Community Prevention, Treatment & Refusal Strategies for Drug Abuse

introduction, learning goals

  • we're learning about three main things,

    • how to stop using drugs and other things you can get addicted to,

    • ways to get help for drug problems and healthy things to do instead of drugs,

    • how to say no to illegal drugs, so you don't use them,

  • living without drugs makes you healthy, keeps things stable in your community, and keeps you out of trouble with the law, knowing this stuff helps you and everyone around you,

drug use, scope, statistics

  • in the u.s.,

    • about 22 ext{ million} people use illegal drugs,

    • roughly half of all american teens try an illegal drug before graduating high school,

  • a lot of young people, from ages 12 to 24, use illegal drugs,

  • this shows why stopping drug use early is super important,

community, school, legal prevention strategies

school-based initiatives

  • drug-free school zones

    • bigger trouble if you do drug stuff near schools,

  • zero-tolerance policies

    • if you have, use, or sell drugs at school, you're immediately suspended or kicked out,

  • education, law-enforcement collaboration

    • d.a.r.e., drug abuse resistance education, classroom lessons focusing on making good choices and saying no to peer pressure,

    • project alert, a similar program for slightly older students,

    • there are also federal offices that help fund these kinds of programs,

community programs

  • everyone in the community needs to help with drug problems, not just schools or police,

  • examples,

    • “weed & seed” / “wait-and-see” programs, combine making neighborhoods better with police catching drug dealers,

    • drug-free community support programs, federal money helps groups teach, stop drug supply, and help affected areas,

    • boys & girls clubs of america, give kids safe places to hang out, get mentors, and learn skills to keep them away from drugs,

law-enforcement, legislation

  • controlled substances act (csa), 1970

    • made rules for different drugs, how to control prescriptions, and started the dea,

  • mandatory minimum sentencing

    • some states have really strict rules about drugs, like you could get life for selling a little bit of cocaine in texas or having some meth in new york, even selling any amount of weed in arkansas can get you 4 years,

  • these tough punishments are meant to stop people from dealing drugs, but they can also hit users hard, so we need to balance stopping drug use with helping people get better,

treating drug addiction

core understanding

  • addiction is a long-term sickness that can come back, most people can't just stop on their own, they need professional help,

step 1 – clinical assessment

  • first, pros check everything about your drug use, your health, and your family situation,

  • then they make a special plan just for you with goals and what everyone needs to do,

step 2 – detoxification

  • detox means getting drugs safely out of your body,

  • two main ways,

    1. medically supervised detox

      • doctors use medicine to help, especially if you're really sick from stopping,

      • it's for when there are serious physical or mental withdrawal risks,

    2. social detox

      • support in a safe place, for milder problems,

step 3 – treatment modalities (chosen singly or sequentially)

  1. inpatient (hospital) treatment

    • you stay at a hospital 24/7 to get drugs out of your system and start healing, it's for people with really serious health issues or other mental problems,

  2. residential treatment

    • like living in a special community where you get help, you learn life skills, how to get a ged, or job training,

  3. partial hospitalization / day treatment

    • you go for 4 to 8 hours a day but sleep at home, it usually lasts at least 3 months and works best if your home is safe and drug-free,

  4. intensive outpatient (iop)

    • for evenings or weekends, about 9 to 20 hours a week for 2 to 12 months, it balances getting help with going to work or school,

  5. standard outpatient

    • less time, good for not-so-bad cases or after you finish iop,

  6. opioid treatment programs (otps)

    • use medicines like methadone or buprenorphine plus talking to counselors,

common elements across programs

  • most programs include,

    • medical and mental health care,

    • learning about drug abuse,

    • talking to counselors alone or in groups,

    • family meetings,

    • homework,

    • learning life and job skills,

    • drug testing all the time,

    • and planning to stop you from using again by knowing your triggers and how to handle them,

healthy alternatives to drug use

  • people use drugs because they want to feel different, beat boredom, or get excited, but you can find natural highs that do the same thing, like,

    • meditation or mindfulness,

    • yoga / tai-chi,

    • outdoor things, like hiking, camping,

    • extreme or team sports,

    • creative arts, volunteering, or any fun hobby,

refusal, resistance skills

preparation, mind-set

  • know that people might offer you drugs at school, work, family stuff, or parties,

  • remember, most teens don't use drugs, you're part of the silent majority if you don't,

six core techniques

  1. just say no,

    • be firm, calm, and confident, look them in the eye,

  2. buy time,

    • step away to think, like going to the restroom or another room, it helps you think clearer,

  3. give good reasons,

    • like, 'i don't want to mess up my scholarship or sports' it makes it personal,

  4. talk about consequences,

    • tell them about bad things that happened to people you know, like getting arrested or sick,

  5. suggest something else to do instead,

    • like playing basketball, watching a movie, or getting food,

  6. walk away,

    • get out of there, it stops the pressure and keeps you safe from getting in trouble,

practical tips

  • practice what you'll say, maybe with friends or family,

  • make sure your way of saying no fits with what you believe and your culture,

  • be friends with people who don't use drugs, pick places like clubs or teams where drug use isn't common,

ethical, philosophical, societal implications

  • drug rules try to balance keeping everyone safe with helping people get better,

  • community programs are all about everyone helping each other out,

  • saying no shows you're making your own choices and acting right, and it's good to offer healthier ideas instead,

summary, key takeaways

  • lots of people use drugs, about 22 ext{ million}, so stopping it early in many ways is super important,

  • schools have strict rules and teach about drugs, communities offer safe places, and laws try to stop people from using,

  • getting help for addiction has steps, first they check you out, then detox, then different kinds of treatment like staying somewhere or going to meetings, and always follow-up care,

  • fun, drug-free activities can give you the same good feelings without the bad