How Substance Abuse And Mental Health Issues Impact Each Other

At Pride Surveys, we work with community coalitions, parents, and education partners to deliver consistently updated research, data, and resources surrounding the mental health issues and substance abuse issues affecting youth, among others.

It’s been reported that over 20 million people in the U.S. have a substance use disorder (SUD), with many becoming victims of the opioid epidemic still swarming the nation. During the height of the pandemic, the number of people living with mental health conditions and rates of substance misuse increased. One study found that adults, notably young adults, reported considerably elevated rates of mental health conditions during 2020 and 2021. Levels of substance misuse and suicidal ideation also increased around the nation, especially in teens.

According to the American Medical Association, every state in the United States reported a spike or increase in overdose deaths or other problems during the pandemic, concluding that many young people sought substances, such as fentanyl and opioids, as well as a form of self-medication for mental health conditions. When you simultaneously have a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression, it is called a co-occurring disorder diagnosis. Dealing with substance abuse is undoubtedly not easy on its own, but it becomes increasingly more problematic when someone is also struggling with mental health. So, it begs the question: how does substance abuse affect mental health issues versus how mental health affects substance abuse?

In co-occurring disorders, mental health issues and substance addiction have their respective symptoms that may get in the way of someone’s ability to function at school, handle life’s challenges, keep a stable atmosphere, and get along with others. Together, the co-occurring disorders also affect one another, adding to the person’s inability to function with stability. Often, self-destruction begins to occur, whether in the form of cutting or eating disorders, or other symptoms.

We know that when a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance abuse problem typically worsens. When alcohol or drug abuse increases, mental health problems almost always increase. So it’s not necessarily one versus the other, and more a collective cycle that the two exist in together.

Now, can substance abuse without initial mental health complications occur? Yes. Plenty of young people prescribed painkillers for surgery ended up being addicted. And what we understand is that addiction and substance abuse almost always results in mental health issues because drugs and alcohol can have short-term effects on mental state. These can include changes in someone’s mood, concentration, ability to rationalize clearly, ability to relax, and perception of reality. Substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine can cause prolonged psychotic reactions, while alcohol can make any underlying history of depression and anxiety symptoms worse.

Since mental health issues are often caused by a complex web of genetics, someone’s environment, and other social influences, it’s still difficult to say if abusing substances can ever directly cause them. However, if someone is at risk for a mental health issue, using alcohol or drugs may topple that person over a metaphorical edge.

On the contrary, alcohol, and drugs are often used to self-medicate the symptoms of mental health problems, which is how many people end up in the cycle of co-diagnosis. Many people throughout history have often abused alcohol or drugs to ease symptoms of a mental disorder, whether it’s to cope with difficult emotions of grief or depression, to block out a traumatic event from their past, cope with heartache and loneliness, or to change their mood for a social event or situation temporarily. We know that self-medicating with drugs or alcohol causes side effects and, in the long run, almost always worsens the symptoms they initially helped to relieve.

Substance abuse may also sharply increase symptoms of mental illness or even trigger new symptoms that pertain to that particular mental illness. Abuse of alcohol or drugs can also interact with medications such as antidepressants, anxiety medications, and mood stabilizers, causing them to be less effective at managing symptoms and delaying recovery.

Substance use also alters levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. This can lead to mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. People addicted to substances are twice as likely to have a mood or anxiety disorder.

If you notice signs of behavioral stress or depression in a student, it is imperative to reach out to professionals. If your community coalition or school requires data collection to determine the mental health issues that may be occurring, please get in touch with the Pride Surveys team. We offer a variety of options to fit many needs. Please contact our team at any point to learn more.

Resources

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/self-medicating.htm

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29393/2019NSDUHFFRPDFWHTML/2019NSDUHFFR1PDFW090120.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

Red Ribbon Week | Youth Drug Use Statistics and Prevention

Red Ribbon Week is an annual initiative between October 23rd and October 31st dedicated to helping kids stay drug-free. At Pride Surveys, we hope to provide as many statistics and resources around this critical topic as possible in order to support parents, schools, and community coalitions, all of whom are equally passionate about keeping children from using drugs of all varieties.

In light of Red Ribbon Week, we analyzed the drug use trends over the past five years (2014-2018), with a focus on the data surrounding smoking cigarettes, drinking alcoholic beverages, marijuana use, and prescription drug use, in particular.

Drug use, Pride Surveys, Drug Prevention

Pride Surveys Red Ribbon Week Youth Drug Use Statistics and Prevention

Cigarette Smoking Trends and Resources

Pride Surveys data reveals that there has been a very positive decrease in cigarette smoking in children grades six through twelve, with the numbers dropping from 8.6% reporting they smoked part or all of a cigarette in the past 30 days (2014) to 4.6% reporting they did (2018).

For resources related to cigarette smoking in youth, please visit our World No Tobacco Day blog post.

Alcohol Use Trends and Resources

From 2014 to 2018, Pride Surveys data shows that when asked if they drank one or more drinks of an alcoholic beverage in the previous 30 days, the numbers decreased overall by 2.9% (17% to 14.1%). There was an uptick from 2017 to 2018, with 12.9% of youth reporting they had consumed alcohol in 2017 versus 14.1% in 2018.

For additional data on binge drinking, drinking and driving, alcohol consumption by grade, and resources for identifying if teens are using alcohol and ways to help prevent them from doing so, please visit our National Alcohol Awareness Month blog post.

