Effective Ways to Stop Substance Abuse
By Shana McCreery | May 2023
Most American adolescents don’t regularly abuse drugs; however, the use of mind/mood-altering substances among teens presents a significant problem. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 17.2 percent of American teens reported using an illicit drug within the last year. Adolescents’ developing brains make them particularly vulnerable to developing life-altering addictions. The earlier children start using drugs, the greater the chance they will eventually use more potent and dangerous substances.
Teens’ capacity to appreciate risks and long-term consequences is limited, and stress can compound that vulnerability. In fact, drug use is most likely to start during major stressful transitions, such as the move from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school. Exposure to peers who use drugs significantly increases risk for drug use, as does a familial history of substance abuse and a lack of sense of belonging in the family and community.
Traditional Approaches
The most widely used school-wide prevention practices include programs delivered by law enforcement, awareness celebrations, graphic presentations about the effects of drug use and testimonials from people in recovery. However, research has failed to find evidence of their long-term efficacy.
Susceptible students may be drawn to high-risk and illegal behavior, so focusing on extreme dangers of drugs may increase curiosity. And graphic, “scare tactic” presentations may do more harm than good for students who have loved ones struggling with addiction. Research indicates that the onset of substance abuse has much more to do with mental health, social skills and academic competency than with morality or one’s understanding of the law.
Effective Programs
So, what does effective prevention programing look like? Effective programs present information in a nonsensationalized, nonmoralistic manner. Although students need direct information about the risks associated with substance use, the core reasons most students start using drugs have little to do with knowledge or lack thereof. Accurate information is important, but at their core, good programs primarily address the loneliness, frustration and lack of purpose that often leads young people to try drugs in the first place.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that substance abuse risk is primarily a product of the balance between risk and protective factors. Risk factors include
We may not be able to control the difficulties in a student’s life, but we can work to develop protective factors that moderate risk. Each risk factor has at least one balancing protective factor that reduces vulnerability and builds resiliency. For example, a lack of family bonding and supervision can be counteracted by strong relationships with peers, teachers and community members. Aggressive behavior patterns can be counteracted by positive behavioral supports. Other protective factors include:
The good news is that protective factors don’t just make students less likely to use drugs. They also make it less likely that students will drop out of school; experience early, unwanted pregnancy; join a gang; act out violently toward others; experience mental health problems; or fail to learn in school. Programs that build protective factors are high-yield investments that can have a positive impact on virtually every area of a student’s life. As school counselors, we can address student needs in the academic, career and social/emotional domains through the implementation of one high-quality, asset-building program. The results will benefit students, parents, teachers and school administration and offer us a valuable tool as we advocate for the time and support we need to deliver effective services to students.
Researchers have consistently found a correlation between early aggressive behavior and later drug and alcohol abuse. They’ve also discovered that interventions as early as preschool targeting discipline problems can reduce the subsequent risk of substance abuse. Clearly, early intervention programs make a difference.
Effective programs teach refusal skills – ways to comfortably decline invitations to use drugs. Refusal skills are learned best through interactive, role-playing activities that provide direct practice. Students who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to overestimate how many people their age use drugs and/or the amount and levels of use in their age group in general. Good programs encourage students to orient their behavior toward more realistic, accurate perceptions of the levels of drug use in their communities.
Prevention programing illustrates the inextricable link between academic success and social/emotional wellness. Many research-supported programs include academic interventions, particularly focused on reading skills. The earlier these interventions are implemented, the more likely they will reduce substance abuse risk later.
NIDA offers free resources that help professionals locate effective strategies, particularly “Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide.” This comprehensive guide to prevention addresses programs delivered at the home, school and community levels. It explains the importance of protective factors and recommends specific programs for the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Quality SEL programs overlap with asset-building programs and can go a long way toward building the protective factors that reduce risk of substance abuse. Strong SEL programs
Substance abuse and addiction undermine all the positive outcomes we strive to foster, robbing students of their educations, dreams, ability to successfully function as adults and even their lives. , To protect our students from drug abuse and potential addiction, we need to know the research and insist on quality programing. It’s time to rethink well-intentioned but largely ineffective practices and familiarize ourselves with research-informed programs. Our students’ futures are well worth that effort.
Shana McCreery is a middle school counselor in Las Vegas, Nev.
