The science of addiction caused by drugs

8/13/2019 The science of addiction caused by drugs.

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Addiction What Is It?Addiction is not just a lot of drug use. It is actu-ally a different state of being. In addiction, drugshijack your brain, your mind, and your life. Theyliterally change your brain that is why we calladdiction a brain disease.

Once people become addicted, their focus inlife becomes seeking and using drugs.

They no longer seem to care about anyof the consequences that may resultfrom taking drugs.

This is very different from a

person who is a druguser or abuser. Adrug abuser canchoose whetheror not to usea drug.

Drug addiction is a compulsion. When peoplebecome addicted to drugs, their brains have fun-damentally changed. Addiction is compulsivedrug seeking and use, even in the face of appalling consequences.

How Drugs Work on the BrainCertain drugs make us feel very good at leastat first because of what they do to our brains.Drugs that are abused change the way our brainswork by disrupting the delicate mechanismsthrough which nerve cells transmit, receive, andprocess information critical for our daily living.Nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin, for

example, are rapidly carried to the brainthrough our bloodstream regard-

less of whether they aresmoked, injected, or swal-

lowed. Then they stimu-late different circuits inour brain, one of which iscalled the pleasure cen-ter.

Continued abuse of drugs, which unnaturallyoverstimulates brain cir-cuits, can change the brainto an addicted state. Theaffected circuits can no

longer function on theirown, but need outsidestimulation to function.

The drug addict no longerhas a choice whether to take

the drug or not. Were stillnot sure whether all the

changes that occur in theaddicted brain can ever be com-

pletely reversed. We do knowthat the use of inhalants literally

destroys brain tissues.

Developed by Thirteen/ WNET to accompanyMOYERS ON ADDICTION: CLOSE TO HOME

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Recent DiscoveriesDrug abuse and addiction have been researched

rigorously for more than 20 years. Research is avery slow but thorough and accurate process.

Through prevention research, for example, wehave very recently identified 14 principles thatschools and communities can use to successfullyprevent drug use among young people. Theseprinciples include the need for interactive meth-ods for reaching adolescents, the development of age-specific and culturally sensitive programs,and an emphasis on family-focused interventionprograms.

Another area in which researchers have invested agreat deal of time and effort and have made greatprogress is treating drug addiction. We nowknow that addiction is a treatable disease. Wealso know that treatment effectiveness variesamong individuals; what works for one personmay not work for another. You cant just talksomeone who is addicted to drugs into stopping.

Treatment should always include professionals,especially since many times medications need tobe prescribed in combination with behavioraltherapies.

If you know someone who is addicted to drugs,it is best that you encourage him or her to seekprofessional care. It is also important to remem-ber that because addiction is a chronic, relapsingdisease, it will not be treated overnight; recoveryis usually a long-term process.

Risk Factors &Protective Factors

Researchers are finding that some factors canhelp determine whether or not an individual ismore or less likely to abuse drugs. With thisknowledge, you can help yourself and yourfriends avoid drug abuse and the danger of addic-tion.

Risk factors, such as pressure from friends to usedrugs, lack of interest and involvement from par-ents, a family history of substance abuse, andignorance about the health risks of abused drugs,create greater potential for drug use. But there


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are also many pro-tective or resiliencefactors, such as goodadult role models,supportive friends, and achievement in school,which can reduce the chance of someone becom-ing a drug abuser. Strengthening protective fac-tors can help you and your friends avoid drug usealtogether, even if there are still many risk factorsin your lives.

A c t i v i t i e sWork as a volunteer in a local drug abuse

prevention program in your community or start one. NIDAs new user-friendlyresearch-based publication PreventingDrug Use Among Children andAdolescents can help communities andschools establish local prevention pro-grams. Read the guide online at theNIDA Web site (www.nida.nih.gov), orcall the National Clearinghouse forAlcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686 or 1-800-487-4889 (TDD) foryour free copy.

Visit World Wide Web sites (such aswww.nida.nih.gov) that provide accurateinformation on drug abuse and addiction.

K e e p i n M i n d :Once a person becomes addicted, his or her top priority in life becomes obtaining drugs,taking drugs, getting high, and then gettingmore drugs. Everything else family,friends, job, the future loses importance.

When a person first takes drugs, it is a vol-untary decision. But there is a point whenthe persons decision to take drugs may nolonger be voluntary. It is as if a switchgoes off in the users brain, and the personbecomes addicted.


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Tools of the Trade Just as carpenters, engineers, and doctors havespecialized tools for their jobs, so do drug abuseand addiction researchers. Much of their work isdone in a laboratory setting, where they use testtubes, beakers, pipettes, and computers to testtheir hypotheses. More advanced technologiessuch as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) andpositron emission tomography (PET) are alsoused to understand how drugs work in thehuman brain. With this technology, researcherscan observe the activity of the brains of individu-als experiencing drug addiction while they areawake. Researchers can also use MRIs and PETscans to see the immediate and long-term effectsof drugs on the brain.

Goals for the FutureAs we enter the 21st century, drug abuse andaddiction researchers will continue to use scienceto understand addiction, as well as to alleviateaddictions pain and devastation. They will workto develop effective treatment interventions, espe-cially a medication to treat cocaine addiction.

They also will work to unravel the mystery of drug craving a major cause of relapse evenafter years of successful abstinence.

Drug abuseand addictionresearchersare alsoworking to

achieve another goal to change thepublics understanding of addiction andto remove the stigma that is associatedwith this disease. Science has alreadybrought us a long way in our under-standing of addiction, but it may still besome time before the general publicaccepts addiction as a genuine healthproblem.