Marijuana Use Trends and Resources

Pride Surveys data for marijuana use shows that while the numbers have decreased between 2014 to 2018 from 10.6% to 9.2%, there was also an uptick from 2016 and 2017 (8.2% each year) to 2018 (9.2%).

The Red Ribbon Week website, Drugfree.org, and Stanford Children’s Health provide a significant number of ways to speak with kids about marijuana use and the dangers surrounding it.

Prescription Drug Use Trends and Resources

In large part, due to our community coalition partners’ phenomenal work, the great news is that prescription drug use in grades six through twelve has dropped almost in half based on the data. When asked if they had used prescription drugs not prescribed to them over the past 30 days, there was a decline with 4.3% of youth surveyed reporting “yes” in 2014 versus 2.2% in 2018.

Our blog post on the topic provides ample information on warning signs, risk factors, and the “why” behind prescription drug use in children.

At Pride Surveys, we remain committed to consistently providing our community coalition and school colleagues with up-to-date survey data and resources on issues impacting youth from Red Ribbon Week throughout the course of each year. While 2020 looks significantly different than years past, the more community coalitions stay involved with and support youth and the more activities and programs teens and middle schoolers are involved in, the less likely they are to imbibe in drugs and alcohol.

Should you have questions or be interested in an online or paper survey related to substance abuse or other topics, please reach out to our team to learn more.

Resources:

https://www.redribbon.org/resources

https://drugfree.org/article/how-to-talk-about-marijuana/

https://healthier.stanfordchildrens.org/en/talking-with-your-teen-about-marijuana/

Leveling Up: How to Ensure Students Are Prepared for the Challenges of High School

Many may consider the transitional challenges of high school to higher education as a critical moment, but what’s increasingly becoming more pivotal is what is sometimes known as the Ninth Grade Bottleneck.[1]

Even a relatively low dropout rate after junior high can be alarming. A high school diploma is a basic requirement for many jobs. In addition, the level and quality of academic achievement that students attain by eighth grade may have a larger impact on college and professional readiness than anything that happens during their high school years.[2]

As a community member, what can you do to increase the high school readiness of middle schoolers in your area and bring awareness around teenage substance abuse?

Have Them Participate in Academic Intervention Programs

Poor school performance is one of the most common reasons for having a difficult time adjusting to high school, sometimes leading to dropping out during ninth grade or the summer right after.

Academic intervention can be about filling in gaps in knowledge or compensating for learning difficulties, as is the case with programs like QuickSmart in Australia.[3] However, it may also focus on building better study habits and improving students’ outlook in life.

A support system-based approach may be particularly effective for certain communities. How engaged are the parents and guardians in your area when it comes to supporting the value of formal education? Multi-approach and family-focused intervention can improve grades along with lowering both dropout and teenage substance abuse rates.[4]

Make the High School Adjustment Period More Comfortable

New beginnings, especially in new places, can be tough and isolating. Ninth graders may feel out of place, on top of having to deal with more schoolwork than they’re ever done before.

Community initiatives may train guardians to help ease these burdens by putting together and labeling school supplies and books needed.[5] Teaching both guardians and students about planners or productivity apps for scheduling and studying may also be part of this.

Federal grant initiatives like the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs can help to foster school spirit and a sense of community in students.[6] The latter combines high school orientation with academic preparation and social events.

Offer a Variety of School and Extra-Curricular Activities

Providing many activity options for students to choose from is helpful to avoid student substance abuse concerns. Extra-curricular routines help students find places and groups where they feel like they belong, making school more fun and the challenges of high school less stressful. Even academic activities like competitions, conferences or workshops can be fun and character-building for the right kind of student.

Teach Accountability and Promote Independence

The seeds of accountability and independence are planted when community youth are taught self-monitored study and work habits. Nurturing better relationships between students and faculty and other school personnel is another piece of this puzzle. When students respect and accept teachers as authority figures, they are more likely to be diligent with assignments and test preparation.[7]

With a sense of responsibility should come trust and increased independence. Plan initiatives to prepare teenagers for challenges of high school, to make smart choices, to think of the consequences of their actions, and to manage their priorities.

Help Them Manage Stress and Anxiety

More than one in 20 children in the U.S. experience anxiety and depression.[8] It’s worth considering a general health program to promote sleep health[9], a good diet, and regular exercise to help lower stress levels and improve cognitive function.[10]

Research also suggests that untreated anxiety disorders early in life can lead to chronic anxiety and depression along with teenage substance abuse. Without initiatives to teach community youth how to cope with stress and seek help for mental health issues, student substance abuse may be inevitable.

A survey in 2012 states that more than 85% of U.S. high school students have classmates that drink alcohol do drugs or smoke during school days. More than 52% confirmed that these classmates could do so on school grounds.[11]

While Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs[12] can aid in preventing teenage substance abuse, it may be better for certain communities to focus on drug abuse education programs instead.

Preparing students to transition to high school is challenging. One of the most effective ways to help prepare students for this transition is to get insights directly from the source. Pride Surveys has surveyed students for more than two decades. We’ve developed customized surveys geared toward your specific community. The insights gleaned from these surveys directly leads to action plans. Contact Pride Surveys today to learn more about the surveys we offer and how we can help your community thrive.

