The High is a Lie. Teacher s Guide. Mothers Against Methamphetamine

Transcription

1 The High is a Lie Teacher s Guide

2 The High is a Lie Teacher s Guide The most potent form of methamphetamine is called ICE The High is a Lie is produced by a physician, Dr. Mary F. Holley, Director of Mothers Against Methamphetamine. It is designed for use in the ninth grade health curriculum for education of youth against methamphetamine use and addiction. It can be used with youth and adults ages 10 and up. It is 40 minutes in length, and presents both a human story of a person ravaged by addiction, and the biochemical details of how methamphetamine works. The stages of addiction, the brain dysfunction resulting from methamphetamine use, and resulting personality changes are illustrated and dramatized. The High is a Lie includes home video footage of Dr. Holley s younger brother Jim, who is addicted to methamphetamine. Jim describes the circumstances of his introduction to methamphetamine. He is seen struggling with the brain dysfunction resulting from his use of methamphetamine. The last scene is of the cemetery where Jim is buried. He killed himself on the Fourth of July, Dr. Holley has done extensive research into the brain pathways affected by methamphetamine. These scientific findings are described and illustrated with animation, diagrams, and pictures. This is the unvarnished truth about the most addictive drug on the planet, Crystal Meth.

3 The High is a Lie video is a self contained unit and does not require any special preparation of the class. Necessary anatomy and physiology is introduced as it is discussed in the context of understanding the impact of drug abuse on the brain s functions. Neurotransmission is animated and illustrated, brain diagrams are correlated with brain scans of actual human subjects. Retention will be enhanced if the course is presented in the context of a health unit on the central nervous system, but this is not necessary. A reproducible worksheet has been prepared and is included with the video. It is intended that the student will have the worksheet in front of him as he watches the video, completing the blanks as the video progresses. The worksheet emphasizes the vocabulary words used, and definitions are incorporated into the text. This worksheet is geared to a ninth grade reading level, but can be used with other age groups. We have also prepared a set of writing prompts to assist you in assigning followup activities for your class. Depending on reading skills and maturity level of the students, writing assignments may be helpful in integrating this material into the lives of your students. Some of your students already know a great deal about methamphetamine. They know the slang names for it, the fast cars and easy money associated with it, the quick high and the minimal hangover in the early stages of methamphetamine use. They think they can try it once and get by with it. They think they have control over their drug use. They think all that brain damage stuff is about somebody else, not them. Many of them have also witnessed the destruction of lives and personalities of people they know who have become addicted to methamphetamine. Some of them come from homes in which methamphetamine is used and manufactured. In a recent study, 98% of the students viewing this material stated that they learned something new about methamphetamine. They learned that it does indeed cause brain damage, even with the very first dose. They learned that people really do die from using methamphetamine. They learned that if their friend offers them methamphetamine, he is not really their friend. The High is a Lie.

4 Student Work Sheet 1. The most potent form of methamphetamine is called Ice or Crystal. % of people who smoke crystal methamphetamine (ice) become addicted to it within one year. 2. Methamphetamine is made using chemicals. Cooks wear a good set of to make meth. 3. Imported methamphetamine is made using the chemicals as homemade meth. 4. In the early stages of addiction, each high seems than before. You think you have over your drug intake. 5. At first, the crash is just a mild depression lasting. How Methamphetamine Works in the Brain 6. Methamphetamine affects the way work. 7. Neurotransmitters send signals from one to another. 8. is the neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. 9. is the neurotransmitter that tells you what is real. 10. When serotonin transmission is disrupted, it causes. 11. Personality centers include sex drive,, and sleep cycle. 12. A huge surge of is what causes the high. 13. Hyperstimulation of the brain causes. 14. Metolic acidosis causes. 15. The crash last for days. You feel achy, depressed, grouchy, tired, hungry, intense anxiety. 16. Cell A Dopamine transporters that scream for too long can t.

