Choosing to Be Drug Free

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1 Section 4 Choosing to Be Drug Free Objectives Before class begins, write the objectives on the board. Have students copy the objectives into their notebooks at the start of class. 1. Focus Warm-Up Advice Line If students need help thinking of ideas for the writing activity, have them review the steps in the Building Health Skills Feature on page 439. When students finish writing, call on several volunteers to share their answers. (Students might say the friend could help Greg by informing a parent, guidance counselor, or other trusted adult about his drug use.) Tell students they will learn in this section about other ways to help friends and themselves stay drug free. Teaching Transparency W60 Connect to Allow students to answer YOUR LIFE this question in their private journals. Section 4 Objectives Identify three treatment options for people who abuse drugs. Name three steps you can take to stay drug free. Vocabulary therapeutic community Choosing to Be Drug Free Dear Advice Line, My friend Greg tried methamphetamine at a party a few months ago. Soon he started doing it regularly. He gets defensive and aggressive when I ask him if he needs help. I m scared to talk to him anymore, but I want to help. What advice would you give Greg s friend? How can she help Greg? Treating Drug Abuse What can you do to help someone who is abusing drugs? Before a person can be helped, the person needs to acknowledge that he or she has a drug problem. The next step would be for the person to explore possible treatment options. Acknowledge the Problem Before drug abusers can be helped, they need to recognize their problem. Unfortunately, this may be difficult. Many abusers deny their behavior; others deny the underlying problems that led them to drug abuse. Figure 17 lists some of the signs of drug abuse that you may recognize in yourself or in a friend or classmate. Review the Building Health Skills on pages for tips on how to convince a friend that he or she has a drug problem. Connect to YOUR LIFE What trusted adult could you turn to for advice about a friend s drug problem? Sensitive Issues Students who are involved in social circles with drug users may find it especially difficult to remain drug free because of fears about popularity and being accepted by their peer group. Emphasize that real friends care about one another, not about being cool at the expense of personal health and safety. 448 Chapter Chapter 17 TEENS Are Asking... Q: My boyfriend talked me into using cocaine several times, and now I think I m hooked. My parents will die if I tell them! What should I do? A: First, tell your boyfriend to stop using cocaine and offering it to you, and drop him if he refuses. It will be much easier to avoid using cocaine if it is not around. Then, ask an adult you trust to help you tell your parents. Your parents may be very angry or upset when they find out. But, in time, they will probably be glad you confided in them. If they already suspected a problem, they will probably feel relieved to have it out in the open. You will probably feel relieved as well. You may also need drug couseling to help you overcome any cravings you may still have.

2 Signs of Possible Drug Abuse 2. Teach L3 L2 EL Reading/Note Taking 17-4 Adapted Reading/Note Taking 17-4 Behavioral Signs Major changes in behavior or personality Lying, cheating Attention-getting behavior Denial of any problems Physical Signs Poor coordination Changes in appearance Slurred speech Explore Treatment Options Once drug abusers recognize their problem, several treatment options are available to them. Treatment options for drug abusers include detoxification, therapeutic communities, and supervised medication. Programs also exist for family members trying to understand their loved one s drug problem. Understanding the underlying cause for a loved one s drug abuse and getting involved in the person s treatment can help restore family stability. Some drug treatment programs are available at little or no cost. Community hospitals, for example, may offer clinics or programs that provide low-cost or volunteer counseling for teenagers and adults. Local schools and governments also schedule parent meetings, peer group counseling, and drug-free programs. Detoxification A person who enters a detoxification program undergoes gradual but complete withdrawal from the abused drug under medical supervision. Most detoxification programs are in hospitals. Doctors may reduce the drug dosage slowly to avoid painful withdrawal symptoms, or they may supervise the total withdrawal all at once. Detoxification programs include counseling to help people deal with their abuse and cope with the underlying problems. Social Signs Friends suspected of abusing drugs Withdrawal from normal activities Poor school performance FIGURE 17 Learning to recognize the signs of drug abuse can help you make a difference to a friend or family member. For: Updates on treating drug abuse Visit: Web Code: ctn-5174 Treating Drug Abuse L2 Visual Learning: Figure 17 Ask students to read about the signs of possible drug abuse that are listed in the figure. For each category, describe a scenario in which a teen displays one of the signs. Then have students try to identify the signs. Discuss why people who abuse drugs might show the signs. L3 Cooperative Learning Ask pairs of students to write and act out role-plays in which a teen shows signs of drug abuse and a friend tries to convince the teen of the problem and suggests sources of help. Remind students to use strategies for intervening from the Building Health Skills feature on page 439. Give pairs a chance to present their role-plays to the class. Ask other students which strategies they think were most effective. L3 Content Update Use the Web Code to access up-to-date information about treating drug abuse. Have students complete the Web activity. Preventing Drug Abuse 449 L2 Less Proficient Readers Guide students in reviewing what they learned about treating alcohol abuse in Chapter 15 to prepare them for reading about treating drug abuse in the present chapter. Have students reread the steps for treating alcohol abuse on pages Ask: Which steps in treating alcohol abuse are also steps in treating drug abuse? (acknowledge the problem and detoxification) Challenge students to predict the nature of these two steps in treating drug abuse, based on what they know about them in the context of treating alcohol abuse. They can check their predictions when they read the section. Preventing Drug Abuse 449