[1] “The Ninth-Grade Bottleneck: An Enrollment Bulge in a Transition Year that Demands Careful Attention and Action.” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Ninth-Grade-Bottleneck%3A-An-Enrollment-Bulge-in-Wheelock-Miao/3429cad4a17ae3c4cca784021df3ae42a7cf2050

[2] “The Forgotten Middle: Ensuring That All Students Are on Target for College and Career Readiness Before High School” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ForgottenMiddleSummary.pdf

[3] “QuickSmart: a basic academic skills intervention for middle school students with learning difficulties.” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17915495

[4] “Family-Focused Program Can Deter Dropping Out, Substance Use” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://psychcentral.com/news/2014/10/27/family-focused-intervention-deters-hs-dropouts-substance-use/76644.html

[5] “7 Ways to Prepare Kids for Middle and High School” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.education.com/magazine/article/kids-prepare-middle-high-school/

[6] “At-Risk High School Students in the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness Program (GEAR UP): Academic and Behavioral Outcomes” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10935-006-0050-z

[7] “Keeping Students Accountable” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at http://www.nea.org/tools/54212.htm

[8] “More than 1 in 20 US children and teens have anxiety or depression” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180424184119.htm

[9] “American Academy of Pediatrics Supports Childhood Sleep Guidelines” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Supports-Childhood-Sleep-Guidelines.aspx

[10] “Childhood Nutrition Facts” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm

[11] “National Survey on American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVII: Teens” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction-research/reports/national-survey-american-attitudes-substance-abuse-teens-2012

[12] “5 Ways to Incorporate SEL in Middle School” Retrieved 13 September 2019 a https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-ways-incorporate-sel-middle-school

How Students Can Lessen School Stress

A competitive classroom emphasizes individualistic learning, though it can also help cultivate school stress. Students absorb material individually. Teachers test and quiz them, evaluating their performances with letter grades and percentages. Competition has its benefits. It can motivate students to try harder. It can also help students prepare to embrace real-life challenges and, on occasion, cope with failure. Teachers also receive clear, reliable, and quantitative data for evaluating students. In particular, it allows teachers to identify and address individual problems more efficiently. Academic competition, however, can be taken too far, and it can have negative consequences for students.

Competition can become a more or less constant feature of the school environment. Students are already under pressure with high school grades, standardized test results, and extracurricular activities dictating college admissions. With recent educational initiatives such as No Child Left Behind and Common Core, testing becomes an ever-present feature of the school experience. Students are either taking tests or, with individual teachers and schools being evaluated by the results, preparing to take them. There are legitimate concerns about prioritizing test preparation at the expense of intrinsic learning and subjects such as art or current events. But always-competitive classroom environments may be exacerbating teenage stress.

Stress in school has become a major issue affecting a large percentage of students. An NYU survey found that 49 percent of high school students overall and 60 percent of female students perceived they were under a “great deal of stress” daily.^[1] In an APA survey, American teens incredibly reported higher stress levels than American adults.^[2] Chronic stress can lead to serious mental health issues. Depression among students appears to be on the rise. The rate of major depressive episodes reported by teenagers increased by 37 percent from 2005 to 2014.^[3] Managing the interplay between stress and school can require a holistic effort from students themselves, parents, and schools.

Students can take essential steps on their own to help manage their stress. Maintaining good health can be an excellent way to relieve stress. Getting regular exercise and eating a nutritious diet are important factors. Avoiding smoking can also cut down on stress. Contrary to its portrayal in popular culture, smoking can ratchet up feelings of anxiety and tension by reducing the production of serotonin. Teenagers also need adequate downtime. That could be something formal like meditation, or just ensuring they take regular breaks from schoolwork and other organized activity. Sleeping the right amount can also be imperative. Teenagers need about 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep per night.^[4]

Parents can play a vital role in this process too. Parents can reinforce stress-reducing habits for their children via simple steps such as serving healthy food or limiting screen time. A particular concern for parents is making sure their children do not become overscheduled. Burdening them with lessons, sports, and activities at all hours may round out a college application in theory. In practice, though, it can leave children with little time for rest and essential unstructured development. Parents can also model healthy behavior in their own lives. Children often develop stress-handling habits by observing the relationship between their parents and stress.

Schools can take impactful steps to help parents and students with stress. Some limits on the sheer amount of homework students receive may be helpful. In a survey of high-performing high schools, students reported receiving more than three hours of homework per night.^[5] Students that spent more time on homework in that study reported greater stress. While homework has benefits, the optimal amount of it, according to one study, may be significantly less than is being assigned, about 90 to 100 minutes per night.^[6] Homework started to lose its effectiveness beyond that point.

Movement can also help alleviate student stress. Teachers can encourage students to move around the classroom for activities. Schools can ensure that students receive a sufficient recess period and resist cutting that period short to devote more of the school day to tested core subjects.

The most important step for parents and teachers may be observing students, keeping open lines of communication, and listening to their concerns. Children are not adults. They may be feeling severe effects from undue stress in their lives without the language to express the problem or even the conceptual framework to recognize that something is wrong.

It can be difficult getting honest answers to difficult questions from our students. This is one of Pride Surveys’ strengths. We’ve surveyed students for more than 30 years, enabling decision-makers, parents, and community leaders to gain vital insight into their thinking, concerns, and emotional state. If you’re interested in using our surveys to help better understand the students in your area, take some time to browse all that we offer. If you have any questions, or you would like to know more about our process and why our surveys have been utilized for three decades, contact us today and we’ll be happy to discuss your challenges and the potential solutions Pride Surveys can provide.

