Samantha Arcand, BSW, LAC-E Western Montana Addiction Services Project SUCCESS Counselor Big Sky High School (406) ext Room 15C Monday 9:00 – 2:00 Tuesday 10:30 – 2:00 Wednesday 9:00 – 2:00 Thursday 8:00 – 2:00 S chools U sing C oordinated C ommunity E fforts to S trengthen S tudents

Your confidentiality is maintained by this program and is protected by the Federal law and regulations. Generally, the program may not say to a person outside the program that a student attends the program or disclose any information identifying a student as an alcohol of drug abuser unless: 1.The student consents in writing; 2.The disclosure is allowed by a court order; 3.The disclosure is made to medical personnel in a medical emergency or to qualified personnel for research, audit, or program evaluation. BUT… I am a mandated reporter. So any threats of harm to yourself or someone else, by law, I must report.

Girls bathroom B 15 15B 15 D 15 C 16 Book Room 19 17B B 18 B B 26 C Boys bathroom 2021 Project SUCCESS Flagship Please feel free to stop on by! My door is (almost) always open =)

ad·dic·tion Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain—they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long-lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs. Drugabuse.gov

Substance Abuse (1 or more of the following): - Use causes failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home - Recurrent use in hazardous situations (e.g. driving) - Recurrent legal problems - Continued use spite recurrent problems Substance Dependence (3 or more of the following): - Tolerance - Withdrawal - Substance taken in larger amounts or over a longer period of time than planned - Unsuccessful efforts to cut down or quit - Great deal of time spent to obtain substance or recover from effects - Important activities given up because of substance - Continued use despite harmful consequences

If you answer yes to one or more of these four questions 1.Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking and/or drug use? 2.Have people Annoyed or angered you by criticizing your drinking and/or drug use? 3.Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking and/or drug use? 4.(Eye opener) Have you ever used alcohol or other drugs first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may be addicted to a substance.

1. Medical Model Addiction as a Disease Neurotransmitter imbalance Treat with Medication 2. Psychodynamic Model Drugs are used for self-medicating Symptoms of an underlying mental health disorder Psychological coping strategy 3. Social Model Learned behavior Peer pressure/modeling others Environmental effects, such as social media, lead to use Used to try to fit in or build a relationship 4. Morel Model Addicts are weak and need to overcome compulsions Substance use is a choice, addicts can stop at anytime People who use are anti-social and should be punished Evil!!! 5. Bio-Psycho-Social Model Combination of all the above factors Treatment should address mind, body, spirit and include the individual as well as factors in the environment. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

SOME SUBSTANCES  Xanax  Valium  Alcohol  Anti-Depressants  Tobacco  Heroin (Opiates)  Caffeine  Meth SOME SYMPTOMS  Changes in sleeping habits  Withdrawal Symptoms  Tolerance  Change in Eating Habits  Weight Loss/Gain  Changes in Physical Appearance Many substances are both physiologically and psychologically addictive.

SOME EXAMPLES  Cannabis/Marijuana  Cocaine  LSD  Ecstasy/MDMA  Sugar  Eating Disorders  Gambling  Shopping  Gaming  Smart phones (??) SOME SYMPTOMS  Use to forget problems/relax  Withdraw or Keep Secrets  Loss of Interest in Activities  Problems with School/Work  Changes in Friends  Spend a lot of time thinking about how to get the substance  Stealing or Selling Belongings  Failed attempts trying to quit  Anxiety, Anger or Depression  Mood Swings Many substances are both physiologically and psychologically addictive.