3 Chapter 17, Section 4 L3 Active Learning Ask interested students to look online or in a telephone directory for a therapeutic community for drug abuse in their area. Have students contact the community by phone, mail, or to learn about the kinds of therapy that are used to treat residents and what it is like to live in the community. Ask students to present what they learn to the class. L4 Building Media Literacy Find and copy articles from several different Web sites that list pros and cons of using drug replacements to treat drug abuse. Include articles from unbiased Web sites, as well as articles from Web sites of drug companies, treatment centers, or other organizations that might have a stake in one side or the other of the issue. Have students examine the articles and point out any clues they find that the articles might be biased. Discuss how biases might affect what information is presented and how the information is presented. Identify examples from the articles that demonstrate these points. Therapeutic Community A therapeutic community (thehr uh PYOO tik) is a residential treatment center where former drug abusers live together and learn to adjust to drug-free lives. Often, drug abusers are required to undergo detoxification before joining the community. Therapeutic communities provide both medical care and counseling. The counseling may involve behavioral therapy to help drug abusers recognize and correct negative behaviors associated with their drug use. Supervised Medication A third treatment option involves replacing the abused drug with a drug that produces some of the same effects, without the high. For example, the drug methadone can help heroin abusers. Small, regular doses of methadone prevent withdrawal symptoms and craving for heroin. Because methadone and other drug replacements can cause dependency, a trained professional must carefully monitor treatment and slowly lower the dosage. Long-term methadone use causes side effects such as liver damage. Staying Drug Free You face decisions every day. You need to decide what to eat, what clothes to wear, and how much to exercise. You may also face decisions about drugs. In Section 2, you learned about protective factors that can help you avoid drugs. There are some additional steps you can take to protect yourself from using drugs. Practicing refusal skills, seeking help when you need it, and getting involved in drug-free activities can help you stay away from drugs. Staying Drug Free L2 Teacher Demo Before class, prepare a list of local options for helping teens stay drug free, such as school counselors, drug treatment programs, and support groups. In class, call on a volunteer to help you role-play a call to a drugabuse hotline in which the caller (the student) describes a drug-related problem and asks for help and the hotline staffer (you) gives support and suggests options for help in the community. L3 Building Health Skills Advocacy Ask small groups of students to make posters demonstrating three ways to stay drug free: refusing drugs, seeking help, and alternatives to drugs. Have students illustrate their posters with pictures from magazines or the Internet. Urge students to make their posters informative yet direct and simple so the points can be grasped at a glance. Have groups ask local businesses to display their posters in their windows. FIGURE 18 Teens in many communities are taking a stand against drugs. The teens at right are part of a program in Florida called Drug Free Youth in Town. 450 Chapter 17 Focus On ISSUES L3 Debate: Methadone Explain that the use of methadone to treat heroin addiction is a controversial issue. Assign a few interested students to learn more about the issue. After they do their research, ask them to choose sides and debate the issue in class. Ask other students which side of the issue they support. Point out that methadone treatment would be unnecessary if people stayed drug free in the first place. Briefly discuss refusing drugs as the best way to stay drug free. 450 Chapter 17

