Drug Abuse, Addiction and the Adolescent Brain is standards based and meets science content, teaching, and assessment standards. The module includes a video as an integral part of the instructional materials.
The video presents interviews with several of the nation’s leading experts on the neurobiology of drug use, adolescent brain development, and treatment; as well as interviews with individuals who are recovering from drug dependence. Animations make the biology topics in the module easier to understand.
Drug Abuse, Addiction and the Adolescent Brain consists of five classroom lessons. These lessons are a means to provide information to your students on neurobiology, drug abuse, and drug addiction. Each lesson contains several major features.
At a Glance gives an overview of the lesson:
The Overview provides a short summary of student activities.
The Major Concepts section lists the central ideas that the lesson is designed to convey.
Learning Objectives lists two to four specific understandings or abilities students should have after completing the lesson.
In Advance provides instructions for preparing the materials required for the lesson:
Materials lists all the materials other than photocopies needed for the lesson.
Photocopies lists the paper copies or transparencies that need to be made from masters.
Preparation outlines the steps needed to get ready to teach the lesson.
Procedure provides detailed steps for teaching the lesson, including implementation suggestions, answers to questions, and assessment strategies.
Copymasters are at the end of the module.
Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain Lessons
The five lessons in the module form a conceptual whole that will provide students with a fundamental knowledge of drug abuse, addiction, and the effects of drugs on brain function. Click on each lesson to read a summary and the learning objectives for that lesson.
Lesson 1: Defining Drug Abuse and Addiction
Lesson Overview Students begin the lesson by expressing their current ideas related to the terms “drug abuse” and “drug addiction.” They then watch a segment of the video that presents information about the criteria for drug abuse and addiction and how those criteria manifest themselves in people’s lives. Students complete the lesson by working in teams to analyze case studies to apply what they have learned in the video.
Major Concepts “Drug abuse” and “drug addiction” are terms to which people often attribute different meanings. For medical purposes, they are defined by specific criteria. Other experts define drug abuse and addiction using other terms. Drug abuse is the use of any illegal substance or the inappropriate use of a legal substance to produce pleasure, alleviate stress, or escape reality. Drug addiction is the continued compulsive use of drugs despite negative consequences.
Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, students will be able to define drug abuse and drug addiction, distinguish between drug abuse and drug addiction, and explain how specific situations meet criteria for drug abuse or drug addiction.
Lesson 2: Drug Addiction Is a Brain Disease
Lesson Overview Students reveal preconceptions about drug addiction by expressing an opinion about whether drug addiction is a disease. After considering what the word “disease” means, students watch a segment of the video to learn why scientists consider addiction to be a brain disease. Students complete the lesson by writing a few statements to summarize the evidence presented in the video that supports addiction as a brain disease.
Major Concepts Drugs change the way neurons in the brain communicate. Addiction is a disease because drugs affect the way the brain functions. Changes in brain function caused by addiction negatively impact a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, students will be able to recognize that drugs change the way neurons in the brain communicate, list at least three pieces of evidence that support scientists classification of addiction as a brain disease, and explain why the reward center is important in the brain’s response to drugs.
Lesson 3: The Adolescent Brain and Drugs
Lesson Overview Students begin the lesson by analyzing data from animal experiments to recognize that the response to drugs may be influenced by the age at which drug use begins. They then watch another segment of the video to find out more about how drugs affect the adolescent brain in unique ways. Students summarize the major ideas from the video.
Major Concepts The brain undergoes specific developmental changes during adolescence. Because some parts of the brain are immature, adolescents are more likely to make impulsive decisions about many things, including drug use. Drug use may also influence the development of certain areas of the brain.
Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, students will be able to draw conclusions from scientific data about the relationship between exposure to drugs and age in an animal model, name two types of changes to the brain that occur during adolescence, describe how adolescents are different from adults in their response to drugs, and explain that adolescents are more vulnerable to drug abuse because certain parts of the brain are not fully developed during this time in life.
Lesson 4: Treating Drug Abuse and Addiction
Lesson Overview Students begin this lesson by discussing their current knowledge about treatment for drug abuse and addiction. They then watch a segment of the video to learn more about treatment, relapse, and the stigma that can keep people who have a drug abuse or addiction problem from seeking help.
Major Concepts Drug abuse and addiction, like other chronic diseases, can be treated effectively. The stigma associated with drug abuse and addiction and the frequency of relapse or recurrence often keep people from seeking treatment.
Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, students will be able to name two possible components of effective treatment, describe how stigma may influence whether a person seeks treatment, explain how treatment for drug addiction is similar to treatment for other chronic diseases, and describe how relapse is a normal part of the disease of addiction.
Lesson 5: What Should Others Know?
Lesson Overview In this lesson, students review the ideas about drug abuse and addiction that they shared during Lesson 1 to assess if their understanding has changed. Students prepare a project about the science of drug abuse or drug addiction, using the information they learned during the previous lessons.