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How About a Career in Drug Addiction and TreatmentResearch?Because drug abuse and addiction are such com-plicated problems, there are many ways we arecombatting them, from identifying emergingdrug use patterns to discovering new addictiontreatments. There are brain researchers (neuro-scientists) who study the brain and how itbecomes altered once a person uses drugs; andthere are treatment researchers who use scientificapproaches to determine the best ways to treatdrug addiction. Some may be involved in devel-oping new medications, while others might bedeveloping psychological or behavioral approach-es for treating drug addiction.

Prevention researchers focus on identifying fac-tors that can help to prevent drug abuse, particu-larly among young people. HIV/ AIDSresearchers study the overwhelming link betweena drug-using lifestyle and the spread of HIV andconduct research to determine the best strategiesfor reducing its spread. The bottom line is thatthere are many career opportunities for someonewishing to enter this exciting and important fieldof research. Most drug abuse and addictionresearchers hold a doctoral degree or a medicaldegree. But the best time to start exploring andworking toward a career as a researcheris while in high school.



A c t i v i t i e sCall NIDA Infofax at 1-888-NIH-NIDAfor fact sheets on a variety of drugabuse topics. (The hearing-impaired cancall 1-888-TTY-NIDA.)

Contact the Office of Science Educationat the National Institutes of Health,(301) 402-2828, to find out about researchand training opportunities for high schoolstudents.

Visit someone who is working in anaddiction research laboratory or clinic.

Visit libraries and Web sites to find outmore about careers in science startwith a visit to Research and TrainingOpportunities at the National Institutes of Health (http:/ / www.training.gov) andSnapshots of Medicine and Health(http:/ / ohrm.od.nih.gov/ ose/ snapshots).

K e e p i n M i n d :Many of the tools that drugabuse researchers use, suchas PET machines, demonstratethat there are observablechanges in brain function thattake place after drug use. Wecan now see that the brainsof addicts are different fromthe brains of non-addicts.And it is very difficult, insome cases impossible, toreturn the brain back tonormal. Scientists, likethose who work at or aresupported by the NationalInstitute on Drug Abuse(NIDA), are working todevelop better treat-ments to help peoplewho are addicted to

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Most experts in the substance abuse field believethat once youve developed the disease of addic-tion, you have it for life. But like diabetes,high blood pressure, and other chronic, relapsingdiseases addictive disease can be arrested, kept in remission through a lifetime regimen. Thats whatrecovery is.

Recovery is about taking back controlover your life!Because of the brain changes caused by addictivedrugs, drug use becomes central to the addictslife. Friends, parents, sports, and school all losepriority to the pull of getting high. Whether an

A student or a winning athlete, the student witha substance abuse problem starts neglecting theseinterests to use drugs. Think about i t: Thats whythey call it drug dependency. You become drug dependent instead of independent . Recovery is away to regain control.

There are lots of ways of getting into recovery.(For more information, see the Getting Helphandout [student activity card 9]).

What does hitting bottom mean?People recovering from addiction often say theyhit bottom when their lives got really messedup from substance abuse: They got kicked out of home, dropped out of school, got in car acci-dents, and so on. But a person doesnt have tohit bottom before getting help! The sooneryou give up chemical substances, the less dam-age you will do to yourself, to society, and toyour overall health.

Cant an addicted person stop for a whgo back to using a little?No. Once someone has developed the disease of addiction, its like developing an allergy. If theperson is re-exposed to alcohol, tobacco, or otherdrugs, the symptoms (including compulsion to

use, loss of control, and denial of the problem)may reappear.

How long does recovery take? There is no exact time frame. Recovery is aprocess, not an event thats over in 10 or even28 days of treatment. But contrary tomany peoples fear recovery is not synony-mous with boredom and social isolation. In fact,it is a good thing.

How can the process of recovery be gFinding out that youre addicted is not welcomenews. But there can be some extremely positiveresults from getting into recovery. The process of overcoming addiction often brings about a pro-found life change for the better.



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As a child, Rose was always againstcigarette smoking. But in eighth gradeshe started smoking after schoolbecause her friends did. Then, whenkids started to drink at parties, she triedthat too. Eventually, when someonepassed her a marijuana joint, shesmoked it.

Though Rose had always been a goodstudent, her grades started to slip.When she got drunk or smoked pot ona weekend, she didnt do so well onMondays tests. Her junior year gradeswere the worst, so she didnt get intothe college she wanted. She had rela-tionship problems with family andfriends.

Finally, at the urging of one non-using

friend, Rose went to talk to a counselorat school. The counselor had Rosewrite out her goals and considerwhether substance use was affectingher ability to reach them. The resultswere so revealing that Rose decidedthen and there to quit for good. Togive Rose the support she needed, thecounselor suggested she attend a grouponce a week after school.

Now, two years later, Rose is back ontrack clean and sober. She had toattend community college for a year toget her grades back up, but at least nowshes headed where she wants to go.

I came real close to blowing every-thing, she says. If I had kept goinglike I was, I would have hated myself by now. By quitting drugs, I got mydreams back.



A c t i v i t yWhat Are Your Dreams and Goals?

Whether or not you are a substance user, take a momentto make a list of what you TRULY want out of life.Include both immediate goals (get an A in math thisquarter) and long-range dreams (buy a motorcycle).

Your Personal / Relationship / Family Goals:Examples:

* Have a boyfriend/girlfriend who treats me with respect* Have kids someday, and be a good role model for them

*____________________________________________

*____________________________________________

Your School / Work Goals:Examples: * Go to college

* Own my own business someday

*____________________________________________

*____________________________________________

Your Fun / Sports / Travel Goals:Examples: * Travel / see the world

* Make the basketball team this year

*____________________________________________

*____________________________________________

Your Material / Money Goals:Examples: * Have a bank account

* Buy a car

*____________________________________________

*____________________________________________

K e e p i n M i n d :If you have a substance abuse problem anddont get help, youll probably never reachthese goals or even come close.