^[1] “A multi-method exploratory study of stress, coping, and substance abuse among high school youth in private schools.” Retrieved 18 July 2019 at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01028/full

^[2] “American Psychological Association Survey Shows Teen Stress Rivals That of Adults” Retrieved 22 July 2019 at https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/02/teen-stress

^[3] “National Trends in the Prevalence and Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults.” Retrieved 18 July 2019 at https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/6/e20161878

^[4] “Sleep Disorders in the Older Child and Teen” Retrieved 19 July 2019 at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/ccf/media/files/Sleep_Disorders_Center/09_Adolescent_factsheet.pdf

^[5] “Non-Academic Effects of Homework in Privileged, High-Performing High Schools” Retrieved 19 July 2019 at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220973.2012.745469

^[6] “Adolescents Homework Performance in Mathematics and Science: Personal Factors and Teaching Practices” Retrieved 19 July 2019 at https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/edu-0000032.pdf

How Homelessness Impacts Students and How We Can Help

The U.S. Department of Education defines homeless students as those who “lack a fixed, regular, and nighttime residence.” For the 2015-16 school year, there were more than 1.3 million public school students^[1] classified as homeless in the United States, about 2.6% of the total public school student population. Nearly 18% of those underprivileged students, numbering more than 232,000, suffer from disabilities. The number of homeless students detected has increased by 70% over the past decade.^[2]

Challenges Homeless Students Face

Homelessness places extraordinary internal stress on students of all ages. Basic food, survival, and economic needs become persistent worries. Chronic instability and mobility add their own pressure. Students may be exposed to trauma, mistreatment, substance abuse, and health risks as well.

Younger students may suffer from cognitive and behavioral development issues as a result of homelessness. Only 30% of homeless students reached academic proficiency in reading and 25% in mathematics.^[3] Childcare, work, and other responsibilities may burden older students, preventing them from completing school work. Only 64% of homeless students graduate high school, compared to 84% of all students.^[4]

Problems with teen bullying and cyberbullying are well documented. Homeless students can be vulnerable to many different forms of school bullying. Other students may bully homeless students about the state of their clothing over social media which can compound already prevalent attendance problems.^[5] Students subject to discrimination about their race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation face a particular risk in the school climate. Non-sheltered homeless students reported discriminatory bullying at a rate (52.7%) more than twice as frequent as general students.^[6]

Homeless students face a greater risk of involvement in school violence. Non-sheltered homeless students reported a rate of weapon involvement (60.3%) more than five times the rate of non-homeless students in student surveys. Seventy-seven percent of non-sheltered homeless students reported behavioral victimization, measurable instances of violence, in school.^[7]

Being homeless may harm students’ mental health. The statistics from school surveys suggest more than 80% of homeless students may have at least one psychiatric disorder, a rate four times that of the general population.^[8] At the same time, homeless students face an array of logistical, economic, and social barriers to obtaining adequate mental healthcare.

How to Spot Homeless Students

Parents and students may hide their homeless status and miss out on potential aid available to them. Schools and teachers may ascertain the problem through telltale signs.

Appearance: Homeless students may wear unclean clothing, have gone a long time without a haircut, or have unaddressed health, dental, and hygiene issues.

Attendance: Homeless students may have trouble getting to and from school. Extended or recurrent absences, repeated tardiness, and frequently missed assignments could be indicators. Homeless students may also have a long list of attended schools or lack appropriate paperwork.

Behavior: Homeless students may signal their homeless status indirectly. They may carry a backpack full of non-school-related personal items or hoard food that is distributed. Students may also reference changes in their living conditions or respond elusively to questions about their home life.

How to Help Homeless Students

Schools should approach homeless students and their families with a firm understanding of their legal rights and educational needs. They can provide students and their families with information about federal aid programs they may be eligible for, such as those providing temporary housing and subsidized school lunches. They can also inform families about available tutoring and local after-school programs. Schools can also take steps to ensure that a student’s basic needs are met. Those could range from providing healthy snacks to helping a student find shower and laundry facilities.

Teachers should offer a welcoming environment. They can perform educational assessments and form an educational plan with help from a school counselor. They can check in with students themselves, enlist other students to help new students settle in, and make sure they are not singled out in any way. Teachers can communicate rules and expectations clearly and make sure not to hold homeless students accountable for factors beyond their control.

Teachers — and other adults in leadership positions — can only help homeless students if they’re aware they exist. That means paying close attention to the students, asking the right questions, and listening intently to the answers. Since 1980, Pride Surveys has been doing just that. By tapping directly into the source — our students — we’re able to get a better understanding of the challenges they face, be it homelessness, bullying, mental health issues, drug abuse, and more.

Please browse through the different types of student surveys we offer and find out why more than 14 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. Questions? Please call us today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

^[1] “Homeless students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools, by grade, primary nighttime residence, and selected student characteristics: 2009-10 through 2015-16” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_204.75a.asp

^[2] “Number of Homeless Students Soars” Retrieved 15 April 2019 https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Federal-Data-Summary-SY-14.15-to-16.17-Final-Published-2.12.19.pdf

^[3] “Federal Data Summary School Years 2014-15 to 2016-17: Education for Homeless Children and Youth” Retrieved 15 April 2019 at https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Federal-Data-Summary-SY-14.15-to-16.17-Final-Published-2.12.19.pdf

^[4] “Report: Homeless Students Less Likely to Graduate Than Other Low-Income Children” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://www.americaspromise.org/report/hidden-plain-sight

^[5] “Students were bullied because of dirty clothes. Washing machines in the locker room will change that.” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://www.nj.com/essex/2018/08/students_were_bullied_because_of_dirty_clothes_a_p.html

