More teens than ever are overdosing Psychologists are leading new approaches to combat youth substance misuse

Treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs involving families, schools, communities, and the media are effective for preventing or reducing drug use and addiction. Although personal events and cultural factors affect drug use trends, when young people view drug use as harmful, they tend to decrease their drug taking. Therefore, education and outreach are key in helping people understand the possible risks of drug use.

• However, this can be quite challenging given that behaviour change is very difficult to monitor and isolate.
• “It doesn’t have to be either prevention or harm reduction, and we lose really important tools when we say it has to be one or the other,” he said.
• Children who mistakenly take medications may overdose or have an adverse reaction.
• Harm reduction centers the lived and living experience of people who use drugs, especially those in underserved communities, in these strategies and the practices that flow from them.
• For example, in 2022, five Alabama high school students overdosed on a substance laced with fentanyl, suggesting that harm reduction strategies could save lives in that community.
• Prevent Unsafe Drinking on Campus (PDF, 1 page)This data visualization flyer illustrates heavy alcohol use and binge drinking statistics amongst college age youth to inform colleges and communities.

Other Youth Topics

INL supported development of the Universal Treatment Curriculum, Universal Prevention Curriculum, and the Universal Recovery Curriculum – which together are the most comprehensive body of training materials in the addiction field, many of which are available online. The goal of these courses is to support the training, professionalization, and expansion of the global treatment https://stocktondaily.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ and prevention workforce. The courses also offer the opportunity to receive an internationally recognized certification managed by the Global Centre for Credentialing and Certification (GCCC). In addition, INL supports international non-governmental organizations to support drug demand efforts and promote networking within the global drug demand reduction community.

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Or ask for a referral to a specialist in drug addiction, such as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, or a psychiatrist or psychologist. SAMHSA explains that family and friends who are supportive of recovery can help someone change because they can reinforce new behaviors and provide positive incentives to continue with treatment. Drug addiction is dangerous because it becomes all-consuming and disrupts the normal functioning of your brain and body. When a person is addicted, they prioritize using the drug or drugs over their wellbeing. This can have severe consequences, including increased tolerance to the substance, withdrawal effects (different for each drug), and social problems.

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction

• More than 200 doctors signed a letter to lawmakers saying the measure could produce a “barrier to physicians’ ease of prescribing appropriate treatment” and cause unnecessary fear and confusion among both patients and doctors.
• SAMHSA recognizes Mental Health Awareness Month every May to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being and provide resources and information to support individuals and communities who may need mental health support.
• When a person is addicted, they prioritize using the drug or drugs over their wellbeing.
• SAMHSA recognizes Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, May 9, which brings attention to the mental health needs of children.

This is reflected in the effort to identify different evidence-based approaches to prevention that have proved to be effective in prevention through rigorous evaluation, both quantitative and qualitative. Research shows that a combination of medication and therapy can successfully treat substance use disorders, and for some medications can help sustain recovery. The use of medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Medications used are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are clinically driven and tailored to meet each patient’s needs. Behavioral therapies help people in drug addiction treatment modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug use.

Why is adolescence a critical time for preventing drug addiction?

Using drugs can change brain structure and functioning, particularly in areas involved in reward, stress, and self-control. These changes make it harder for people to stop Top 5 Advantages of Staying in a Sober Living House using even when they really want to. Increasingly, drug prevention is seen within a context of addressing the factors that can contribute to a person using drugs.

Why are Harm Reduction Services Needed?

We understand that language like this could feel like placing blame or negativity on substance use. Drug use is not inherently an issue, but misuse and addiction are conditions that are cause for concern. Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system. “The longer we can get kids to go without using substances regularly, the better their chances of having an optimal life trajectory,” Weiner said.

Harm Reduction’s Place in and Among Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery

This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. These brain adaptations often lead to the person becoming less and less able to derive pleasure from other things they once enjoyed, like food, sex, or social activities. If you’re someone who engages in substance use and you’re concerned about the direction your engagement has taken, you have options. You can always reach out to a mental health professional, or attend a local or online support group with individuals who are navigating similar thoughts and feelings.

Can research-based programs prevent drug addiction in youth?

Medications for substance use disorders are administered, dispensed, and prescribed in various settings such as a SAMHSA-accredited and certified opioid treatment program (OTP) or practitioners’ offices depending on the medication. Naloxone and nalmefene are both FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medications (OORMs) that are used to prevent opioid overdose by reversing the toxic effects of the overdose. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), naloxone is one of a number of medications considered essential to a functioning health care system. FDA has approved several different medications to treat alcohol use disorders (AUD) and opioid use disorders (OUD). These medications relieve the withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body. Medications used are evidence-based treatment options and do not just substitute one drug for another.