What Parents Need to Know About Drugs and Addiction Presentation for S.P.A.R.K. By Dana Lewin, MS, LMFT, LCDC-Intern, ATPSB
What is Addiction? 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 or have a decrease in effect with the same use. 2. Withdrawal – Symptoms can be physical or psychological such as anxiety, shakes, depression, sweats, nausea
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 Cell body Cell body Dendrites Dendrites Messages are sent as electrical impulses from neuron to neuron. This electrical impulse travels Axion Axion along the sending branch, or axon, of the neuron. When the message reaches the end of the axon, it causes the release of a chemical called a neurotransmitter. The Axion Axion Ter erminal minal chemical travels across a tiny gap, or synapse, to other Syna naps pse neurons and attaches to the dendrite.
Neurotransmitters Affected by Addiction and their Normal Functions Dopamine Serotonin Body Temperature Regulation • Motor control • Sleep Memory • Mood Motivation Appetite • Emotion Reward Norepinephrene Desire Sensory Processing • • Increase blood pressure Addiction • Increase oxygen to brain Hormone Increase heart rate • regulation • Increase release of sugar Nurturing Increase breathing • behavior Sensory processes
Neurotransmitters Affected by Addiction and their Normal Functions Glutamate Endorphins Increase rate of neuron • Pain reduction • activity • Sedation • Memory Rate of bodily functions • Learning • • Cognition GABA Acetycholine • Slows rate of neuron activity • Memory Inhibitory • • Arousal • Memory Attention • Anesthesia • • 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
Addiction vs. Normal Use/Acting out Dopamine Levels Pleasurable events cause a release • Pleasurable of dopamine into the system. Experience After the event, it returns to it’s normal baseline. When using a substance or acting • out, dopamine is flooded into the system. Once addicted, the baseline is higher or lower than normal. Highs are higher and lows Addicted are lower. The addicted system will need more of the substance to get the same high and will even Return to Normal Baseline need to use just to feel normal. Baseline
Brain Adaptations • 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 .
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
914 Country Club Road Argyle, TX, 76226 940-464-7222 Dana Lewin Family Therapist 940-464-7222 x239 DanaL@santecenter.com
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