^[6] “Study Snapshot: School Violence and Victimization Among School-Attending Homeless Youth as Compared With Their Non-Homeless Peers” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://www.aera.net/News/News-Releases-and-Statements/Study-Snapshot-School-Violence-and-Victimization-Among-School-Attending-Homeless-Youth-as-Compared-With-Their-Non-Homeless-Peers

^[7] “Study Snapshot: School Violence and Victimization Among School-Attending Homeless Youth as Compared With Their Non-Homeless Peers” Retrieved 11 April 2019 at https://www.aera.net/News/News-Releases-and-Statements/Study-Snapshot-School-Violence-and-Victimization-Among-School-Attending-Homeless-Youth-as-Compared-With-Their-Non-Homeless-Peers

^[8] “Behavioral Health among Youth Experiencing Homelessness” Retrieved 11 April 2019 at https://www.nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/in-focus-behavioral-health-among-youth.pdf

How Opioids Work and What They do to Teenagers

We used this space to educate and inform community leaders, parents, and teenagers about how drugs affect teenage bodies. We’ve done the same for alcohol, as well. Now we want to break out and specifically discuss the greatest drug threat in America today: Opioids.

You’ve most likely heard about opioids in the news, and sadly many of you probably know someone who has dealt with the devastating effects in America’s ongoing battle against opioid addiction and abuse.

In 2012, there were 467,000 people in the United States addicted to heroin, a powerful street opioid, yet in the same year, more than 2 million Americans were abusing opioid painkillers.[1]

This tracks with the general trend in the United States, writ large, as 2017 saw a 10% increase in overall drug overdose deaths, as more than 70,000 Americans died in from a drug-related overdose that year.[2]

Unfortunately, the trend line for opioid use among teenagers — as well as the mortality rate — is only getting worse. In a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers found, “Over 18 years, nearly 9,000 children and adolescents died from opioid poisonings, and the mortality rate increased nearly 3-fold.”[3]

Understanding Why Teens Use Drugs

Before we dive into what happens to teenagers when they use opioids, we first must understand why teens might reach for drugs in the first place.

Our teenage years are challenging in many ways, both physically and mentally. The rapid ascent toward adulthood is in constant combat with the whims of youth, which often leads to poor decision making.

This internal battle often leads to teenagers looking for an escape from the pressures they face. Sometimes this escape is entirely innocent, like a book or a movie. Other times, however, it can lead to drug use.

As for why this happens, we can thank biology for the rate at which our brains develop. According to the Partnership for Drug Free Kids, “The part of the brain that controls reasoning and impulses — known as the prefrontal cortex — is near the front of the brain and, therefore, develops last. This part of the brain does not fully mature until the age of 25.”[4]

Parents and mentors need to understand why teenagers are susceptible to falling into drug use. Staying active in their lives by asking questions about their thoughts and feelings keeps teenagers engaged and less likely to seek refuge in illicit drugs, while simultaneously keeping parents and mentors involved, as well.

Why are Opioids so Addictive?

The science behind opioids —prescription painkillers, heroin, fentanyl — is a large reason why we’re facing an epidemic of abuse and addiction in America. These drugs are powerful, and they impact the brain in ways it wants us to replicate, which necessitates an increased dosage.

Opioids attach to pain receptors on nerve cells in your brain and your body, essentially turning them off for a period of time. This is why they were first invented, as a way of managing severe pain from injury or a medical procedure.

“Opioids can make your brain and body believe the drug is necessary for survival,” according to the American Association of Anesthesiologists. “As you learn to tolerate the dose you’ve been prescribed, you may find that you need even more medication to relieve the pain — sometimes resulting in addiction.”[5]

When you no longer trip those impulses in the brain, the brain, and the body take over and push you back toward the opioid, leading to addiction.

The Impact of Opioid Addiction on Teenagers

Once addicted, overuse of opioids — legal or illicit — begin to break our bodies down. Infections in the heart lining can occur, while respiratory depression can lead to slowed breathing, which is potentially fatal.[6]

Abusing opiates can also weaken your immune system, leading to a greater chance of falling ill to viruses your body would otherwise be able to ward off.[7]

Talk to Your Teenagers and Look Out for Signs of Drug use

Parents and mentors of teenagers need to understand the signs of opioid and other drug use as well as how prevalent their use may be within the community writ large. Because of the risk factors that go along with drug use, any type of drug can be harmful to the body, whether it is misuse of prescribed medications or illicit substances.

Pride Surveys developed its Risk and Protective Factor (RPF) student perception survey, a hybrid version of the Communities That Care (CTC) Youth Survey and the Pride Questionnaire for Grades 6 to 12 to measure the risk factors that show the strongest correlation to drug use. It contains the Core Measures required by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for their Drug-Free Communities Grant that went into effect February 2013 and asks about incidences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use plus perceptions of availability and disapproval of use from parents and friends.

The benefit of choosing a survey company is that we take the guesswork out of the surveying process to ask the difficult questions. For more than thirty years, Pride Surveys has been helping schools collect data on teen substance abuse perceptions and drug use trends in their communities through scalable survey products. We offer multiple drug-free community survey options as well as student risk perception surveys designed to help assess teen substance abuse and risk, including our student surveys for grades 6-12, and our supplemental surveys like the Drug-Free Community Survey Supplement.

