Module 1- Introduction to AOD

Welcome to

CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drugs context

Module 1

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• 8 Week Unit
• 4 Assessments
• Blackboard Access
• Lecturer support

Overview

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What will we be studying in this unit?

• The way drugs effect the brain
• The history of drugs
• The definitions and classifications
• Harm minimisation
• Theories surrounding the use of drugs
• The models of use
• Understanding co-morbidity/dual diagnosis
• The models of treatment
• Case assessment and management
• And a little bit more……

4 Assessments

• Refer to the Learning and Assessment Plan in
the “Welcome” section of Blackboard for this
shell.

Task:
Order the statements from the one
that disturbs you the most, to the

one that disturbs you the least.

Source: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-
pubs-front5-oh-toc~drugtreat-pubs-front5-oh-2~drugtreat-pubs-front5-oh-2-3

• How do I feel about people who use AOD?
• Am I afraid of working with people who use AOD? What am I afraid

of?
• Have I had an AOD problem or habit myself?
• How has AOD impacted on my life?
• What values and beliefs do I have about:

- legal drugs?

- illicit drugs?

- people who use particular drugs?
• What would I do if one of my children had problematic AOD use?
• How do I link the personal and professional in this area of practice?
• What do I say if a young person asks me if I have used illicit drugs?
• What aspects of AOD practice am I comfortable with?

Uncomfortable with? For example: work with families, peers,
outreach etc.

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Reflection

Think about the order you put the statements in?

• Can you identify any themes coming through? What
are they?

• Can you draw any conclusions about your attitudes?
• Think about how your values and attitudes might

impact on your work in the AOD sector. Write down
areas or issues, which are problematic?
• Write down some strategies you could develop to
avoid these issues impacting on clients you work with.

Values and attitudes

Being aware of our values and attitudes is
important because it helps us to:

– identify why we are doing what we are doing
– identify what the consequences of our actions will be for

ourselves or for the a client or colleague
– consider other or better options
– be more aware of the reasons for our responses to

situations

Summary

• We all have personal values and attitudes that can impact significantly on
the way we work with people

• The nature of work with AOD users can evoke emotional and personal
responses

• Reflecting upon your values and attitudes can assist you in developing
strategies to manage your work

• Developing strategies for managing those responses is critical both for
yourself as a worker and for the quality and effectiveness of your work in
the AOD sector

Now think about this…..

• What influences our beliefs and attitudes?

Summary

What influences our beliefs and attitudes?

• Media
• Society
• Family
• Friends
• Religion

Some drugs might be more socially acceptable in Western society than others
(e.g. coffee or alcohol versus heroin or cocaine), but all of these substances are
drugs nevertheless.

It is important to realise how pervasive our attitudes are in relation to drugs and
drug use.

Can you…….

• Define the term “drug”
• Why do people use drugs?
• What are some groups or categories we can put

drugs into?

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What is a Drug?

A drug is any substance (with the exception of
food and water) which, when taken into the
body, alters the body’s function either
physically and/or psychologically.

• Any substance that affects the Central Nervous
System

• Drugs alter brain functioning (causing mood &
behaviour changes)

What is a drug ? 14

History of drugs

• Used by most cultures throughout world

• Government attempts to ban have rarely worked

• From 1920 - 1933 USA made alcohol illegal which

resulted with ….

– Bootlegging & smuggling

– Deaths as home brewed liquor was toxic

– Organised crime gangs who profited from smuggling &

manufacturing alcohol

– In 1933 ban overturned as did not work & was causing

more problems than before 15

History of drugs

• Changing attitudes cause some drugs to go out of
favour (e.g. Heroin)

– Until 1950’s in Australia, heroin was
popular as sedative & painkiller

– Was used during childbirth
– In 1953 government made heroin illegal

because of addictive properties

• In the past, drug use was seen as the domain of
medical profession & law enforcement

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Examples of legal drugs

Legal drugs Legal prescription drugs

• Alcohol • Tranquilisers
• Tobacco • Sleeping pills
• Caffeine • Sedatives
• Aerosols
• Petrol
• Aspirin
• Paracetamol

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• Disruption to community harmony 18
• Increased domestic violence
• Increased family breakdown
• Increased violence & crime
• Homelessness, & poverty
• Injury, accidents & death
• Poor health
• Lost productivity in employment