Teens’ capacity to appreciate risks and long-term consequences is limited, and stress can compound that vulnerability. In fact, drug use is most likely to start during major stressful transitions, such as the move from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school. Exposure to peers who use drugs significantly increases risk for drug use, as does a familial history of substance abuse and a lack of sense of belonging in the family and community.
Traditional Approaches
The most widely used school-wide prevention practices include programs delivered by law enforcement, awareness celebrations, graphic presentations about the effects of drug use and testimonials from people in recovery. However, research has failed to find evidence of their long-term efficacy.
Susceptible students may be drawn to high-risk and illegal behavior, so focusing on extreme dangers of drugs may increase curiosity. And graphic, “scare tactic” presentations may do more harm than good for students who have loved ones struggling with addiction. Research indicates that the onset of substance abuse has much more to do with mental health, social skills and academic competency than with morality or one’s understanding of the law.
Effective Programs
So, what does effective prevention programing look like? Effective programs present information in a nonsensationalized, nonmoralistic manner. Although students need direct information about the risks associated with substance use, the core reasons most students start using drugs have little to do with knowledge or lack thereof. Accurate information is important, but at their core, good programs primarily address the loneliness, frustration and lack of purpose that often leads young people to try drugs in the first place.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that substance abuse risk is primarily a product of the balance between risk and protective factors. Risk factors include
- academic difficulty and learning disability (particularly reading difficulties)
- depression and emotional disturbance
- lack of strong family and/or community bonding
- lack of parental supervision
- early aggressive behavior and difficulty with emotional regulation
- exposure to drug-using peers
- trauma (particularly early in life)
We may not be able to control the difficulties in a student’s life, but we can work to develop protective factors that moderate risk. Each risk factor has at least one balancing protective factor that reduces vulnerability and builds resiliency. For example, a lack of family bonding and supervision can be counteracted by strong relationships with peers, teachers and community members. Aggressive behavior patterns can be counteracted by positive behavioral supports. Other protective factors include:
- clear school rules and appropriate consequences for misbehavior
- safe, bully-free schools and neighborhoods
- involvement and training in the arts
- good decision-making skills
- a sense of positive purpose
- optimism
The good news is that protective factors don’t just make students less likely to use drugs. They also make it less likely that students will drop out of school; experience early, unwanted pregnancy; join a gang; act out violently toward others; experience mental health problems; or fail to learn in school. Programs that build protective factors are high-yield investments that can have a positive impact on virtually every area of a student’s life. As school counselors, we can address student needs in the academic, career and social/emotional domains through the implementation of one high-quality, asset-building program. The results will benefit students, parents, teachers and school administration and offer us a valuable tool as we advocate for the time and support we need to deliver effective services to students.
Researchers have consistently found a correlation between early aggressive behavior and later drug and alcohol abuse. They’ve also discovered that interventions as early as preschool targeting discipline problems can reduce the subsequent risk of substance abuse. Clearly, early intervention programs make a difference.
Effective programs teach refusal skills – ways to comfortably decline invitations to use drugs. Refusal skills are learned best through interactive, role-playing activities that provide direct practice. Students who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to overestimate how many people their age use drugs and/or the amount and levels of use in their age group in general. Good programs encourage students to orient their behavior toward more realistic, accurate perceptions of the levels of drug use in their communities.
Prevention programing illustrates the inextricable link between academic success and social/emotional wellness. Many research-supported programs include academic interventions, particularly focused on reading skills. The earlier these interventions are implemented, the more likely they will reduce substance abuse risk later.
NIDA offers free resources that help professionals locate effective strategies, particularly “Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide.” This comprehensive guide to prevention addresses programs delivered at the home, school and community levels. It explains the importance of protective factors and recommends specific programs for the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Quality SEL programs overlap with asset-building programs and can go a long way toward building the protective factors that reduce risk of substance abuse. Strong SEL programs
- integrate concepts and skills with curriculum and school-wide practices and procedures
- include training for all school staff, contain a parent involvement component
- encourage SEL development in staff
- provide tools for measuring program efficacy
Substance abuse and addiction undermine all the positive outcomes we strive to foster, robbing students of their educations, dreams, ability to successfully function as adults and even their lives. , To protect our students from drug abuse and potential addiction, we need to know the research and insist on quality programing. It’s time to rethink well-intentioned but largely ineffective practices and familiarize ourselves with research-informed programs. Our students’ futures are well worth that effort.
Shana McCreery is a middle school counselor in Las Vegas, Nev.