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MY FRIEND HAS A LOT OF THESE SIGNS.SHOULD I BE WORRIED?

It is something to be concerned about.Eventually, substance abusers who dont get helpcan develop serious depression, or physical prob-lems such as liver and brain damage. Being outof control with alcohol or other drugs alsomakes people more likely to drive drunk orengage in unsafe sex resulting in pregnancy,AIDS, or other sexually transmitted diseases.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?No one is really sure why some people developproblems with alcohol or other drugs, and othersdont. Tendencies to have substance abuse prob-lems can be inherited, just like tendencies todevelop heart disease or cancer. Others startusing regularly to avoid bad feelings like depres-sion or just to fit in with friends. Then, withrepeated use, brain changes result in cravings formore of the drug.



Hanging out mostly with people who use a lot of alcohol or other drugs

Personality changes: becoming more aggressive andhostile, or becoming more withdrawn, isolated, anddepressed

Getting into trouble at home because of substance use

Drinking or using drugs in large quantities

Getting angry and defensive if anyone questions thedrug use; denying its a problem

Using regularly at certain times (like every evening, or

every morning before school)Continuing to use (say, at a party) even after everyoneelse has stopped

Having blackouts forgetting events that occurredduring substance use

Being high at school or work

Cutting school or class to get high

Losing interest in other activities, such as sports orschoolwork

Slipping grades

Getting into trouble at school because of substance use

Taking foolish risks when drinking or using drugs, suchas having unsafe sex

Breaking the law while drunk or on drugs

Driving a car while under the influence

Getting into auto accidents related to substance use

Its hard to be sure if someone you care about has a problem withalcohol and/or other drugs. But there are signs that you can watch for.If your friend has some of these, he or she may need help.

Put a check mark next to each statement that describes your friend:

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Stick to your own feelings. Talk in I statements:Im concerned . . . Im worried . . .

Relate specific things your friend has done whenhigh or drunk that concern you The nightyou left the party drunk and drove your car. . .

Finish by telling your friend that you want tosupport him or her in getting help.

AND IF MY FRIEND DOES ADMIT THE PROBLEM?

If your friend does admit that substance abuse ismessing up his or her life, you should be preparedwith specific ideas of where to go and whom tospeak with (having gotten some suggestions fromthe professional you spoke to earlier, or from theGetting Help handout [student activity card 9]).

WHAT ABOUT AA OR NA?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and NarcoticsAnonymous (NA) are confidential groups where you

dont have to give your name and theyre free.Listening to others who have had problems withalcohol and other drugs can be enormously helpful.If your friend is afraid to go alone, you can go withhim to an open meeting, where friends and familyare welcome. These programs are everywhere; justlook in the phone book.

AND IF MY FRIEND REFUSES TO GET HELP . . .WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Ultimately, you have no control over whether yourfriend gets help. But if you think your friends sub-stance abuse is placing him or her in serious danger,consider talking to his or her parents.

For Resources, seeGETTING HELP

(student activity card 9)which lists organizations and hotlines to call



IF ITS CAUSING SO MANY PROBLEMS,WHY DOESNT MY FRIEND JUST STOP?

When people are dependent on drugs or alcohol,they have a disease. When people become addicted,their brains have fundamentally changed, and theaffected parts of the brain need outside stimulationto function.

THEN HOW CAN I HELP?

Its hard. You cant force someone to get help, butyou can let your friend know that you care and thatyou think its a problem. You can encourage yourfriend to talk to someone about the alcohol/ druguse either a professional or someone recoveringfrom a similar problem.

WHAT IF MY FRIEND GETS MAD AT ME?

Your friend may get mad, and may not even want tobe friends anymore. On the other hand, if you dontdo anything, and something terrible happens (like adrunk-driving accident), you will regret having keptquiet.

SO WHERE DO I START?

Before you do anything, talk to a counselor (someschools have a substance abuse specialist) about yourconcerns. (This isnt betraying your friend; you donteven have to mention names.) Ask the professionalto help you figure out what to do. You can alsoattend a support group for people concerned aboutsomeone elses substance use, such as Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, or Alateen.

THEN WHAT?

After you educate yourself, if you decide to speak to

your friend, there are ways to do it that give you thebest chance of being heard:

Only discuss the issue when your friend is sober never when he or she is high or hung over.

Dont accuse your friend of being an alcoholicor addict. Just express your concern aboutthe things in his or her life thatyou see going downhill.

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Before answering the following questions, you mayfind it helpful to look into your own family history of alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use. How have thesesubstances affected the health of your parents, grand-parents, siblings, or other family members?

HOW VULNERABLE AM I?For each statement below, check the Yes or No box.

1. Do one or both of my parents have a history of abusing alcohol or other drugs? yes no

2. Is there substance abuse elsewhere in my family(grandparents, siblings, etc.)? yes no

3. Is there (or has there been) domestic violence orchild abuse in my home? yes no

4. Do one or both of my parents let me drink or

smoke pot at home? yes no

5. Do one or both parents think its not so terribleif I drink or smoke pot? yes no

6. Do my parents and I avoid talking about alcohol,tobacco, or other drug use? yes no

7. Do my parents let me get away with everything? yes no

Dont fill out your name or share this questionnaire!!

NO ONE KNOWSFOR SURE WHY SOME PEOPLEdevelop problems with alcohol, tobacco,and other drugs and others dont.Researchers are beginning to identifyrisk factors that may be associated withaddiction, as well as protective factorsthat help people avoid getting caught upin a pattern of drug abuse.