Drug use impact on society

Changing attitudes to drugs

– Smoking was common in 1970’s
– Over last few decades, governments have anti-smoking

campaigns …

• Advertising harmful effects of smoking
• Banned advertising of cigarettes
• Banned smoking in workplaces, public transport & restaurants
• Restricted sale of cigarettes
• Increased price of cigarettes

– These changes = huge reduction to smoking

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Economic costs $$$$ of drug use

– Billions of $$$$$ each year
– Includes legal & illegal drug use
– Most people believe illegal drug use results in

high costs – WRONG !!!

• Legal drugs (alcohol & tobacco) contribute to the most costs

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Drug Categories

• Drugs classified according to effect on brain &
Central Nervous System

• Cause system to speed up or slow down

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Drug categories

Drug Category Drug Effect on CNS Effect on Behaviour
DEPRESSENT
• Alcohol • Depresses activity • Can’t concentrate
• Cannabis • Slows down • Affects co-
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines messages from ordination
• Impaired thoughts
(sedatives & brain to muscles
sleeping pills) • Slows heart rate & & judgements

breathing

HALLUCINOGEN • Affects sensory • Euphoria
input system • Loss of appetite
• LSD resulting in • Intensification of
• Magic mushrooms distortions
feelings
• Heart rate & blood • Mood swings
pressure increase • Blurred vision

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Drug categories

Category Drug Effect on CNS Effect on behaviour
NARCOTICS
• Opium Depresses activity • Euphoria
• Heroin
• Morphine • Sedative • Drowsiness
• Codeine
• Methadone • Muscular relaxation • Pinpoint pupils
• Pethidine
• Inhibits stress hormones • Nodding off

• Decrease in body temp • Impaired judgement

• Respiratory depression

• Caffeine • Increases alertness &

STIMULANTS • Nicotine Speeds up activity energy
• Euphoria
• Amphetamine • Increased heart rate & • Insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Cocaine or crack blood pressure • Paranoia
• Restlessness
• Methamphetami • Increased respiration & • Reduces anxiety

ne metabolism 23

• Ecstasy • Blocks pain

For most drugs there is a safe level

• Prescription Drugs

– Dose level is amount of medication prescribed

• illegal Drugs

– Don’t know level of purity
– Using high purity drugs in large amounts can cause

overdose
– Overdose can occur when drugs combined that have

different effects (e.g. cocaine, benzodiazepines &
alcohol)

Drug Dose Levels 24

• When person needs higher dose to achieve effect
• Can be psychological & physiological
• Developed when drugs used regularly
• Can be reversed ….

– BUT can’t stop too quickly = withdrawal effects

Drug tolerance

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• Misuse of prescription drugs is major problem ….

– People combine with alcohol, amphetamines, heroin
– Can have fatal effects

• Obtained by …

– Doctor shopping
– Raiding other people’s medicine cabinets
– Using forged prescriptions
– Stealing drugs from surgeries

Benzodiazepines & other medical drugs 26

Recent patterns of drug abuse

MODERN DRUG USE FACTORS AFFECTING USE

CHEMICAL PROCESSING Manufacturing drugs (e.g.. Methamphetamines)

POLYDRUG USE Using many different substances at once
BINGE DRINKING • Alcohol & prescription drugs
• Uppers (amphetamines) & downers (barbiturates)

• Not confined to drug addicts or alcoholics

NOT EVERYONE IS AN ADDICT • Not all people will have problems with addiction

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What is a psychoactive drug?

Psychoactive drugs affect the central nervous
system and alter a person’s mood, thinking
and behaviour.