Browse the different types of scalable student surveys we offer and find out why Pride Surveys is the best choice to help you survey your school. Questions? Give us a call at 800-279-6361 or contact us here.

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[1] “The Effects of Opiates on Your Body.” Retrieved on 18 March 2019 at https://drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-opiates-on-the-body/

[2] “New Data Show Growing Complexity of Drug Overdose Deaths in America.” Retrieved on 19 March 2019 at https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p1221-complexity-drug-overdose.html

[3] “US National Trends in Pediatric Deaths from Prescription and Illicit Opioids, 1999-2016.” Retrieved 18 March 2019 at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2719580

[4] “Brain Development, Teen Behavior and Preventing Drug Use.” Retrieved on 18 March 2019 at https://drugfree.org/article/brain-development-teen-behavior/

[5] “Opioid Treatment: What Are Opioids?” Retrieved on 18 March 2019 at https://www.asahq.org/whensecondscount/pain-management/opioid-treatment/what-are-opioids/

[6] “The Effects of Opiates on Your Body.” Retrieved on 19 March 2019 at https://drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-opiates-on-the-body/.

[7] Ibid.

What Drugs Do to Teens: Bodies

Welcome to the second in our series about how drugs affect teens. This time we will focus on the physical effects of drug use on the body. Addiction can develop in anyone, but adolescence is a time of life when individuals are more vulnerable to the impact of substance use and abuse.

In 2013, there were just over 2.8 million new users of illicit drugs. More than half (54.1%) were under the age of 18.[1] According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, high school seniors that use drugs most commonly use marijuana followed by amphetamines and prescription painkillers. This same study reveals that Adderall is the top prescription amphetamine being abused and Vicodin and OxyContin are at the top of the list of abused painkillers.[2]

Why Teens Use Drugs

There are many reasons teens experiment with illicit or unprescribed drugs including peer pressure or an attempt to deal with problems. They may start to use them socially or because a friend does and spiral out of control. As we talked about in our post about the impact of drugs on teens brains, the adolescent brain is also still developing and learning, so teens are wired to seek out new experiences and take risks.[3] But what also comes with this developing brain is a body still in progress as well. This means that the effect of teen substance abuse is that much more harmful.

Substances often fit into these categories: depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and opiates. So let’s break down each to see how they can impact the teen body.

How Do Depressants Affect the Teen Body?

Depressants slow down the functions of the body, including the brain, and often cause a drowsy feeling. Depressants include marijuana, Valium, Xanax, Librium, and barbiturates as well as alcohol. Their use can lower energy, slow breathing, slow heart rate, and lower body temperature.[4] They can affect your coordination and concentration and impair the ability to drive. Interestingly, marijuana can be categorized as a depressant, stimulant or hallucinogen thanks to mind-altering THC and variety of effects it can cause.[5]

How Do Stimulants Affect the Teen Body?

Stimulants speed up the brain, increase heart rate, blood pressure and breathing as well as raise body temperature.[6] They can also elevate mood and feelings of well-being. Stimulants include cocaine, methamphetamine, and amphetamine. Cocaine use can cause extreme sensitivity to sound, light and physical touch as well as headaches, convulsions, and seizures.[7] Prescription amphetamines such as Adderall, often given to treat ADHD, can also be misused when used by someone for whom it was not prescribed, or used in excess.[8] This can lead to risk of seizures, a lack of interest in eating, or decreased sleep.

How Do Hallucinogens Affect the Teen Body?

Hallucinogens, including LSD, PCP, MDMA, mescaline, and psilocybin, alter the brain and body’s perception of reality creating sensations and images that seem real. Use of hallucinogens can cause delusional thoughts and bizarre physical movement because they work on the way nerve cells communicate with one another.[9] In addition to hallucinations, LSD can increase cardiac activity and body temperature as well as loss of appetite, dry mouth and sweating.[10] MDMA, also known as Ecstasy or Molly, is a drug that acts like a stimulant by increasing energy and pleasure but alters perception and sense of reality.[11] This makes it difficult to categorize or to know how it will affect the body.

How Opiates Affect the Body

Opiates are powerful painkillers that change how the brain perceives pain. They can also produce feelings of euphoria. Opiates such as heroin, morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl slow cardiac function and breathing as well as impacting nerve cells in the brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract and other organs.[12] Opiates can be natural or synthetic, but all kick off the release of dopamine in the brain to control pain and create feelings of pleasure. With heroin, that rush usually comes with flushing, intense itchiness, nausea, and vomiting.[13]

Physical Dependency vs. Addiction

It’s important to make a distinction between addiction to a substance versus physical dependence. Addiction is a preoccupation to the point of obsession with obtaining a drug. It is a loss of control over its use. Physical dependency, the feeling of withdrawal if a drug is stopped suddenly, can be part of addiction or not.[14]

Any type of drug can be harmful to the body, whether it is misuse of prescribed medications or illicit substances, because of the risk factors that go along with drug use. Pride Surveys developed its Risk and Protective Factor (RPF) student perception survey, a hybrid version of the Communities That Care (CTC) Youth Survey and the Pride Questionnaire for Grades 6 to 12 to measure the risk factors that show the strongest correlation to drug use. It contains the updated Core Measures required by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for their Drug-Free Communities Grant that went into effect February 2013 and asks about incidences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use plus perceptions of availability and disapproval of use from parents and friends.

