AOD UNIT
1) Drugs and the Brain
i) Dopamine
ii) Serotonin
iii) Synapses
2) Problems Associated with Abuse
i) Individual
ii) Family
iii) Friends
iv) School or Work
v) Society
3) Levels of Dependency
i) Tolerance
ii) Physical Dependence
iii) Psychological Dependence
iv) Addiction
v) Withdrawal
4) Differentiating Between Use, Misuse and Abuse
i) Use - Using any medications while following the directions
ii) Misuse - Using any medications or drugs without following the specific directions
iii) Abuse - Using any medication to altar one’s mood, thought and perceptions; and use of any illegal drug.
5) Reasons why people misuse or abuse drugs
i) External
(a) Family
(b) Peers
(c) Media
(d) Community Norms
ii) Internal
(a) Desire to forget problems
(b) Depression
(c) Brain Chemistry
6) Myths
7) Medication
i) Over the Counter (OTC)
(a) Purchased without prescription
(b) Used to prevent, diagnose, or treat discomfort or disease
(c) Treats problems that can go away by themselves
ii) Prescription Medications (Rx)
(a) Need a prescription from a physician
(b) Used to prevent, diagnose, or treat discomfort or disease
(c) Greater potency and more potential side effects than OTC
(d) Treats problems that will not go away by themselves
iii) Using a medication or drug
(a) Some drugs are useful and helpful, such as OTC and Rx medications
(b) Other drugs are harmful and dangerous
(c) Any drug has the potential to be misused and / or abused
8) Routes of Administration
i) Injection
ii) Ingestion
iii) Inhalation
iv) Absorption
9) Drug Categorizations
i) Psychoactive drugs
(1) Stimulants
(a) Speed up the central nervous system
(2) Depressants
(a) Slow down the central nervous system
(3) Hallucinogens
(a) Alters mood, thought, and sense perceptions
(4) Narcotics
(a) Derived from opium plant
ii) Inhalants
(a) Most assessable drug
iii) Cannabis
(a) Derived from coco bush
iv) Club Drugs
(a) Drug most popular at the present time; they can be designer or look-a-like drugs
v) Anabolic Steroids
(a) Synthetic derivative from the male hormone to enhance muscle development
10) Alcohol
i) Ethanol
ii) Flavoring
iii) Minerals
iv) Water
v) Fermentation
vi) Intoxication
11) Alcohol and Teens
i) 80% of teens have had at least one drink
ii) Can have a negative impact on school-work, athletics, friendships, family relationships, and career goals.
12) Why Young People Drink
i) to escape pressure or problems
ii) to feel better or get over being sad or lonely
iii) to deal with stress and relax
iv) to feel more self-confident in social situations
v) for excitement
vi) because their friends are doing it
vii) to deal with boredom
viii) to get away with something they are not supposed to do
ix) to fit in
13) Factors that Affect Teen Alcohol Use
i) Pressure
ii) Parents to solve problems or stress
iii) Advertisements
(a) Young handsome, attractive, fit and healthy-looking
(b) A partylike atmosphere with upbeat music
(c) Healthful environment, beauty of the outdoors
(d) Problem free drinking
(e) Verbal message that really does not say anything about the risks of using the product.
14) What Alcohol Does to the Body
i) Short-Term Effects of Drinking
(a) Brain
(b) Liver-Oxidizes alcohol ½ ounce per hour
(c) Blood Vessels
(d) Heart
(e) Kidneys
(f) Stomach
(g) Driving Under the Influence
(h) Blood Alcohol Concentration
(i) Signs can appear at .02
(j) Legally intoxicated in PA - .08
(k) Underage – Zero Tolerance
ii) Ability to operate a vehicle under the influence can
(a) Reduce ability to judge
(b) Distances, speed, and turns
(c) One’s own capabilities and limitations
(d) Increases the tendency to take risks
(e) Slows reflexes
(f) Adds to forgetfulness to take precautions such as using signals when turning
(g) Reduces ability to concentrate
iii) Long-Term Effects
(a) Brain Damage
(b) Chronic Liver Problems
- Fatty Liver
- Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis
(c) Tolerance
(d) Dependence
(e) Withdrawal
(f) Multiplier Effect / Synergistic Effect
iv) Alcohol and Pregnancy
(a) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Low birth weight
- Impaired speech
- Cleft palate
- General weakness
- Slow body growth
- Facial abnormalities
- Poor coordination
- Heart defects
- Mental retardation
- Poor attention span
- Nervousness
- Hyperactivity
- LEADING CAUSE OF MENTAL RETARDATION IN THE U.S.
15) Alcohol and Society
i) Patterns of Alcohol Abuse
(a) Binge drinking
(b) Alcohol poisoning
16) Alcoholism – is a disease
i) Traits of an alcoholic
(a) they are preoccupied in one way or another with alcohol
(b) once they pick up the first drink, they cannot promise or predict what they will say or do or how much they will drink
(c) they cannot manage tension without drinking
(d) they may have personality changes or memory lapses due to drinking
17) Stages of Alcoholism
i) Stage one
(a) Social drinking
(b) Relax
(c) Relieve stress
(d) Depression
(e) Necessary to manage stress
(f) Physical and psychological dependence develops
(g) Intoxicated regularly
(h) Memory loss
(i) Blackouts
(j) Makes excuses
(k) Rationalizes drinking behavior
(l) Tolerance increases
(m) Considered problem drinker by others
ii) Stage two
(a) Cannot stop drinking
(b) Physically dependent
(c) Drink every day
(d) Craves drink earlier in the day
(e) Physical and mental problems
(f) More excuses
(g) Others blamed
(h) Defensive behavior
(i) Denies or hides the problem
(j) Tolerance increases
(k) Drinking is central event
(l) Performances decrease
iii) Stage three
(a) More important than anything else
(b) No longer denied
(c) Uncontrolled
(d) Hallucinations
(e) Constant companion
(f) Aggressive and isolated from friends and family
(g) Malnutrition
(h) Fallen apart physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially
(i) Reverse tolerance
(j) Withdrawal symptoms is drinking is ceased
(k) Delirium tremens
(l) 2/3 of alcoholics recover
18) Treatment
i) Medical Treatment
ii) Inpatient and Outpatient
iii) Therapeutic Communities
iv) Twelve-Step Programs
v) Employee Assistance Programs
vi) Student Assistant Programs
vii) Pharmacologist Approaches