We are learning more each day about the fac-tors that can put people more or less at risk.Some are better established than others; someare only guessed at. The following questionsraise these issues. Answering them can helpyou look at your life, and may help you thinkabout where you might want to make changes.Please keep your results in perspective.Remember that everyone is at risk for develop-ing an addiction to alcohol, nicotine, or other substances.

8. Are my parents extremely strict, and do they tendto punish me severely? yes no

9. Is there a lot of fighting and conflict in ourfamily? yes no

10. Am I often on my own to do whatever I want without any adult supervision? yes no

11. Are my parents emotionally distant from me? yes no

12. Do most of my friends drink and/ or use otherdrugs? yes no

13. Do most of my friends smoke cigarettes? yes no

14. When something bothers me, do I just hold it inand not tell anyone?

yes no

15. Do I find it hard to say no to friends when theysuggest I do something even if I know Ishouldnt? yes no

16. Do I feel like an outsider at my school? yes no

17. Do I get into a lot of fights? yes no

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HOW RESILIENT/PROTECTED AM I?Check Yes or No for each of the following questions.

1. Is my family history free of substance abuse? yes no

2. Do I feel very close to at least one of my parentsand/ or other family members? yes no

3. Is my home generally a comforting, nurturingplace where I (mostly) feel comfortable andloved? yes no

4. Would my parents strongly disapprove of myusing illegal substances? yes no

5. Can I talk to my parents about just about any-thing? yes no

6. Has my childhood been relatively free of horri-ble traumas (like child abuse, domestic violence,etc.)? yes no

7. Are my parents pretty fair in how they disciplineme (firm but not too harsh)? yes no

8. Are my parents very interested in my schoolwork? yes no

9. Do I participate in sports or other interests(dance, art, basketball, golf, reading, music, act-ing, karate, etc.)? yes no

10. Do I feel like I belong in my school, like Im partof it? yes no

11. Am I an independent thinker who doesnt justfollow the crowd? yes no

12. Am I pretty good at saying no when I want to,even when I feel pressured by circumstances orpeople? yes no

13. When Im upset, do I have ways of dealing withit (talking with someone, exercising, relaxation,etc.)? yes no

14. Do I attend religious services? yes no

15. If I have a problem, do I try to resolve it, and if Icant, do I seek help? yes no

16. Do I talk things over rather than fighting? yes no

Dont fill out your name or share this questionnaire!!

If you found yourself answer-ing yes to many of the riskfactors and/or no to manyof the protective ones, thereare things you can do to helpyourself. For example, youcan find a supportive adult totalk to, preferably a trainedcounselor. If you said no to

many of the risk factors andyes to many of the protec-tive factors, remember not toget overconfident you arestill at risk of developingproblems with substanceabuse. No matter whereyoure at, you can take actionto improve your odds againstaddiction.

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WHAT YOU DECIDEEvery day you make decisions what to eat, what to

wear, who to hang out with, and how to act.But your decisions are often affected by what othersdo and think.

When someone wants you to do something thats notgood for you, do you usually do it? Or do you resist?

WHERES THE PRESSURE?Companies use marketing (advertising, publicity, andpromotion) to convince you to use their products. In1994, tobacco companies spent $5 billion trying to getpeople to smoke. In the first eight months of 1996,alcohol companies spent over $600 million convincingpeople to drink.

How do you respond to advertising? Does it affectwhat you buy and use? Or do you think for yourself?

Product PlacementHave you ever noticed how many people smoke inmovies? In the 1980s, tobacco companies, like other businesses, paid big bucks for product placement having their cigarettes smoked by stars, or hav-ing their product (or logo) featured somewhere in a

scene. In 1990, tobacco companies responded tocriticism of this practice by voluntarily agreeing tostop paying producers to have their brands dis-played in movies. However, some insiders say thatunder-the-table product placement may still begoing on a charge that is denied by the tobaccoindustry. 1

WHY DO THE TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL COMPANIES SPEND SO MUCH?Simple they want your money. In 1995, $190 mil-lion of tobacco company profit came from sales to

people under 18. Teenagers are a key market fortobacco companies. Few people over the age of 21begin smoking, but every year more than 1 millionteenagers become regular customers. ADVERTIS-ING reflects a focus on kids. Tobacco and alcoholads use cartoon characters, animated creatures,and animals, all of which appeal to younger con-

sumers.

Fact: Girls often smoke because they think ithelps them stay thin. Seventy-five per-cent of them become addicted, and thenthey are faced with the other effects of smoking bad breath, a hacking cough,and a poor complexion.

LETS FACE IT, alcohol advertising isntvery honest. In ads, people who drink are alwayshaving a great time they are well-liked, the cen-ter of conversation, and attractive. The ads nevershow the drunk lurching about the room whileothers avoid him because he is loud, confused,smelly, and obnoxious. They never show a drunk ina driving accident or sick from alcohol or evendead from alcohol poisoning.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE WATCHING.Dont let advertisers make your decision for you.Make your own decisions from more reliablesources of information.

Ultimately, its your money, your body, and your decision.



A c t i v i t i e sCollect ads for alcohol or cigarettes. Findnews stories, information on the Internet,or books about the health consequences of these drugs. Using what youve found,make a poster on the theme: The Imageand The Reality.

Research the histories of the alcohol andtobacco trades. What roles have theyplayed in the American economy? Reportyour findings to your class.

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(continued on 6 b)1. Dutka, Elaine. Force of Habit, Los Angeles Times, September 5, 1996.


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Many young people today are conscious of the environ-

ment, human rights, and animal rights. Yet they maynot think about the fact that if they buy or use illegaldrugs, they are directly contributing to the violence,child abuse, and exploitation fueled by the drug trade.

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT?

Murders and Other ViolenceFifty percent of all murders in the U.S. are alcohol- ordrug-related.