5 17. Cell B Dopamine receptors that are hyperstimulated are. 18. When receptors are destroyed, you don t get anymore. 19. Over months of the receptor systems heal and the personality slowly heals. Midbrain Personality Centers 20. What causes the holes in the brain? 21. What does your body turn methamphetamine back into? 22. What does fasciculus retroflexus do? 23. What happens when fasciculus retroflexus is damaged? 24. How long does it take for methamphetamine to kill cells in the self control tract? The Pleasure Center 25. What does nucleus accumbens do? 26. What happens when nucleus accumbens does not work? Lobes of the Brain What does each lobe do? 27. Frontal lobe 28. Parietal lobe 29. Occipital lobe 30. Temporal lobe Personality Changes 31. Addicts are unable to control their emotions. Fear turns into. Anger turns into. 32. Addicts have hallucinations and delusions. We call that methamphetamine.

6 33. Personality changes include paranoia, rage and. Homicide and are the most common causes of death in addicts. 34. Addicts have and flashbacks. They go for days without sleep. 35. Addicts have the itchies and the twitchies, and they become and fidgety. 36. Addicts lose their and lose a lot of weight. Their hair and teeth fall out. 37. Addicts lose their memory and cannot how to do a job. 38. A lot of mental and emotional goes into raising a child. 39. Addicts lose the ability to feel pleasure. They can t enjoy sex unless they are. As they continue using, they can t climax anymore. 40. Addicts become profoundly. The depression lasts for months. 41. Abstinence means all drugs. Over months, symptoms. 42. Triggers are things that you of drug use. They make you. 43. You are fragile in your recovery for after getting off meth. Responsible Choices 44. If the only friends you have are drug users, you will do it too. You are responsible for your choice of. 45. It so bad to get off meth, nobody is going to do it until it worse to keep using. 46. When your best friend pulls some crystal out of his pocket, you ve got to. 47. When you stand up for what you believe, is going to hate you. 48. The High is a.

7 Writing Prompts 1. If the only friends you have are drug users, you will do it too. You are responsible for your choice of friends. Describe your friends and tell what qualities they have that make them special to you. How would you feel if one of your friends died from using drugs? 2. The self control tract (fasciculus retroflexus) gives you control over your drives, impulses and temper. It allows you to control your desire to sleep late and get to school on time. It allows you to control your temper and avoid saying harsh words. How does the personality change when this structure is damaged? 3. The pleasure center (nucleus accumbens) gives you the feeling of pleasure when you enjoy a meal or good music. When it is damaged, nothing feels good. Describe the things in your life that are enjoyable. What would life be like if you couldn t enjoy those things? 4. Your ability to learn new things becomes even more important when you get out of school. Every new job involves learning new skills. Memory, concentration, and rational thought are needed for any meaningful job. What job would you like to do when you finish school? How would you feel if you got that job, and then couldn t do the tasks involved? 5. As we mature we gradually become more able to control our emotions. We learn to control our temper and channel our affections as we live through the experiences of life. How well do you control your temper? Are there some adults in your life who still have not learned how to control their tempers? Do you have more respect for people who control themselves well? Why? 6. In the early stages of addiction, methamphetamine causes a feeling of power and control, energy and endurance, focus and intelligence. These feelings are caused by the release of dopamine, the feel good chemical. What really happens to dopamine levels in the brain of an addict? Is the feel good real? or a hallucination? 7. Drug use causes a loss of control, not just control over drug use, but control over all of life. In your opinion, why is there a drug problem in America? Is it because of loose morals? marijuana? broken homes? peer pressure? poverty? racism?

8 Glossary of Terms Abstinence to completely stop using all drugs including alcohol. When applied to sexuality, it means to completely stop all sexual activity. Addiction Compulsive use of a mind altering drug, inability to stop using for a prolonged period of time, months or years. Even addicts can quit for a week or two, but resume drug use after a short time. Anxiety exaggerated feeling of fear, inappropriate to the situation. It can be characterized by sweating, hyperventilation (can t catch your breath), crawling sensation in the skin, and insomnia. Appetite ability and desire to eat food Craving an intense desire for a substance or experience that is difficult to control Crash The depression following a high. It is mild in the early stages of addiction, but becomes much more severe as the addict continues to use. Delusion a false belief that is firmly held in spite of evidence to the contrary Depression oppressive feeling of sadness, lack of energy, loss of interest and enthusiasm, self destructive thoughts Dopamine the neurotransmitter associated with the feeling of pleasure Fasciculus retroflexus the tract in the brain that gives you self control Flashback ranges from a visual bolt of lightning effect to a full blown feeling of re-living a traumatic event Frontal lobe area of rational thought, judgment, predicting the consequences of an act, learning Hallucinations false perceptions, seeing or hearing something that is not really there Homicide murder, the killing of someone else