[1] “Nationwide Trends” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends

[2] “What Drugs Are Most Frequently Used by Adolescents?” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-adolescent-substance-use-disorder-treatment-research-based-guide/frequently-asked-questions/what-drugs-are-most-frequently-used-by-adolescents

[3] “The Influence of Substance Use on Adolescent Brain Development.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2827693/

[4] “Which Classes of Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Misused?” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/misuse-prescription-drugs/which-classes-prescription-drugs-are-commonly-misused

[5] “Profile: Marijuana.” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/pubs/marijuana.pdf

[6] “Illegal Drugs and Heart Disease.” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cocaine-Marijuana-and-Other-Drugs_UCM_428537_Article.jsp#.Wt8pilMvyql

[7] “What is Cocaine?” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/cocaine-use-and-its-effects#1

[8] “Prescription Stimulants.” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-stimulants

[9] “How do Hallucinogens Affect the Brain and Body?” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/hallucinogens-dissociative-drugs/how-do-hallucinogens-lsd-psilocybin-peyote-dmt-ayahuasca-affect-brain-body

[10] Ibid.

[11] “What is MDMA?” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasymolly

[12] America’s Addiction to Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Use.” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse

[13] “What is Heroin?” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin

[14] “Physical Dependence vs. Addiction.” Retrieved 24 April, 2018 at https://blogs.psychcentral.com/blog/2017/03/physical-dependence-vs-addiction/

What Drugs Really Do to Teens: Brains

“This is your brain on drugs.”

An iconic ad campaign that influenced an entire generation of young people. But what do drugs really do to your brain when you’re a teen? Welcome to the first in our series about how drugs affect teen bodies.

When drugs enter the brain, they inhibit natural functions and development, and can ultimately lead to changes in how well the brain works. To understand the effect that drugs have on adolescents, it’s important to realize that teenagers are not just smaller, less-experienced adults; Neuroscientists have reported for years that the human brain is not fully mature until around the age of 25.[1]

Different drugs work on the brain in different ways because of their chemical structures. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. with upwards of 11 million young adults ages 18-25 using in 2015.[2] THC, the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, overstimulates receptors in the brain that react naturally to chemicals similar to this chemical in marijuana. This overreaction is key in creating the high that people experience.[3]

Some short-term brain-related effects of marijuana are:[4]
• Temporary memory loss
• Altered perception of time
• Difficulties thinking or problem-solving

According to Staci Gruber, PhD, a neuroscientist and director of the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core and the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, there are reasons to believe that adolescents may be exceptionally vulnerable to lasting damage from marijuana use at least until their early to mid-20s. “The brain is still under construction,” she explains.

The teenage mind is still developing physically, intellectually and emotionally. The frontal lobe of the brain, an area associated with “planning, inhibition, emotion regulation, and integration of novel stimuli,” goes through extensive development during puberty.[5] As teens mature, they are going through a crucial developmental stage when they are not only learning to make sound judgments but are also sensitive to psychoactive substances.[6] This can be a dangerous combination.

Our brains are hardwired to ensure that we’ll repeat specific actions by connecting those activities (like eating and sleeping) with a reward – feeling good – by releasing a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is associated with the motivation aspect of reward-motivated behavior and links parts of the brain together that are home to personality, decision-making and social conduct.

Stimulants like meth and cocaine, the second most commonly used category of drugs in teens, also create a rush of dopamine in the brain.[7] These drugs can be destructive not only to intellectual development but also to the fundamental ability of a user to feel contentment and satisfaction.[8] Because they hamper the brain’s ability to sense rewards correctly in everyday life, it is believed that alterations in neurotransmitter function are involved in substance addiction.

Some short-term brain-related effects of meth are:[9]
• Increased energy and mania
• Insomnia
• Paranoia
• Obsessive focus on performing repetitive actions

Some short-term brain-related effects of cocaine are:[10]
• Feelings of euphoria
• Increased energy
• Inflated self-esteem
• Elevated mood

Adolescents are at risk of substance addiction from drug use more than any other age. And, more than any other age group, teens risk long-term “intellectual and emotional damage” as a result of abusing drugs.[11]

Pride Surveys developed its Risk and Protective Factor (RPF) student perception survey, a hybrid version of the Communities That Care (CTC) Youth Survey and the Pride Questionnaire for Grades 6 to 12 to measure the factors that show the strongest correlation to drug use. It contains the updated Core Measures required by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for their Drug-Free Communities Grant that went into effect February 2013 and asks about incidences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use plus perceptions of availability and disapproval of use from parents and friends.

[1] “Adolescent Maturity and the Brain: The Promise and Pitfalls of Neuroscience Research in Adolescent Health Policy.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892678/

[2] “Substance Abuse Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. Results from the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015.pdf

[3] “What is marijuana?” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana#ref

[4] “The Effects of Marijuana Use.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-marijuana-use/

[5] “The Influence of Substance Use on Adolescent Brain Development.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2827693/

[6] “The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol On the Adolescent Brain.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at http://www.samafoundation.org/the-effects-of-drugs-and-alcohol-on-the-adolescent-brain.html

[7] ibid

[8] ibid

[9] “The Effects of Meth Use.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-meth-use/

[10] “The Effects of Cocaine Use.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-cocaine-use/

[11] “Adolescent Maturity and the Brain: The Promise and Pitfalls of Neuroscience Research in Adolescent Health Policy.” Retrieved 19 March 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892678/

The Impact of Taking Part in School Activities on Drug and Alcohol Use in Teens

Research shows there is a link between teen substance abuse and how well kids do in school. Teens who abuse drugs have lower grades, a higher absentee rate from school and other activities, and an increased potential for dropping out.[1] By participating in extracurricular activities like athletics, taking music lessons, or joining the newspaper staff, teens have a framework for their free time. They are also involved with a network of coaches, teammates and bandmates, and advisors who may be less tolerant of the use of illicit or illegal substances. While there is some debate about whether student-athletes, especially boys, are more susceptible to the influence of drugs from peers, most of the news is good.

