What Parents Need to Know About Drugs and Addiction Presentation - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What Parents Need to Know About Drugs and Addiction

Presentation for S.P.A.R.K. By Dana Lewin, MS, LMFT, LCDC-Intern, ATPSB

Impaired Control

• 1. Using/Acting out for longer or take more of a substance than

was intended

• 2. May express a desire to quit or cut down but has been

unsuccessful

• 3. Spends a great deal of time obtaining, searching for,

using/acting out and recovering.

• 4. Cravings

What is Addiction?

Social Impairment

• 1. Failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, home or school.
• 2. Continued use despite negative consequences in social and

interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by substances/acting out.

• 3. Important social, occupational, recreational activities are

postponed, neglected, reduced or given up. Withdrawal from family activities and hobbies.

What is Addiction?

Risky Use

• 1. Recurrent use/acting out in situations where it is hazardous to

use/act out.

• 2. Continued use despite knowing it contributing to physical or

psychological problems.

What is Addiction?

Pharmacological Criteria

• 1. Tolerance – Having to use/act our more to get the same effect
• r have a decrease in effect with the same use.
• 2. Withdrawal – Symptoms can be physical or psychological such

as anxiety, shakes, depression, sweats, nausea

What is Addiction?

The Disease Model of Addiction

According to the disease model, addiction is a brain

• disease. It can have a biological, neurological, genetic and

environmental factors. It alters the brain functioning and

• structure. According to this model, addiction is chronic

and consists of compulsive or uncontrollable behaviors despite the negative consequences.

Brain Basics

What does our brain do? The brain is the command center of your body. It has different centers or systems that process different kinds of information. The brain's job is to process information. Brain cells called neurons receive and send messages to and from other neurons. There are billions of neurons in the human brain, each with as many as a thousand threadlike branches that reach out to other neurons.

Brain Basics

Messages are sent as electrical impulses from neuron to neuron. This electrical impulse travels along the sending branch, or axon, of the neuron. When the message reaches the end

• f the axon, it causes the

release of a chemical called a

• neurotransmitter. The

chemical travels across a tiny gap, or synapse, to other neurons and attaches to the dendrite.

Axion Axion Cell Cell body body Axion Axion Ter erminal minal Dendrites Dendrites Syna naps pse

Neurotransmitters Affected by Addiction and their Normal Functions Dopamine

 Motor control  Memory  Motivation  Emotion  Reward  Desire  Addiction  Hormone

regulation

 Nurturing

behavior

 Sensory

processes

Serotonin

• Body Temperature Regulation
• Sleep
• Mood
• Appetite

Norepinephrene

• Sensory Processing
• Increase blood pressure
• Increase oxygen to brain
• Increase heart rate
• Increase release of sugar
• Increase breathing

Neurotransmitters Affected by Addiction and their Normal Functions

Glutamate

• Increase rate of neuron

activity

• Memory
• Learning
• Cognition

GABA

• Slows rate of neuron activity
• Inhibitory
• Memory
• Anesthesia

Endorphins

• Pain reduction
• Sedation
• Rate of bodily functions

Acetycholine

• Memory
• Arousal
• Attention
• Mood

Which Neurotransmitter is Affected?

Dopamine Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and virtually all addictions are directly or indirectly increasing dopamine levels. Serotonin MDMA (ecstasy), LSD, Cocaine Norepinephrine Cocaine, Methamphetamine Endorphins heroin, Morphine, prescription painkillers Acetylcholine Nicotine Anandamide Marijuana Glutamate Katamine, Alcohol, Phencyclindine (Angel Dust) GABA Sedatives, Tranquilizers, Alcohol

 What does it do?

• Emotion
• Behavior
• Motivation
• Long Term memory
• Learning
• Highly connected to

the nucleus accumbens

Normal Baseline Return to Baseline

Pleasurable Experience

Addicted

Use/Acting out

Addiction vs. Normal Dopamine Levels

• Pleasurable events cause a release
• f dopamine into the system.

After the event, it returns to it’s normal baseline.

• When using a substance or acting
• ut, dopamine is flooded into the
• system. Once addicted, the

baseline is higher or lower than

• normal. Highs are higher and lows

are lower. The addicted system will need more of the substance to get the same high and will even need to use just to feel normal.

• Because addictions affect the reward system so intensely, the brain

adapts.

• These adaptations make the brain less responsive to the drug but

they also decrease the brain’s response to natural rewards such as social interactions or food. This is how tolerance develops.

• Brain connections are rewired and cause changes in the areas of

the brain responsible for judgment, decision-making, learning and memory.

• These changes last long after use has discontinued.

Brain Adaptations

Will dopa ill dopamine mine le levels e els ever er retur eturn n to nor to normal? mal?

Dopamine levels can be altered permanently and it can take months before the system begins to feel more

• normal. That’s a major reason relapse is so hard to avoid,

especially during the first few months. The emotional memories of our addiction are stored in the limbic system and are merely dulled in recovery. The levels can return quickly to addictive patterns regardless of how long you have been in recovery.

Risk Factors

• Biological
• Environment
• Mental Health Issues
• Unstable family relationships
• Exposure to abuse and neglect
• Trauma
• Method of Use

Protective Factors

 Strong family bond and stable home  Parental involvement in child’s life  Clear limits and consistent enforcement of

discipline

 Child’s engagement in other meaningful

activities

 Healthy self-image  Having basic life needs met  Positive connection to adults outside

immediate family

Signs



A sudden shift in mood, attitude and motivation



A sudden shift in friends and hangouts



Poor performance at school or work and/or being absent



Lying and other secretive behavior



Sudden weight loss or gain



Sudden unexplained increase in spending



Bloodshot eyes or enlarged pupils, frequent use of eyedrops



No longer participating in favorite pastimes or hobbies



Strange odors or heavy cologne or perfume or incense



Trembling hands



Unusual changes in sleeping patterns or schedule



Angry outbursts or being more volatile and unpredictable



Unexplained disappearance of prescription drugs or other substance around the house



Family members or friends missing money or valuables



Adamant about parents staying out of their room

What’s Out There?

 Alcohol  Anabolic Steroids  BathSalts  Cocaine  Cough and cold medicines  Heroin  Inhalants  Marijuana  MDMA  Methamphetamine:  Prescription Drug Misuse  Spice or K2

Addictive Thinking and Codependency

Three most common elements in addictive thinking are:

• 1. Denial
• 2. Rationalization
• 3. Projection

What do we do?

• Don’t wait to take action
• Seek professional advice
• Keep an open line of communication

with children

• Be nonjudgemental
• Focus on solutions
• Encourage them to share their stories

and emotions

Dana Lewin Family Therapist 940-464-7222 x239 DanaL@santecenter.com 914 Country Club Road Argyle, TX, 76226 940-464-7222