 Introduction:
Alcohol and other drugs (with related problems) have been
part of human society for thousands of years. Over the centuries drugs have
been used for medicinal, social and spiritual purposes. Currently people
use drugs for many reasons, including curiosity, enhanced social
interaction, thrill-seeking, escapism, boredom, self-medication, and
spiritual growth. Many individuals are able to use drugs recreationally
with no significant problems. Others, however, develop abusive or addictive
patterns of behavior leading to an array of personal and societal problems.
These lectures,
assignments, and book information provide an overview of concepts and
theories related to substance abuse and how they impact individuals,
families, and society. Goal:
Learn about the extent of drug use and abuse in current society, problems
that result from abusive drug use, and efforts to reduce use, abuse and
related problems.
Outcomes:
After completing this lesson you should understand / be
able to:
 | Describe methods used to examine concepts related to
addiction. |
| Describe some statistics related to substance abuse.
|
| List several reasons why people use psychoactive
substances. |
| List several reasons why some people develop abusive or
addictive use patterns |
| Describe societal problems and costs associated with
problem use patterns. |
| Describe societal efforts to reduce, eliminate, or
prevent illegal and/or abusive use
of alcohol and drugs. |
| Describe different models and theories related to
substance abuse. |
Some Objectives:
| Complete readings from course and supplemental texts.
|
| Explore relevant web sites. |
| Interviews with local professionals. |
| Attend a local Prevention
Alliance, Coalition or Task Force meetings. |
Some Important Terms:
| Statistics. |
| Prevalence |
| Designer drugs |
| Substance use, abuse, dependence |
| Addiction |
| Labeling Theory |
| FDA |
| Drug Courts |
|
|
