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Drugs and Young People Tracey Coleman Drug Education Consultant Illawarra and South East Region. Workshop Aims. Why do young people use drugs? Prevalence and patterns of drug use among young people
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Drugs and Young PeopleTracey Coleman Drug Education Consultant Illawarra and South East Region
Workshop Aims • Why do young people use drugs? • Prevalence and patterns of drug use among young people • Consider how enhancing resilience is part of a whole school approach to drug education, health and wellbeing.
Reasons young people use drugs • To experiment • To have fun • To heighten sensations • To rebel • To relax • To relieve boredom • To fit in with peers • To cope with problems • Because they are available.
Prevalence of drug use among young people 12 – 17 years Table 3: Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drugs (ASSAD) Survey 2005 Students aged 12-17 years
Comparison of drug use patterns among young people 12-17 yrs 1996 - 2005
The school’s role in preventing drug use problems • Drug prevention involves more than just teaching about drugs as part of curriculum. • Promoting resilience can help protect young people from developing a variety of problems likely to negatively impact on their future health and wellbeing (e.g. drugs, bullying, violence and mental health problems).
The overall message from prevention research is that schools can prevent the onset, severity and duration of problematic substance use, bullying, violence and mental health problems by undertaking a process of developing a culture that promotes resilience. (Fuller 2001)
Resilience is ….. • ….. The capacity to “bounce back from adversity”. (Wolin & Wolin 1999) • Being resilient involves “the inherent and nurtured capacity of individuals to deal with life stressors in ways that enable them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives”. (Howard & Johnson 1999)
Being resilient • Personal attributes/skills: • healthy relationships – socially competent • creative, flexible, solves problems • independent and sense of self-efficacy and mastery • positive, sense of purpose, humour. • Environmental supports: • bonds, support from family, friends, work, local community • belonging to group/social club/sport/hobby etc • access to help services. (Benard 1995, Wolin & Wolin 1999)
Risk and protective factors A number of studies indicate that it is possible to identify those factors that increase the risk of substance use problems and those factors that help protect and buffer young people against likely harm.
Risk and Protective Factors • Examine the scenario of Corey • Complete with a partner -the table of risk and protective factors -enhancing the protective factors -reducing the risk factors