Substance Misuse
How large is the problem?
The 2015 West Virginia Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed the following alcohol and drug use behaviors among WV middle school students:
Alcohol Use
- 25.7% ever drank alcohol (other than a few sips)
- 10.6% drank alcohol for the first time before age 11 years (other than a few sips)
Marijuana Use
- 10.2% had ever used marijuana during their life
- 3.4% tried marijuana before age 11 years
Other Drug Use
- 2.7% had ever used any form of cocaine (such as powder, crack, or freebase) during their life
- 7.0% had ever used inhalants (sniffed glue, breathed the contents of spray cans, or inhaled paints or sprays) to get high during their life
- 1.4% had ever taken steroids (pills or shots) without a doctor’s prescription during their life
- 4.5% had ever taken prescription drugs (such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, codeine, Adderall, Ritalin, or Xanax) without a doctor’s prescription during their life
- 34.6% participated in a program in which family or community members serve as role models or mentor students, such as the Big Brother Big Sisters program.
Signs & Symptoms
Physical Symptoms
- Bloodshot or glazed eyes
- Dilated or constricted pupils
- Abrupt weight changes
- Problems sleeping or sleeping too much
Behavioral Symptoms
- Increased aggression or irritability
- Changes in attitude/personality
- Lethargy
- Depression
- Sudden changes in a social network
- Dramatic changes in habits and/or priorities
- Involvement in criminal activity
General Signs and Symptoms
- Often taking more of the substance for a longer period than intended
- Ongoing desire or unsuccessful efforts to reduce use
- Great deal of time spent to obtain, use or recover from substance
- Craving the substance
- Failing to fulfill obligations at work, home or school as a result of continued use
- Continued use despite ongoing social or relationship problems caused or worsened by use
- Giving up or reducing social, occupational or recreational activities because of use
- Repeated use in physically dangerous situations (like drinking or using other drugs while driving, or smoking in bed)
- Continued use despite ongoing physical or mental health problems caused or worsened by use
- Developing tolerance (feeling less effect from the substance with continued use)
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after reducing use (symptoms vary by substance). Withdrawal does not happen with all substances; examples include inhalants and hallucinogens
Quick Wins
Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.”
- Examples of being “mindful” include “paying close attention to whatever you are doing in the present moment—breathing, eating, brushing your teeth, feeling your feet on the ground and smelling the air if you’re outside taking a walk.” https://childmind.org/article/the-art-and-science-of-mindfulness/
Why Mindfulness Belongs in the Classroom. Research shows that mindfulness skills improve memory, organizational skills, reading and math scores, all while giving kids the tools they need to handle toxic stress.
How to teach mindfulness to kids (http://www.themindfulword.org/2016/teaching-mindfulness-kids-infographic/)
- Start with yourself.
- Encourage short bursts of mindfulness and build it up.
- Keep it simple.
- Commit the whole family.
Resource: https://childmind.org/article/mindfulness-in-the-classroom/
Breathing Exercises – breath is a great tool to ease stress and reduce anxiety.
- Take a slow breath in through the nose, breathing into your lower belly (for about 4 seconds)
- Hold your breath in your lungs (for about 4 seconds)
- Exhale slowly through the mouth (for about 4 seconds)
- Wait a few seconds before taking another breath
- Repeat for at least 2 minutes
Yoga – a practice which includes controlled breathing, simple meditation, and use of specific body postures
Developmental Considerations for Yoga: For more information, see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2945853/
| Age of Participants | Duration |
|---|---|
| School age (7-12 years) |
|
Outside Activities – Include hiking, biking, play, dog walking, and sports including water sports. For more suggestions, see https://www.success.com/6-stress-reducing-activities-to-get-you-outside/ for more suggestions.
Additional Calming Resources:
Breathing – https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/breathing_exercises_0.pdf
Yoga – https://www.yogacalm.org/teachers-counselors/
Outside Activities – https://www.success.com/4-ways-to-spend-more-time-outside/
Stress Management – https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Helping-Teenagers-With-Stress-066.aspx
The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens — has a teacher’s section that includes lesson plans and activities, a toolkit on using “Out of School Time,” to help inspire learning and empower teens, information about the Addiction Science Award (The Addiction Science Award is coordinated by the Friends of NIDA, a coalition that supports NIDA’s mission. With scientific expertise from NIDA, the awards are given to three exemplary projects on the topic of addiction science. A part of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest science competition for high school students) and other useful learning tools for the classroom and beyond.
Long Term Solutions
Student Mentoring can be implemented in schools or communities when a youth peer completes topic-specific training in order to provide youth supports (areas vary by need and evidence-based training)
Resources:
- WV Students Against Destructive Behaviors (WVSADD ) – A strategic prevention framework which “is a youth-based, peer-to-peer organization that promotes youth empowerment and uses peer influence to spread the message of positive decision-making….” For more information visit WVSADD.
- West Virginia Recovery/Life Coach Academy – The Youth Life Coach is for “High School Students who have completed the Recovery Coach Academy and are volunteering as a Life Coach within an educational setting.” For more information go to https://www.strengthingrace.com/wvrca.
Student Mentoring can be implemented in schools or communities when a peer completes topic-specific training in order to provide peer supports (areas vary by need and evidence-based training)
Resources:
- WV Students Against Destructive Behaviors (WVSADD ) – A strategic prevention framework which “is a youth-based, peer-to-peer organization that promotes youth empowerment and uses peer influence to spread the message of positive decision-making….” For more information visit WVSADD.
- West Virginia Recovery/Life Coach Academy – The Youth Life Coach is for “High School Students who have completed the Recovery Coach Academy and are volunteering as a Life Coach within an educational setting.” For more information go to https://www.strengthingrace.com/wvrca.
Help students find activities, clubs, or organization that address their personal interests; encourage creativity and self-expression through positive channels such as the arts or STEM projects.
Advantages of youth activities, clubs, or organizations include:
- Development of personal and interpersonal skills
- Gain self-confidence and self-esteem
- Reduce at-risk behaviors
- Develop job skills
- Provide “Safe Space” that youth would not have had otherwise
- Provide opportunities for leadership
- Develop a strong support network
- Creates and provides protective factors for students
Research has identified transition from elementary school to middle school as a risk period for children as this is a time when they will experience new academic and social situations. During this time, pre-teens are likely to encounter drugs for the first time and experience social pressures to experiment and/or use drugs.
Training students to prevent and address bullying can help sustain prevention efforts over time. https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/at-school/index.html
Prevention programs should target SEL (social/emotional learning) and academic learning to address risk factors and increase protective factors. https://casel.org/middle-and-high-school-edition-casel-guide/
WVDE Disclaimer
Please Note: Links to resources outside the West Virginia Department of Education’s website do not constitute an endorsement by the WVDE. Users should vet linked resources to meet audience needs.