WOULD YOU BUY ANYTHINGFROM A COMPANY THAT YOUKNEW WAS KILLING PEOPLE?

Child AbuseParents who become dependent on drugs like cocaineare far more likely to abusetheir children.

Not the Best EmployersDrug selling rings often use violence and threats of violence to control employees.

Even Most Dealers End Up BrokeSome young people assume that dealing drugs isthe ticket to making good money. WRONG. Itsthe ticket to jail, violence, addiction, and too

often death.

The majority not only dont get rich they end up broke. Why? Many getaddicted and use up their profits, andspend whatever is left to maintain theirfast lifestyles. And, usually, they end up

going to jail. (Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses

constitute the single largest group of Federalinmates.)

A BAD DEAL When you figure in the jail time, drug dealing isreally a bad deal. Even if a person made $50,000 inone year selling drugs, if he got caught and wentto prison for the next 10 years, that works out toabout $4,500 a year far below poverty wages.

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A c t i v i t i e sRead the papers for one week, clipping outarticles related to the drug trade. At the endof a week, post all articles in the classroom,and discuss. Has learning about the drugtrade changed your opinion about it?

Have your class divide into two groups anddebate the following question: Are peoplewho buy illegal drugs responsible for theviolence in the drug trade?


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p l e a s u r eNearly all people want and enjoypleasure. Some of them perhapsthose with little to begin with willtry to snatch it through artificialmeans, even if these turn out to bedestructive. . . . Are human pleasuresonly within reach across a chemicalbridge? The answer is surely a fat no.

Lionel Tiger



Someone offers you a drink, a smoke, or another drug.

You can say

NO. You can say YES.Or you can

STEP BACK&THINK

Youve heard it a million times: Say no to drugs.Its not always easy. Friends may expect you to sayokay. And you dont know how to say no withoutsounding like a health lecture. Maybe youre not evensure you want to say no. But something tells you notto say yes.

So step back .Not No, not Yes, but Im not in the mood.

That buys you time to think about what you want todo, and what drugs can do to you.

Take Your TimeWhen you step back, nobody can really challenge you.If youre not in the mood, youre not in the mood,thats all. No need for explanations. If people hassleyou, remember that real friends respect your feelings.

Cant Step Back?This Is Your Wake-up Call.

If that can of beer, cigarette, or joint is powerfullytempting, recognize the danger signal. You may bemore vulnerable to addiction than you realize.

Give yourself credit for realizing you have a problem.Get help. Your friends may not know the best way tohelp you, so ask an adult you trust a parent or otherfamily member, a friends parent, a neighbor, a teacher,or a counselor. Its a sign of strength to be able to sayI cant handle this alone.

What are three drug-free thingsthat make you feel good?

Step Back & Think About. . .

l o n e l i n e s sWhat is that strange sense of yearningPassing lighted houses at night?Loneliness sets its own lamp alight.

Lawrence FerlinghettiMoving to a new neighborhood, changing schools,or losing touch with friends can make you lonely. . . .and make you want to make yourself oblivious tosadness.

Do you know someone who takes drugsor alcohol because theyre lonely?

When the high wears off,are they any less lonely?

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The Facts

Its tempting to think that drug problemsonly happen to other people, not us. Butthe risks of drug use are real. Step backand think about some of the risks:

Using drugs to escape problemscreates new ones.Guilt from sneaking drugs,tobacco, or alcohol can increaseyour stress level and damage your relationship with your family.The more you use a drug, themore of it you need to get high.And drug tolerance makes itharder to feel any pleasure.

Alcohol can cause seri-ous liver damage.Marijuana impairs your memory and ability toconcentrate.Alcohol-related accidentsare the number onecause of death for ado-lescents.Every day more than1,000 adults die prema-turely as a result of start-ing smoking as a teen.



Whats in acigarette?Over 4,000chemicals,including acetone,

ammonia,arsenic,

cadmium,carbon

monoxide,DDT/Dieldrim,formaldehyde,

hydrogencyanide,methane,

nitrobenzene,toluene, and

vinylchloride.

SOURCE:American Cancer

Society

s e l f -d e c e p t i o nDrugs and alcohol are called mood-altering substancesbecause they change your mood. But when the drug

wears off, you are frequently worse off than when youstarted. When you give up self-control to drugs,

you may find yourself somewhere youreally dont want to be.

NICOTINEthe Profit Machine

Smoking yellows your teeth, wrinkles your skin,and causes bad breath.

Cigarette ads are fairy tales. Everybody parties;nobody is slowly dying from lung cancer or heart disease. To sell you on smoking, tobaccocompanies pretend it makes you confident and

sophisticated.

Only you can make yourself confident andsophisticated no external substance can do it

for you.

The more people smoke, the more money thetobacco companies make. Just whose happily

ever after are those ads really about?

Step back & think:

If Ive felt tempted to use alcohol,tobacco, or other drugs, where did thatimpulse come from?

How can I feel better about myself?

Which friends can I count on? Which adults can I confide in? What are my top two goals in life?

What steps can I take to achieve them?

d i g n i t y There are millions of health reasons

to avoid alcohol and other drugs. Andthen theres the barf factor. Have you evergotten so drunk that youve thrown up infront of your friends (or on them)? Not apretty sight or sound. Alcohol and drugscan make you lose control and look stupid.

See yourself as others see you.

How do you look when you fall into thefurniture?


15/20

Joe Joe, age 17,

once felt that he could handle drugs. What he foundout was that drugs had the upper hand.

Its remarkable how addiction catches youunaware. Everybody else sees it. Youre the only onewho doesnt. The sense of denial is enormous.

Joes girlfriend became terrified that he wouldoverdose on cocaine. She wrote him a letter urginghim to stop. He crumpled it and tossed it onto his bed-room floor. A few days later his mother told him shefound the letter. Joes parents talked him into gettingtreatment.

