Resources About Substances

What is Prevention?

Informational videos  and fact sheets from the Addiction Policy Forum describing the importance of evidenced-based prevention efforts within our communities. 

El Dorado County Youth Commission PhotoVoice Project

Facts about Marijuana  -  Adolescent use of marijuana has been linked to a range of developmental and social problems.

Heads Up- Real News About Drugs And Your Body  - WELCOME TO HEADS UP: Real News About Drugs and Your Body, a drug education series from Scholastic and the scientists of the. National Institute on Drug ...

Just Think Twice- You've heard the fiction. Now learn the facts. - You can't predict the effect that a drug can have on you - especially if it's the first time you try it.

MADD Knowing the Facts  - Knowing the Facts. The teen years may be a confusing time, but one thing is clear – you're not a kid any more. You are becoming mature in many areas.

Marijuana Drug Facts - Get the facts about how marijuana affects your brain and body.

Marijuana Facts: Breaking Down the Myths - Marijuana use among teens had been on the decline since the mid-1990s - until now.

Marijuana Tips for Teens - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) fact sheet

NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING  - Underage alcohol use increases the risk of academic failure, illicit drug use, and tobacco use. It can cause a range of physical consequences, from hangovers to death from alcohol poisoning, suicide, homicide, and traffic crashes. Annually, about 4,700 people under age 21 die from injuries involving underage drinking.

NIDA FOR TEENS — The NIDA for Teens Web site helps educate adolescents ages 11 through 15 (as well as their parents and teachers) on the science behind drug abuse.

Peer Pressure and Drugs — There might come a point when you ask yourself, who am I really? Am I being real? Am I still the kid my parents think I am? And more importantly, who do I want to be?

Real Facts About Underage Drinking — You probably see and hear a lot about alcohol—from TV, movies, music, and your friends. But what are the real facts about underage alcohol use?

Students against destructive decisions  - SADD has become a peer-to-peer education, prevention, and activism organization dedicated to preventing destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, teen violence, and teen suicide.

Substance Abuse in College - According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about four out of five college students drink alcohol. Though drinking has long been the most common form of substance abuse in college, the National Institute on Drug Abuse points out that the use of marijuana, prescription drugs and illicit drugs is on the rise. This guide offers a wealth of resources to help students do all of those things and more.

Teens health — Website about general teen health

Underage Drinking- Center for Disease Control and Prevention — Alcohol use by persons under age 21 years is a major public health problem.1 Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs.

Behind the Haze - Facts about Vaping https://www.behindthehaze.com/

Stress/Anxiety

Tips for making a wellbeing plan: From UNICEF

Stick to your usual activities or adapt them to this situation:

• Get up at the same time and go to bed at the appropriate time.
• Do not set goals that are too ambitious.
• Help children do that as well (talk and make arrangements with your teenagers, make a schedule with your children).
• Find a space where you can work. Make it your "place where you go to work". The same applies to your child if they go to school or university.
• Stick to your usual work/study times.
• Eat on time, as usual.

Connect with others – family, friends and talk, have video calls, video hangouts (Zoom/Skype dinners, play board games, etc.). Tell others how you feel and what you need:

• You can find a friend for support – someone who is particularly devoted to you. Make sure your children can connect with their friends online. If you have just one computer at home, agree on who will use it and when, taking into account the priorities of each family member.
• Group work teams, if you have them in this situation (for work or school), should meet regularly online and make arrangements.

Do the things you enjoy. Read books you haven't had the time for, draw/paint, find online dancing, singing, foreign language classes, watch a stage play or a concert on YouTube, sort old photos, do jigsaw puzzles, play with other family members, with pets, organize challenges, breathing exercises, meditations, or other exercises. Let your imagination run wild.

Reduce your immersion in information. We are constantly overwhelmed with information, messages, news.

Stress is a natural response when we are so overwhelmed from all sides. This also reflects on our body – we can feel tired and our immune system can become weaker. So, control your exposure to information. Separate fake from real news. We cannot escape the situation we are in, but we can adjust our exposure to the situation.

Monitor your moods. You can use the self-awareness scale. Think about where you would put your feelings on the scale from 1 to 10. Let number 1 be the feeling of joy, and 10 be the state you are in when you feel really bad. Remember how you feel when you are happy (your thoughts, the feeling in your body, how you feel). Remember how you feel when you are unwell (your thoughts, the feeling in your body, how you feel). Prepare a plan in advance on how you will cope with feeling unwell. Make a mini-plan: “When I feel unwell, I will take a break, I will play my favourite song, I will call someone on the phone”. That will help you make the situation easier for yourself when you’re feeling bad by taking quick action.

Set up a time when you will start worrying:

• For example, start at 5:15pm.
• Later, when the time to worry comes, your worries might seem lesser compared to when they first occurred to you.
• If you have made a deal with yourself to worry at a specific time, then honour that deal.
• Don't plan on doing it before going to bed, and if worries or concerns do appear at that time, take a piece of paper and write them down.
• Note down your concerns in the diary and over time a paradox will happen – the list of concerns will grow smaller.

Plan and have an awesome day!

• Focus on what's happening right here and right now.
• Include exercise in your daily schedule.
• Practice gratitude (write down one, two, or three things each morning for which you are grateful).
• Celebrate your achievements at the end of the day (reflect on all the things you managed to do throughout the day).
• Keep your sense of humor (remember what made you laugh these days).

Recommended Tips to Take Care of Yourself

Physical Health

• Fuel your body by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and drinking plenty of water.
• Aim to get regular sleep and rest (at least 7-8 hours)
• Exercise every day. Taking care of your body helps you feel better mentally, too. While sheltering in that doesn’t mean your exercise routine needs to end, it may just need to be different. Take a family walk after dinner, but follow social distancing guidelines. Do some stretches at your desk while you’re working from home. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, which are the natural substances that help you maintain a positive attitude.
• Take deep breaths and stretch often.
• Avoid risky behaviors, such as misusing alcohol and other substances, and ignoring public health recommendations.

Mental Health

• Create a sense of structure and routine in daily life.
• Focus on things you can control.
• Use technology to maintain social connections with your loved ones. Consider a regular check-in schedule to give you something to look forward to.
• Engage in relaxing activities. Listen to music, read books, or try a new hobby.
• Consume reliable news sources that report facts, and avoid media that sensationalizes emotions.
• Lean on your personal beliefs and faith for support.

How can I stay informed without becoming anxious?

Take a Break from the News Media. While it is important to stay current about the public health emergency, avoid excessive exposure to media coverage. This includes watching, reading or listening to news stories, even on social media. Limit yourself to a single credible source such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[1]

Access Hotlines and Help.1 If you are feeling anxious, considering self-harm, or concerned about yourself or others in your household being harmed, several hotlines are available to help:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 / 1-800-846-8517 (TTY) or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746
• SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273- 8255 / 1-800-799-4889(TTY)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 / 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
• StrongHearts Native Helpline 1-844-762-8483