Categories of Psychoactive Drugs

Depressants: Drugs that decrease alertness by slowing down the
activity of the central nervous system

Stimulants: Drugs that increase the body's state of arousal by
increasing the activity of the brain

Hallucinogens: Drugs that alter perception and can cause
hallucinations, such as seeing or hearing something that is not
there

Other: Some drugs fall into the 'other' category, as they may have
properties of more than one of the above categories

Examples of depressants

• Marijuana
• Alcohol
• Barbiturates (minor tranquillisers)
• Opiates

– Heroin
– Panadeine
– Codeine
– Oxycontin

Depressants

• Confusion
• Drowsiness, laziness
• Slurred speech
• Poor memory
• Red eyes
• Increased blood pressure
• Slow reaction time

Examples of stimulants

• Amphetamine
• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine
• Crack
• Ecstasy

Stimulants

• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss
• Loss of sleep
• Paranoid thoughts
• Depression as the drug

wears off
• Irritability
• Sores
• Rotten teeth
• Twitching

Examples of Hallucinogens

• LSD/Acid
• PCP
• Psilocybin (mushies)

Hallucinogens

• Hallucinations
• Tremors
• Rapid Heart beat
• Permanent mental changes
• Panic
• Loss of sleep

Let’s have a look at this interactive
example from The Science of

Addiction: Genetics and the Brain
“Mouse Party”

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/

So, why do people use drugs?

Some of the reasons people start to use drugs is
if they are happy, sad, wanting to fit in with a
group, or just to try something new or alter their
perception.

Reflection…..

What is the most important thing you have
learnt from today’s readings?

Now go to the next slide and take the The Truth
about Drugs and Alcohol: What Do You Know?
Quiz

The Truth about Drugs and Alcohol: What Do You Know?
Instructions: Below are statements about alcohol and drugs. Some are true, while others are myths.
See how many you can identify correctly. Put a “T” for True and “M” for Myth in the blank.

1. ______Alcohol is a drug just the way marijuana, cocaine, and heroin are drugs.
2. ______Alcohol makes people lively.
3. ______Alcohol can’t affect you if you only have one drink.
4. ______Marijuana is a gateway drug.
5. ______Women usually get drunk more quickly than men.
6. ______If you only drink when you party, or only drink beer, you can’t become an alcoholic.
7. ______If you eat while you drink, you won’t get drunk.
8. ______Marijuana is ok for you, while other drugs are bad.
9. ______Over-the-counter drugs are not addictive.
10. _____Pregnant women should never drink alcohol in any form.
11. _____It takes less time for teenagers to get addicted to alcohol than it does adults.
12. _____Fifty percent of all fatal car accidents are alcohol-related.
13. _____A person can have one or two drinks and still drive safely.
14. _____People who begin drinking at an early age are more likely to end up as alcoholics.
15. _____Alcohol acts like a poison in your body.

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Answers to “The Truth about Drugs and Alcohol: What Do You Know?”
1. True. Alcohol is a drug just like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. It has short and long term effects and is
addictive.

2. Myth. Alcohol does not make a person more lively and fun. Although, alcohol can make a person act in
a manor in which they would not normally act if they were sober.

3. Myth. Alcohol can affect a person, even if they only have one drink.

4. True. Marijuana is known as the gateway drug. People who use marijuana tend to start out using this
drug and then move on to harder drugs with more effects.

5. True. Women do tend to get drunk more quickly than men. Why? Because of body weight and size.

6. Myth. Alcohol is an addictive drug. It doesn’t matter what type of alcohol it is or where you drink it,
you can still become an alcoholic.

7. Myth. This is not exactly true. You still can get drunk, but if a person has food in his/her stomach, the
alcohol does not get absorbed as quickly into the body’s blood system as it would on an empty stomach.

8. Myth. Marijuana is a drug. It has harmful short term and long-term effects and is addictive.

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9. Myth. Over-the-counter drugs can be harmful if used improperly. Too much of any type of drug and
lead to an addiction.
10. True. Pregnant women should not have alcohol in any form. This prevents Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD).
11. Myth. Addiction can start at any age. Teenagers can become addicted just as easily as an adult.
12. True. Fifty percent of all fatal car accidents are alcohol-related.
13. Myth. There are a lot of factors that go into this. It all depends on how fast a person drinks the
alcohol, if they ate before drinking, and what body size they are. Everyone’s BAC measures differently
after 1 or 2 drinks of alcohol.
14. True. Statistics prove that people who begin drinking at an early age are more likely to end up as
alcoholics. This is why there is an age limit of 21 and older for drinking.
15. True. Alcohol does act like a poison on the body. The body tries to reject and get rid of the alcohol.
Too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poison and even death.

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Next Module will discuss….

• Drugs in Australia
• Legislative Approaches to Drugs and Drug Use