In our Pride Surveys Report: 2015-16 National Summary, we noted that more than 30% of 6^th and 7^th graders take part in school activities “a lot” as do about 24% of 11^th and 12th graders.[2] In the national summary, you can see the correlations between extracurricular activities and drug use in our chapter that cross-tabs risk and protective factors with substance use.

High school girls who participate in sports are significantly less likely to use marijuana, cocaine, or most other illicit drugs. This protective effect of sports appears to be most influential for white girls. Some research does suggest that girls may be at a higher risk of illicit drug use than boys because they are more vulnerable to influences such as partner, peer or parental drug use. This statistic changes though when girls participate in sports, showing lower rates of drug use by female athletes as compared to their non-athlete peers.[3]

Sports help keep girls active and make them feel like a part of a team, which in turn can lead to a desire to be their healthiest and perform their best as well as a feeling of accountability towards other team members.[4] A national study of U.S. public high school students even found organized sports participants were 22% less likely to smoke cigarettes. Both male and female high school students who were involved in sports tended to rate themselves as being popular and more involved in extra-curricular activities. Playing sports and being part of a team can also give youth a strong social network that allows them to develop social skills that help them better adjust at school.[5]

However, a study published in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse does reveal that those most at risk for addiction to pain medications are sometimes high school athletes.[6] One of the key findings of this survey was that high school athletes more commonly used drugs than their peers; another was that boys were more likely to be drug users than girls. Finally, it was found that football players led their peers in drug use. One of the most troubling findings in the survey was that more teens are abusing prescription drugs including painkillers.[7]

What does all of this mean? It’s essential that parents are involved in their child’s lives and begin having conversations early about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. If a teen believes that his or her parents will allow substance use, he or she is more likely to try drugs or alcohol.[8] Substance abuse can lead to addiction or incarceration or other problems such as poor schoolwork, loss of friends, problems at home, and lasting legal problems.

It’s important for parents, educators, and coaches to learn about community and school activities that may interest teens and encourage them to participate. Relationships with educators and counselors are among the most significant and influential ones for many students. Adolescents who perceive that their teachers care about them are less likely to start using marijuana, smoking cigarettes, drinking to get drunk, and other behaviors that are barriers to education.[9]

But if school sports or other activities are not appealing to your teens, consider volunteer opportunities. Volunteering or after-school jobs can provide young people with a chance to become more responsible, to be exposed to other adults, and to develop new skills and interests. Some families even look for opportunities for teens and parents to volunteer together. It’s important, though, to remember not to push too hard. Look for signs that teens are overwhelmed with activities, volunteering, school work and other obligations.

Pride Surveys developed its Risk and Protective Factor (RPF) student perception survey, a hybrid version of the Communities That Care (CTC) Youth Survey and the Pride Questionnaire for Grades 6 to 12 to measure the factors that show the strongest correlations to drug use. It contains the updated Core Measures required by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for their Drug-Free Communities Grant that went into effect February 2013 and asks about incidences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use plus perceptions of availability and disapproval of use from parents and friends.

For over thirty years, Pride Surveys has been helping schools collect data on teen substance abuse perceptions and drug use trends in communities through scalable survey products. We offer multiple drug-free community survey options as well as student risk perception surveys designed to help assess teen substance abuse and risk, including our student surveys for grades 4-6, grades 6-12, and our supplemental surveys like the Drug-Free Community Survey Supplement. Please contact us online or call (800) 279-6361 for more information.

[1] “Adolescent Substance Abuse: America’s #1 Health Problem.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at https://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction-research/reports/adolescent-substance-use-america%E2%80%99s-1-public-health-problem

[2] “Pride Surveys Questionnaire for Grades 6 thru 12 Standard Report 2015-16 Pride National Summary.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at https://www.pridesurveys.com/customercenter/us15ns.pdf

[3] “HER LIFE DEPENDS ON IT III: Sport, Physical Activity, and the Health and Well-Being of American Girls and Women Executive Summary.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/hldoi-iii-report-executive-summary.pdf

[4] “Her Life Depends On It III: Sport, Physical Activity, and the Health and Well-Being of American Girls and Women Executive Summary.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/hldoi-iii-report-executive-summary.pdf

[5] “How Your Daughter’s Sports Team Could Be Enhancing Your Family Life.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/education/how-your-daughters-sports-team-could-be-enhancing-your-family-life/

[6] “Abuse of Prescription Painkillers on the Rise Among High School Athletes: Survey.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at https://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/08/04/abuse-of-prescription-painkillers-on-the-rise-among-high-school-athletes-survey

[7] “Survey Says High School Athletes More At Risk for Prescription Abuse Problems.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at http://www.narconon.org/blog/narconon/survey-says-high-school-athletes-risk-prescription-abuse-problems/

[8] “Talking to your middle school-aged child about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs: a 10-step guide for parents.” Retrieved 26 January, 2018 at http://www.needhamma.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/3387

[9] “The Role of Schools in Combatting Illicit Substance Abuse.” Retrieved January 26 at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/120/6/1379#ref-2