Even so, he did not admit he was addicted until hewas in detox at the hospital.

Every day I was flipping out. I blamed my parentsfor all the wrongs in the world, and I hated them forsending me to a clinic like that. I said they didnt loveme, and I yelled and cursed at them. I couldnt imaginea world without drugs.

Then he attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings.I started to listen. That was extremely helpful to

me. Everybody was in the same boat. Joe is drug-free now, and grateful to his parents and

girlfriend for saving his life. He is determined never touse again.

I replace the cravings. Its like filling a void . . . . Iput my mind onto something else art, reading,sculpting, music.

Amy Joes girl-

friend, Amy, wasaware that he wasdrinking and using drugs. She didnt like it, butshe didnt challenge him either.

Then one day she realized that accepting his

drug use might also mean having to accept hisdeath.She had gone to pick him up for school.He was on his bed, and he looked gray and

sick . . . . I was touching his head to see if he hada fever. He started yelling at me. . . . then hecrawled into the bathroom and started throwingup. . . . Later he told me he was experimentingwith cocaine. . . . That really scared me. I mean,my eyes just bulged out of my head, and I start-ed crying.

Amy called a doctor at a rehab center. After Joe entered its program, Amy was the onlyfriend allowed to visit.

Amy was terrified that when he found outshe had helped get him into treatment, he wouldnever speak to her again. Three months after hisdetox, Amy got up the nerve to confess her role.

To her relief, He just hugged me andsaid thank you. Joe now liked the idea of beingclean.

Amy has discovered that getting off drugswasnt only healthier for Joes body; his mindcalmed down too.

Now hes controlled his anger . . . . Andhes just a blast to be with, really funny.

I love him a lot and care about him somuch, and I think he does the same for me.


student activity card 8 a

P R O F I L E S

The following stories describe the experiences of Joe,a student participant in the TRUST Program in Miami;Amy, a fellow student who helped get Joe into treatment;and Robin Tassler, a TRUST counselor (from the televisionprogram The Next Generation, in MOYERS ON ADDICTION:CLOSE TO HOME). Also featured is Dwight Gooden, aformer star pitcher for the Mets and the Yankees.

When Joe started to listen,how did it help?

Why was Amy afraid to tell Joe thatshe helped get him into treatment?

(continued on 8 b)


16/20

RobinTassler

A safe place.

Thats what Robin Tassler, a substance abusecounselor, tries to give students at Palmetto HighSchool in Miami, Florida. Im not here to give thema suspension or detention or a grade. I try to givethem a place they can find some peace.

We focus on feelings. . . . When theres been joyin life, we talk about how we can get back to that joy.Because when you use drugs, you really hide fromyourself. I tell students, This is a place we donthide.

Students say they trust Tassler because she lis-tens, cares, and accepts them for who they are.

I do have strong opinions about drugs, Tasslersays. I think theyre terrible, and they destroy peo-ples spirits, and the kids know how I feel. But Imnot going to pass judgment on what happens. I reallytry to work on developing a relationship with stu-dents.

Tassler is part of the TRUST program in Miami,an effort to decrease levels of substance use in theDade County public schools. TRUST counselors assiststudents who have experienced problems related tosubstance abuse.

You have to teach kids how to nurture them-selves in spite of where theyve come from . . . to ask,If you form your family of friends out of people whouse drugs, is that really helping you move in the direc-tion you want to move in? They know a lot, thesekids. They know what drugs do to you. My role is toguide them through the process of making morehelpful choices and taking healthy risks.


student activity card 8bDwightGooden

For Dwight Doc Gooden, the World Series isabout much more than baseball. Its about being ontop of the world, about to fall. And about strugglingback to the top after hitting bottom.

In 1986, the Mets won the World Series, thanksin part to this talented young pitcher. But early suc-cess can be a burden as well as a blessing.

The first sign of trouble came the day after theMets triumph. Gooden didnt show up at the ticker-tape parade because hed gotten so drunk the night

before. Two monthslater, he was arrested in

Tampa for assaulting apolice officer. He denieddoing drugs, but routinetests revealed his lie.

Gooden went intotreatment but relapsedalmost immediately, a pat-tern he repeated over thenext several years.

I didnt want to gohome and face my wifeand kids, said Gooden.Ashamed and depressed,

he considered suicide.His wife walked in and saw him holding a gun.Desperately, his wife and his mother begged him

to give life another chance. Once again Goodenwent into treatment. This time, he managed to staysober.

Now what he needed was another chance atbaseball. George Steinbrenner gave Gooden a spoton the Yankees. It was a risk; many people had nofaith that he had conquered his drug problem.

On May 14, 1996, Gooden proved them wrong.Despite concern about his father, who was hospital-

ized, Gooden pitched a no-hitter. The next day hepresented his father with the game ball.

The Yankees won the World Series that year. This time, Gooden had no trouble showing up forthe parade. This win was even sweeter than the first,because it wasnt only about baseball. It was aboutreclaiming his life.

P R O F I L E S

Where do you feel safe enoughto talk about your feelings?

Who has given you a second chance?

C o u r t e s y t h e

N e w

Y o r k

Y a n

k e e s


17/20

BUT ISNT CLEAN AND SOBERREALLY LONELY AND BORED?Some people think that life cant be any funif they dont get wasted every day. Butnothing could be further from the truth. Inrecovery, people start succeeding at theirgoals, enjoying better relationships andbeing more in control of their lives.

DOES TREATMENT REALLY WORK?

Addiction is treatable, just like other chronic,relapsing diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension,and heart disease). But like those conditions, italso requires that you change certain behaviors inorder to avoid relapsing to the active disease again.