Experimental or Circumstantial Use Casual UseIntensive Use Compulsive Use Addiction Experimental or Circumstantial Use Casual UseIntensive Use Compulsive Use Addiction

 Age 25: Fully Developed  Age 30: Fully Mature  The Younger Chemicals Are Introduced, the Greater the Risk to Brain Development  More than 4 in 10 who drink before age 15 will become alcoholics  “95% of all adults dependent on or abusing alcohol started drinking before age 21.” (HBO Box Office, Inc, 2007)

 One of the brain areas still maturing during adolescence is the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that enables us to assess situations, make sound decisions, and keep our emotions and desires under control. The fact that this critical part of an adolescent’s brain is still a work in progress puts them at increased risk for making poor decisions (such as trying drugs or continuing to take them). Also, introducing drugs during this period of development may cause brain changes that have profound and long-lasting consequences.  The brain continues to develop into adulthood and undergoes dramatic changes during adolescence.  Using substances at this age can disrupt brain function in areas critical to motivation, memory, learning, judgment, and behavior control. So, it is not surprising that teens who use alcohol and other drugs often have family and social problems, poor academic performance, health-related problems (including mental health), and involvement with the juvenile justice system. Drugabuse.gov

“It is not unusual in recovery to see someone in their late thirties or even early forties struggle with planning and problem-solving – being on time, balancing a checkbook – in exactly the same way a teenager does. That’s because the process of learning those skills stopped when he began using. Now he’s struggling to catch up.” (HBO Box Office, Inc, 2007)

 Early Use  About 50% of vulnerability linked to genetics  Insufficient parenting  Lack of family communication  Exposure to a traumatic event  Parental substance use  Perceptions that parents, community and key adults approve of alcohol or drug use.  Poor social & academic performance  Friendships with kids who have been in trouble  Co-occurring disorders (ADHD, Emotional disorders, psychiatric disorders, etc.) (HBO Box Office, Inc, 2007)

 FACT: The single most reliable indicator of risk for future alcohol and drug problems is FAMILY HISTORY (NCADD.ORG)  Plain and simple, alcoholism and drug dependence run in families  Studies have shown that percent of the predisposition to addiction can be attributed to genetics (drugabuse.gov)  Susceptibility Does Not Mean Inevitability  When scientists look for "addiction genes," what they are really looking for are biological differences that may make someone more or less vulnerable to addiction. It may be harder for people with certain genes to quit once they start. Or they may experience more severe withdrawal symptoms if they try to quit.  But someone's genetic makeup will never doom them to inevitably become an addict. Remember, environment makes up a large part of addiction risk.

“More than half of young people with a substance-abuse diagnosis also have a diagnosable mental illness” (HBO Box Office, Inc, 2007) (coping) Often times the mental illness has not yet been identified or diagnosed.

Behavioral Health is Essential; Prevention Works; Treatment is effective; People Recover

In addition to stopping drug abuse, the goal of treatment is to return people to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and community. (drugabuse.gov) Why Doesn’t Every Addict Seek Treatment? Perceived social stigmas associated with being in rehab. The belief that issues can be overcome without professional help. Fear of sharing with others or being vulnerable. Financial trouble that makes it hard to pay for treatment. What is it? Drug treatment is intended to help addicted individuals stop compulsive drug seeking and use. Treatment can occur in a variety of settings, take many different forms, and last for different lengths of time. Because drug addiction is a chronic disorder characterized by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment is usually not sufficient. For many, treatment is a long-term process that involves multiple interventions and regular monitoring

 Education  Project SUCCESS  School Based Services  Level I – Individual Outpatient  Level II – Intensive Outpatient Treatment  Level III – Inpatient Treatment  Congruent care with a mental health professional or family therapy

 Remember it is not your responsibility to fix them  Remember that it is hard to admit that help is needed  Remember it is not your fault that they use  Remember that listening is better than giving advice  Remember to seek help for yourself  Remember to take care of yourself  Remember you have resources to help  See Project Success if you are concerned about a family member or friend

 You are FREE to CHOOSE, but you are NOT FREE from the consequences of your choices.  YOUR CHOICES MATTER

 HBO Box Office, Inc. (2007). Addiction: Why Can't they Just Stop? New York: Rodale.    