Empowering youth to Make Better Decisions About Substance Use

Presenter:

Heather Franklin,PCSW

Curran Seeley Foundation

Purpose of this presentation

• Deliver facts about commonly used substances
• Identify factors for why teen athletes may turn to substance use
• Tools for self-care to keep you on a healthy competitive track

What do you already know?

Vaping Marijuana Alcohol

Short term effects

• Amplifies mental health and behavioral issues
• Causes motor vehicle accidents
• Places stress on the family system

Long term effects

• Primes the adolescent’s brain for addiction and chronic health problems

Substance Use and the Teen Brain

Teen Brain

• Still maturing
• In the process of hardwiring itself for the future
• Use it or lose it phase

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This is Kind of a big deal, why?

#1 Concern:

Drug Use at an Early Age is an Important Predictor of a Substance Use Disorder in Adulthood

The likelihood of developing a substance use disorder is greatest for those who begin use in their early teens.

(NIDA, 2014)

Experimentation

Dependence

Addiction

Experimentation:Tried it once or twice because your curious

Dependence:Take substance frequently, Need it to cope with feelings or to feel “Normal”

Addiction:Brain chemistry has changed, cravings for substance are constant, continued use despite adverse consequences, grades are impacted, missing practice, fighting with parents about use and still using

alcohol

• Reward Center activated
• Slows down body’s responses: loss of coordination, drowsiness, slurred speech
• Distorts vision
• Empty calories cause weight gain
• May increase heart rate
• Weakens liver

Drinking too much

• Binge Drinking: drinking so much that your blood alcohol levels reach .08 g/dl (legally drunk)
• Teens are more likely to binge drink
• Teen girls= 3 drinks, Teen boys= 3-5 (depending on size)

Binge drinking

Nicotine/vape pens

• Vape Pens are tobacco products= nicotine
• Nicotine is highly addictive
• Vaping can cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Hidden chemicals not listed on label

Athletes: How can Nicotine affect your performance?

FDA Update on tobacco products

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December 2019: The federal government raised the legal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21

January 2020: FDA issued a policy on the sale of flavored vape juice pods-cease production, distribution, and sale of flavored pods

Need Help?

My Life My Quit

marijuana

• Effects attention, memory, learning, and decision-making
• THC in brain can impact coordination and reaction time
• CBD vs.THC
• Not the weed of the 80’s!Oils= High concentrations of THC
• Addiction, anxiety, and trips to the ER

Substance use and athletes

There are many pressures that may influence an athlete to use substances.

Pressures and Counter Pressures

• Under intense pressure to execute peak performance
• Unstable environment: Consistently on the road
• Physical injuries and prescribed pain-killers
• Pressure to win at all costs

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Focus on Self-care

1. How do you relax after pushing yourself all day?
2. Who do you talk to when you’re overwhelmed?
3. What are your goals for competition? Write them down. Be clear about what it is you are trying to achieve.

Refusal skills

• Make an excuse
• State the facts (ie., “I want to stay healthy and being hungover will affect my competition”)
• Offer a better idea (“No, but I would love a coke” or “No, but I would love something to eat.”)
• Steer clear: Stay focused on your goals and health, avoid scenes where you might be tempted to use

Mental Health factors

Self-medicating with drugs

Psychoactive drugs change the chemistry of the brain

Anxiety

Depression

Dangers of suicide

Natural highs: healthy food

Sleep

Social life

Calm yourself down

Take deep breaths.

Chill to music.

Take a walk, a nap, or meditate.

Practice Yoga.

Play a video Game. Listen to your body, help it to rest and recover.

--Write down your goals and use them for motivation--