Once you get into treatment stick itout! Research shows that the longer a person staysin treatment, the better the chance of success.

Follow up treatment with other support.People who follow up treatment have the best suc-cess rates.

WHAT ARE SELF-HELP RECOVERY GROUPS? HOW CAN I FIND THEM?

Self-help groups, such as

Alcoholics Anonymous,SMART Recovery, andNarcotics Anonymous areattended by people whohave had substance abuseproblems. The meetingsprovide hope, encourage-ment, and round-the-clocksupport for free. Youdont have to give yourname, sign up, or join, andno one will call your par-

ents. To find them, look inyour phone book. Lots of self-help groups hold specialmeetings now just for youngpeople. If you go to onemeeting and feel uncomfort-able, try a different one.

HOW WOULD I GO ABOUTGETTING HELP?

Talk to a professional or person experienced inthe field of addiction. Many schools have confi-dential Student Assistance Counselors now. Thishandout lists some other resources.

IF I GO FOR HELP, WILL MYPARENTS FIND OUT?It depends. See if your school has a confidentialStudent Assistance Counselor, as he or she isoften not obligated to call your parents. If youshould end up needing furthertreatment, this counselor can

help you figure out where to getit and how to approach yourparents at that time. If youre ina school that has no confidentialcounseling, you may want toattend a self-help group, such asAlcoholics Anonymous orNarcotics Anonymous.

DOES IT COST MONEY TO GET HELP?

Self-help groups, like AlcoholicsAnonymous and NarcoticsAnonymous, are free. Manyyouth agencies dont charge forcounseling either. Others chargeon a sliding scale, so if youdont have any income, its stillfree or close to it. Some resi-dential programs are privatelyoperated and require that yourparents carry insurance.

DECIDING TO QUITIf youre a drug/tobacco/alcoholuser, try this exercise to evaluatehow its affecting you:

On one side of a sheet of paper listthe pros what you think you getout of using drugs/tobacco/alcohol(excitement, a feeling of acceptance,etc.) On the other side, list the

cons what it costs you (girl-friend broke up with me, parentsupset, blew off sports, school prob-lems, always broke, etc.)

If the costs outweigh the benefits,yet you keep using anyway, thats asubstance abuse problem.



(continued on 9 b)


18/20



A c t i v i t y[PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME ]

Brainstorm the kinds of situations in whichyou would feel social pressure (youre at aparty, and someone brings in beer or ciga-rettes; youre in a car, and friends pass a

joint around). Now prepare at least two orthree realistic ways to decline in these situa-tions, and practice them ahead of time.

WHERE TO GET HELPSELF-HELPGROUPSAlcoholics Anonymous (AA) - Check your phonedirectory for a local AA groupCocaine Anonymous (CA) 1-800-347-8998Narcotics Anonymous (NA) - Check your localdirectory or call 1-800-662-4357 for a referral in your areaSMART Recovery (216) 292-0220Organizations to Contact for InformationHazelden Information Center 1-800-257-7810National Council on Alcoholism and DrugDependence, Inc. (212) 206-6770American Council on Alcoholism 1-800-527-5344

For a Referral to Help in Your AreaDrug and Alcohol Treatment Routing Service: 1-800-662-HELP

Alabama - 1-800-762-3790Alaska - (907) 561-4213Arizona - (602) 381-8999

Arkansas - (501) 280-4500California - (916) 445-0834Colorado - (303) 866-7480Connecticut - 1-800-203-1234Delaware - (302) 571-6975District of Columbia - (202) 727-5163Florida - (904) 488-0900Georgia - (404) 656-2465Hawaii - (808) 586-3961Idaho - (208) 334-5935Illinois - (312) 814-3840Indiana - (317) 232-7939Iowa - (515) 281-3641, Mon.-Fri., 8 A.M.-4:30 P.M.Kansas - (913) 296-3925Kentucky - (502) 564-2880, Mon-Fri. 8 A.M.-4:30 P.M.Louisiana - (504) 342-9354, Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-4:30 P.M.Maine - (207) 287-2595, Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-5 P.M.Maryland - (410) 767-6910Massachusetts - 1-800-327-5050, 24 hoursMichigan - (517) 335-0278Minnesota - (612) 296-3991Mississippi - (601) 359-1288, Mon.-Fri., 8 A.M.-5 P.M.Missouri - (573)751-4942Montana - (406) 444-3964Nebraska - (402) 471-2851Nevada - (702) 687-4790, (northern Nevada); (702) 486-8250,(southern Nevada), Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-5 P.M.New Hampshire - (603) 271-6100New Jersey - (609) 292-7232New Mexico - 1-800-962-8963, Mon.-Fri. 8:30 A.M.-5 P.M.New York - (518) 473-3460North Carolina - (919) 733-4670, Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-5 P.M.North Dakota - (701) 328-8920, Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-5 P.M.Ohio - (614) 466-3445Oklahoma - 1-800-522-9054, 24 hoursOregon - 1-800-621-1646Pennsylvania - 1-800-582-7746, Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-4:30 P.M.

Rhode Island - 1-800-622-7422South Carolina - 1-800-942-3425South Dakota - (605) 773-3123, Mon.-Fri. 8 A.M.-5 P.M.

Tennessee - (615) 741-1921 Texas - 1-800-832-9623Utah - (801) 538-3939Vermont - (802) 651-1550Virginia - (804)786-3906Washington - (360) 902-0650West Virginia - (304) 558-2276Wisconsin - (608) 266-2717Wyoming - (307) 777-7116, Mon-Fri 9 A.M.-5 P.M.

CANT I JUST USE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS SUPPORT?

Your non-using friends and family can help. But therealso are lots of other sources of support for gettingoff drugs and alcohol. Some people get involved intheir church, synagogue, or mosque. Youll alsoneed activities that dont involve using. Without thatculture of recovery, a life free of drugs and alcoholis difficult to maintain.

