Diagnosis
What does SUD stand for?
Substance use disorder
The most commonly misused substance is ––––
alcohol
1 in 8 adults have an alcohol use disorder
Fact
What is stigma?
A set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something. Stigma is caused by prejudice, fear, and ignorance.
What's one thing you learned today?
Great job!
Addiction can occur with substances or ________. For example, gambling and internet use.
Behaviors
There is an ongoing debate about if -------- should be legalized for recreational use or not.
marijuana/cannabis
If someone relapses, there is no hope that they can get sober.
Myth. Most people with addiction who experience a relapse will return to recovery. Addiction is a chronic illness and recovery takes time and effort and sometimes results in setbacks. This doesn’t mean previous treatments failed, because the person with addiction still made progress overall in getting well.
True or false: addict is the best term to describe someone with a SUD
False. Some people believe that "addict" is too negative. It is better to say that someone "has an addiction" than that they "are an addict"
If someone you love was struggling with addiction, what's one encouraging message you would give them?
Excellent!
Define withdrawal
the unpleasant physical and mental symptoms that occur when a person stops or significantly reduces their use of a substance they have become physically dependent on
------ are the most dangerous drug type. They are involved in approximately 71.76% of drug overdoses.
Opioids
Women have a higher risk of addiction to prescription painkillers.
Fact. Women are more likely to struggle with chronic pain, be prescribed prescription pain meds, and receive them in higher doses and for longer, all of which increases the chances of women becoming addicted to prescription pain relievers
What's one thing you can do to combat stigma against addiction?
Revising the words and terms we use when discussing substance use disorder and the people affected by it, showing compassion and kindness, educating others
What motivated you to seek treatment?
Thank you for sharing your story
Define tolerance
A condition that occurs when the body gets used to a drug so larger doses are required to get the same effect
------ is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine. In recent years it has gotten a lot of attention in the news.
Fentanyl
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States
Fact. Over 52,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2015, with around 20,000 of those deaths resulting from prescription opioid painkillers and almost 13,000 more from heroin. The number has only increased during the pandemic.
What's one negative impact of stigma about addiction?
For example: preventing people from seeking treatment, mental health challenges, worse treatment outcomes
In your opinion, what's the hardest thing about recovery?
Thank you for sharing
Name the 4 symptom categories for Substance Use disorders
Impaired control, social problems, risky use, physical dependence
----- is often not considered a "drug of abuse", but even moderate use can lead to withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and irritability.
Caffeine
People have to hit “rock bottom” before they can get well
Myth. People who seek help early in the process have more resources to draw upon, such as a supportive family or a job. The sooner someone gets help, the better.
Have you ever felt judged for your mental health or addiction, and what impact did this have on you?
Thank you for sharing
Who is your biggest supporter in your recovery? What's one thing you could do to expand your support network?
Support is crucial for recovery! Great job.