PDT-SocWk-21 - Coaching Children and Teens with Alcohol and Drug Problems

Course Description

New Workshop!

Submitted to NASW, NH Chapter, for CE Credits

Human beings are born with biological and psychological systems that can lead to drug and alcohol problems. Drug and alcohol problems do not happen right away: addiction is a process. Teens use drugs in a non-problem way BEFORE they have substance abuse problems. The individualized cycle develops for each person according to their family, social and school environments. As well, each person goes through a different cycle for each substance he/she experiments with: each person has a unique relationship with each drug. This seminar will elaborate and emphasize the role of coaching children and teens with alcohol and drug problems. Theories of addiction will be described and critiqued, including the Gateway model, the Disease model and the Biopsychosocial model. Brain change due to alcohol and drug problems will also be reviewed. You will also discuss classes of drugs likely to be abused including: depressants, hallucinogens, stimulants and opiates. Medicine currently used to treat alcohol and drug addiction will be explained. There are numerous treatment programs to help prevent alcohol and drug abuse in children and teens and many methods of treatment once the teen has moved down the road toward addiction. These will also be discussed.