BUT HOW CAN I STAY STRONG AROUND SO MANY PEOPLE USING? Teens whether in recovery or not can face

enormous social pressure to use drugs, tobacco, andalcohol. You may feel funny or awkward saying noto friends. If so, try this:


19/20



How have you seen alcoholand other drugs affect livesaround you?

N A D I N E:

Theyve changed kids who wouldve beenfine otherw ise. Kids disappear from schoolfor mont hs at a tim e. Their lives getscrewed up.

How do you handlepeer pressure?

E L L I S O N:

When you see people in your neighborhood orfamily go down, it makes you not want to gothat way.

KY E S H A:

People at school know what Im all about,

and Im not about drugs. I know kids whouse, and I get along with everybody. Its just that weve made different choices.

N I C O L E:

I surround myself with friends who dont use.

How do you cope withboredom and loneliness?

E L L I S O N:

Ive been boxing for about a year anda half now with a trainer who trainedfour of my uncles. It requires a lotof discipline and forces you to focusyour mind. Its a great way to getout frustrations.

When I go to the gym or to church mymind feels more centered on doing the rightthing. I also coach a basketball team for littlekids. Those guys make me feel good andmake me laugh a lot.

Dear Student,

While reporting for our PBS series CLOSE TO HOME,I met many young people across the country who havenever tried any substance. These people understand theproblems that can result from the use of drugs, alco-hol, or tobacco. Thats why they want to live drug-freelives.

I also met many young people whose use of drugs,alcohol, or tobacco has turned into addiction. They

are hooked. They want to break the grip but areunable to do so.

Some of these young people finally got help. Theyfound a counselor, a treatment program, a self-helpgroup. They are on the road to recovery.

It can be done. Thats the hopeful side of addiction.With help, you can get better.

No one has it easy. I saw that everywhere I traveled.Weve put together this information in the hope thatyou might want to learn from others how to faceissues of addiction wherever you live.

Good luck to you.

Bill Moyers

living adrug-freelife

I f y o ur l i f e

w er e am

ovi e ,wh at w

o ul d t h et i t l e

b e?

H o w d o d r u g s a n d a l c o h o l s t e e r y o u a w a y f r o m t h e t h i n g s y o u w a n t t o a c c o m p l i s h i n y o u r l i f e ?

Most middle and high school students dont usedrugs. The New York high school students interviewedhere attend public and private schools. They include

an athlete, future teachers, and an aspiringactress. They are from different cultural

and economic backgrounds, but all areliving drug-free lives.

K

i t K i t t l e

(continued on 10b)


20/20



N I C O L E:

I always used to complain, Imbored, Imbored. Then I got sick of hearing myself say it, and got a job. Ive learned a lotabout working with people and gained someindependence through the money Iveearned. As I see it, drugs are all about

dependence, and I amworking towards independence.

N A D I N E:

I just realize thats life. Som etim es Im bored.Sometim esIm lonely. It passes. Som etimes I use an activity to deal

with it,such as writing or reading,but usually I wouldrather just let m yself feel the different em otions.

What do you do for fun? J E S S I C A:

Ive got a friend whos starting to be, like, ItsFriday night, we should be drinking, and I justtell her, Dont worry about it, well have fun.I also remind her of the kids who hang out inthe park getting drunk every weekend. Every

weekend. That sounds pretty boring, too.

E L L I S O N:

Get together with friends and chill, see movies,talk about stuff, act crazy, look for girls.

KY E S H A:

We go to the movies, bowling. I can go to aparty and have a good time without drinking.I eat and dance. I just drink soda.

Who can you talk to? J E S S I C A:

I get on the phone and talk withmy friends. If Im not myself,theyll ask me whats wrong, andIll usually end up laughing about it.

N I C O L E:

I talk to my Mom. Shes very straight with me.

N A D I N E:My p arents arent t he first people I w ould go t o to t alabout t his kind of thing. I mean,sometimes people ththat just because Im not d oing drug s, I must live in thBrady Bunch. Its not like that at all. Im close with mguidance counselor and some t eachers. Som etim es itsier to talk to them t han to other kids.

What are your plans for thefuture?

N A D I N E:Im excited abou t going to college. As a career Id likework with kids,because I feel Ive taken a different paa teenager,and Id like to show kids that even though be hard, it can be done, and it pays off in th e end.

N I C O L E:

I want to be an English teacher and work with thedeaf. When you knowwhat you want to do and whereyoure going, drugs really dont fit into the picture.

E L L I S O N:I feel I could be happy in a corporation or as alawyer. That would represent a real journey forme and make me feel Id really accomplishedsomething special, considering where I come from.

KY E S H A:

I plan to attend college and becomea professional dancer and actress.And if I ever make it, I dont want tobe ashamed of things Ive done in thepast. Thats something that keeps me focused.

That, and the fact that I have so much sup-port from my friends.

J E S S I C A:

I want to live a good life not make too manymistakes, and learn from the ones I do make.

What were the highs and lows of your life so far? What made the high p oi nt s s o g o o d ? T h

el ow s s oh ar d ? Wh at or wh oh el p e

d y o u g et t h r o u gh t h em?

Wh a t ar e y o u pr o u d of ? Wh a t

d o y o uw an t t o b e pr o u d of ? W h a t a r e s o m e e f f e c t i v e w a y s of s

a yi n g n ot od r u g s ,t ob a c c o , a nd al c oh ol?

A r e y o u c o nfid e nt of y o u r abilit yt o m ak ed e ci si o n s?Wh at a r e s o m e g o odd e ci si o n s y o u v e m ad e?

Documents

The science of addiction caused by drugs