential for dropping out • Low commitment to education • Higher truancy rates

Physical Health Consequences of Drug Abuse

• Heart problems• Cancer• Lung damage• Hormone disruption• Liver & kidney damage• Skin problems• Death

Guess which drug causes these effects?

Mental Health Consequences of Drug Abuse

• Decreased memory– Learning problems

• Brain becomes dependent on drugs to calm, regulate mood, sleep, and feel reward

• Increases risk for mental health problems, including– Depression– Conduct problems– Personality disorders– Suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide– Teens that use marijuana weekly double their risk of

depression and anxiety

What percent of people addicted to drugs do you think started using drugs

before they turned 18?

Show with your hands

Social Consequences of Drug Abuse

• Disengage from school and community activities• Can lose ties with friends• Family conflict– Siblings and parents are strongly affected

Legal Consequences of Drug Abuse

• Possession charges range from $200 fine to 30 years in prison

• Drunk driving charges can range from lost license and a fine to jail time

• Drug conviction while receiving Federal Student Aid will make you ineligible for again receiving aid

Consequences of Sex Under the Influence

Guess how many instances of sexual assault among teens and college students involve alcohol? Over 2/3

MN State Law: Consent cannot be given if you are physically incapacitated or impaired (drugged, intoxicated, asleep, or unconscious)

• More likely to have unprotected sex & have sex with a stranger

Look back at 5 year vision

How might this look different if you were addicted to drugs?

How to Help a FriendWhat do you think is

the best way to help a friend?

How would you want to be helped?

School Clinic & Drug Abuse

• Counseling• Refer to drug treatment• Could diagnose underlying disorder if self-medicating• Physical Health• Sexual Health• Nutrition• Health Education

Other school resources

• Alcohol & Drug Technician• School Social Workers• School Psychologist• Teachers can help connect you with them

Other community resources

Support can come from:•Family members•Close friends•Therapists or counselors•Other recovering addicts•Healthcare providers•People from your faith community

Trivia!

What are symptoms of alcohol poisoning?

• Stupor, unresponsive, passed out, or coma• Vomiting• Seizures• Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per

minute)• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between

breaths)• Low body temperature, bluish skin color, paleness

What should you do if you think someone has alcohol poisoning?

Call 911

What are symptoms of marijuana dependency?

• Needing to smoke• Withdrawal– Irritability– Sleep problems–Weight loss

• Struggling to quit

True or False: Using prescription drugs to get high is safer and less addictive than

using illegal street drugs.

False.

Thank you!