9 Hydroxy free radical A breakdown product of methamphetamine that is toxic to cells Hyperactivity inability to hold still, fidgety, restless Insomnia inability to sleep restfully through the night Metabolite a chemical resulting from the breakdown of a food or drug Midbrain area of the brain where personality centers are located Neurotransmitter chemical used to signal from one nerve cell to another Nucleus Accumbens the center in the brain where pleasure is felt Occipital lobe the area on the back of the brain where visual information is processed the place where you see what your eyes are seeing Paranoia irrational fear in a non-threatening situation Parietal lobe area of the brain that controls the movement of arms and legs Psychosis generalized inability to grasp reality, characterized by hallucinations and delusions Receptor chemical on the receiving nerve cell that recognizes the neurotransmitter Serotonin the neurotransmitter associated with reality testing and mood Suicide killing yourself Synapse the gap between two electrically charged neurons Temporal lobe area of the brain where memory, language and speech are processed. Triggers external cues that remind an addict of his drug experience and stimulate a desire to use the drug again

10 A Puzzle from MAMa ACROSS 1. neurotransmitter associated with reality testing and mood 2. lobe of brain known as area of rational thought, judgment, predicting the consequences of an act, learning 3. a small unit of the body 5. generalized inability to grasp reality, characterized by hallucinations and delusions 7. oppressive feeling of sadness, lack of energy, loss of interest and enthusiasm, self destructive thoughts 10. a division of the brain 12. abbrev. of Mothers group 13. chemical on the receiving nerve cell that recognizes the neurotransmitter 15. compulsive use of a mind altering drug, inability to stop using for a prolonged period of time, months or years 16. external cues that remind an addict of his drug experience and stimulate a desire to use the drug again 17. the depression following a high 19. irrational fear in a nonthreatening situation 20. lobe of the brain that controls the movement of arms and legs 21. a false belief that is firmly held in spite of evidence to the contrary 23. inability to sleep restfully through the night 24. In the stages of addiction, meth causes a feeling of power and control, energy and endurance, focus and intelligence 26. inability to hold still, fidgety, restless 27. false perceptions, seeing or hearing something that is not really there 28. an intense desire for a substance or experience that is difficult to control DOWN 1. the gap between two electrically charged neurons 2. ranges from a visual bolt of lightning effect to a full blown feeling of re-living a traumatic event 4. metabolite 6. murder, the killing of someone else 7. the neurotransmitter associated with the feeling of pleasure 8. killing one s self 9. chemical used to signal from one nerve cell to another 11. a nickname for methamphetamine 14. a sudden, unreasoning fear 15. to completely stop using all drugs including alcohol; when applied to sexuality, to completely stop all sexual activity 18. ability and desire to eat food 22. The High is a. 25. short name for the most addictive drug on the planet ANSWER ANSWER TO QUIZ: 1. 98% 2. caustic, glove 3. same 4. better, control 5. a day or two 6. brain cells 7. brain cell 8. dopamine 9. serotonin 10. hallucinations 11. appetite 12. dopamine 13. seizures 14. death to 14 days 16. talk 17. destroyed 18. high to 18 months, abstinence 20. corrosive chemicals 21. hydroxy free radicals 22. self control 23. lose control 24. one night 25. pleasure center 26. nothing feels good 27. judgment, rational thought, learning 28. move hands and feet 29. visual field, see what is in front of you 30. memory language ability 31. paranoia, rage 32. psychosis 33. violence, suicide 34. nightmares 35. hyperactive 36. appetite 37. learn 38. ability, control 39. high 40. depressed 41. quit, improve 42. remind, crave to 3 years 44. friends 45. hurts 46. walk away 47. somebody 48. Lie

11 Mothers Against Meth-Amphetamine P.O. Box 8 Arab, Alabama