4 Resisting Peer Pressure Materials bag of jelly beans set of five role-playing cards per group Try This 1 Form a group with four other students. 2 Your teacher will distribute a different role-playing card to each group member. 3 Do not discuss your role with other group members. 4 Imagine that you are at a party with friends. Spend five minutes thinking about your assigned role and how you will act during the imagined party. 5 At your teacher s signal, begin acting out your role with the other members of your group. Think and Discuss 1 Explain how you felt playing your role during the imagined party. 2 How do you think player 4 felt being pressured to eat the jelly beans? 3 How might player 3 have felt about eventually giving in? 4 How do you think player 1 felt about pressuring all the other players? 5 What refusal skills will you use to resist pressure from friends to use drugs? Refusing Drugs Refusing drugs can be difficult when you are faced with pressure to take them. You can sharpen your refusal skills by reviewing the Building Health Skills in Chapter 15 on pages To be effective, be sure to clearly state your personal reasons for not wanting to take drugs. For example, you could say, No thanks I want to keep a clear head, or I don t want to become addicted, or simply, I don t do drugs. If the person offering you drugs continues to pressure you, take a definite action and remove yourself from the situation. Your action will make it clear that you cannot be persuaded to change your mind. Seeking Help If you decide that the stresses and problems in your life are too much to manage, find someone to talk to. Many people are willing to help, but you must first let them know that you need help. Parents, teachers, friends, siblings, school counselors, school nurses, and members of the clergy are usually available for guidance and support. A second option is to call a national drug-abuse hotline. Staffers can help you find support in your local community. Connect to YOUR LIFE What are your personal reasons for refusing drugs? Preventing Drug Abuse 451 Hands-On Activity Resisting Peer Pressure Before the activity, prepare enough sets of the following role-playing cards for each group to have a set. Player 1 Pressure all the other players whether you will eat jellybeans. Player 2 Pressure three other players whether you will eat jellybeans. Player 3 Do not pressure any other players to eat jelly beans; eventually give in when pressured to eat jellybeans. Player 4 Do not pressure any other players to eat jellybeans; do not give in when pressured to eat jellybeans. Player 5 Decide for yourself whether you will pressure any of the other players whether or not you will eat jellybeans. Think and Discuss Answers 1. Players who were allowed to decide for themselves how to act, as well as players who were told to act as they would have chosen, are likely to have felt better about playing their roles. 2. Player 4 might have found it hard to resist the pressure to eat jellybeans. 3. Player 3 might have felt guilty about eventually giving in to the pressure. 4. Player 1 might have felt pushy about pressuring all the other players. 5. Sample answer: say no with conviction and give honest reasons for refusing Connect to Allow students to answer YOUR LIFE this question in their private journals. EL English Language Learners A lack of English language mastery shouldn t stand in the way of a confident, assertive refusal. For this reason, explain to English language learners that a refusal does not have to be very long or detailed to work. In fact, the best refusals are usually short and to-the-point. Remind the students that body language is also key to an effective refusal. Good posture and eye contact will help them deliver their refusal with impact. Have English language learners practice speaking assertively the refusal statements that come most easily to them. Preventing Drug Abuse 451

5 Chapter 17, Section 4 3. Assess Evaluate These assignments can help you assess students mastery of the section content. Answers appear below. Teaching Resources Practice 17-4 Section 17-4 Quiz L2 Reteach On the board, write the headings Ways to Treat Drug Abuse and Ways to Stay Drug Free. Go around the room, calling on one student after another to record a relevant item under one of the headings. Keep calling on students until they can no longer think of new ideas. Add any other important ideas students did not think of. Have students copy the lists in their notebooks. L4 Enrich Teaching Resources Enrich 17-4 Health at School Drug Prevention Speech Tell students to try to begin their speeches with a hook, or an opening that gets listeners attention and interest. In their speeches, students might list such alternatives as playing sports, going to movies, or attending drug-free concerts or dances. If you arrange for students to present their speeches to younger students, make sure the style and content of the speeches are age appropriate. FIGURE 19 Participating in a youth choir helps these teens make friends, build self-confidence, and stay drug free. Key Ideas and Vocabulary 1. What are three options for drug abuse treatment? 2. Describe a therapeutic community. Identify two ways it helps drug abusers overcome their problems. 3. What are three steps you can take to stay away from drugs? Critical Thinking 4. Applying Concepts What activities do you participate in that keep you away from drugs? 452 Chapter 17 Alternatives to Drugs Turning to drugs to try to feel good or to deal with problems is a risky choice. Imagine how you would feel if you had to tell lies, hide your physical condition, worry about police, and deal with the drug s side effects. People who become dependent on drugs spend almost all of their time either thinking about drugs, getting the money for drugs, or taking drugs. Drugs end up controlling their lives. By deciding not to use drugs, you can stay in control of your life. There are many healthy and constructive activities that can lift your mood and help you handle the pressures in your life. In addition, you may make new friends who share your commitment to stay drug free. Engage in physical activity. Physical activity boosts your mood and relieves the negative effects of stress. Getting enough exercise and getting involved in sports can help you feel energetic, positive, and self-confident. Volunteer. Helping other people can give you a good feeling about yourself, too. Many social service agencies need volunteers. You can read to someone with a visual handicap, visit elderly people in a nursing facility, or teach a hobby or sport to young children. Join a youth group. Youth group leaders serve as role models and help you explore your values in a supportive environment. Youth groups often participate in community service projects. Participating in a youth group can give you a sense of belonging and a connection to others. Health at School Drug Prevention Speech Prepare a 5-minute speech for sixth graders about healthy alternatives to drug use. Use examples that will relate to this age group. Also pay attention to the style of speech that will most appeal to them. Practice your speech with friends and get suggestions for improvements. 5. Comparing and Contrasting How are detoxification and medication treatment programs similar? How are they different? 1. detoxification, therapeutic communities, and supervised medication 2. It is a residential treatment center where former drug abusers live together without the drug. It helps drug abusers adjust to drug-free lives and recognize and correct negative behaviors associated with their drug use. 3. refuse drugs, seek help for stress and other problems, and practice healthy alternatives to drug abuse 4. Sample answer: playing sports, volunteering, participating in a youth group 5. Both help treat drug abuse under medical supervision. Detoxification involves complete withdrawal from the abused drug. Medication treatment involves replacing the abused drug with a drug that prevents withdrawal symptoms and craving. 452 Chapter 17