Major Concepts Learning the science about how drugs affect a person’s brain function can help dispel misconceptions. The ability to evaluate scientific and health-related information is an important skill for students that they can apply throughout their lives.
Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, students will be able to synthesize what they have learned about the science of drug abuse and addiction from the previous lessons, consider how their scientific knowledge compares with common misconceptions about drug abuse and addiction, communicate their new understanding to others, and evaluate information about drug abuse and addiction that other students have compiled for accuracy and relevance.
What class is Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain designed for?
The unit is designed for use in middle school life science classes—primarily for grades 7–8. The unit addresses several of the standards for middle school science outlined in the National Science Education Standards.
What are the goals for Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain?
Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain helps students in middle school science (grades 7–8) develop understandings and skills associated with scientific literacy:
To understand that drugs of abuse change the way a person's brain functions to cause changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
To develop an appreciation of how developmental changes that occur during adolescence make the effects of drug use during this time different from use in adulthood
To recognize that drug addiction is a treatable, chronic brain disease
To practice summarizing scientific information and communicating that information to others
To practice identifying major concepts and the evidence that supports them
To experience the process of scientific inquiry and develop an enhanced understanding of the nature and methods of science
To appreciate the role of science in society and the relationship between basic science and human health
Does the module improve students' knowledge of drug abuse, addiction, and neurobiology?
Field test results In a national field test of the program, students completed pretests and posttests to assess their knowledge of the subject. On average, the posttest scores were 21% higher than the pretest scores indicating significant gains in knowledge after using the module.
What support is provided to help teachers implement the unit?
The module includes a variety of tools to help teachers teach the lessons effectively. First, the detailed lesson plans include step-by step procedures and provide sample answers to questions, suggestions for follow-up questions, misconceptions to look for, and embedded assessment opportunities to check students' understanding. The unit also contains
a suggested timeline for teaching the lessons,
background information about the brain, neurobiology, and drugs of abuse to help the teacher answer questions that may arise,
explicit goals and learning objectives for the module, and
strategies for dealing with controversial topics in the classroom.
How does Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain help teachers assess student learning?
The unit includes several approaches to helping teachers assess student understanding. The unit is structured using the BSCS 5E Instructional Model. Lesson 5 serves as the Evaluate lesson. As such, it asks students to summarize what they have learned in their own words. It also asks the learner and the teacher to reflect on how a student's understanding has changed since the beginning of the unit. Each lesson includes several opportunities for the teacher to assess students' progress and, if required, to adjust teaching strategies. Key assessment points are identified in the margin using an assessment icon. Annotations with the icon provide specific suggestions for assessing student understanding.
What is the purpose of the Facilitation Guide for Adult Audiences?
Drug abuse and addiction are topics that most people know something about, but many misconceptions exist. In many instances, adults may have the same ideas as students. The video component of this curriculum module may help replace misconceptions with scientific facts. Also, by having parents, guardians, coaches, and other adults who play important roles in the lives of children watch the video, they may be better prepared to talk to an adolescent who is facing issues with and decisions about drugs.
How long does it take to teach the unit?
The five lessons that make up Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain will take approximately 5-8 class periods (45-minutes each) to complete. The range in time requirements reflects differences in teachers' practices.
What equipment or supplies do I need for teaching this unit?
The unit includes the DVD and complete instructions for teaching the five lessons. The masters included in the book can be photocopied for student handouts or transparencies. You will need a DVD player and projection system. One lesson may use a variety of art supplies (markers, construction paper, scissors, tape, and so forth) or it may be done using a computer, depending on the teacher's preference. Other than that, no special supplies are needed.
How do I get a copy of Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain?
You can order a complimentary copy of Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain through the BSCS Store at bscs.org/estore.
What is the difference between drug abuse and drug addiction?
Drug abuse and drug addiction are different conditions. Medically, problems with drug abuse and drug addiction (dependence) are each diagnosed with specific criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). To be diagnosed with a drug abuse problem, a person would exhibit any one of four specific signs during a one-year period. To be diagnosed with a drug addiction or dependence problem, a person would exhibit any three out of seven specific signs during a one-year period.
Some experts use other definitions for drug abuse and addiction exist. For example, abuse can be defined as any use of an illegal substance or the inappropriate use of a legal substance to produce pleasure, reduce stress, or escape reality (or all three). Even if the drug use doesn't cause problems that need medical treatment (at least early on), this definition would include use of drugs for experimentation—which can still be harmful—and use of substances such as nicotine or alcohol by minors. Perhaps the primary distinction between abuse and addiction relates to the compulsion of an addict to get their next fix. The addict's focus is almost exclusively on getting more of the drug. Addiction causes a person to lose control over his or her drug use—it is no longer a choice.
Why do addicts keep using if they know drugs are causing negative consequences in their lives?
What are misconceptions about drug abuse and addiction?
Is drug addiction a brain disease?
Scientists consider drug addiction to be a brain disease because drugs change the way the brain functions. Drugs exert their effects by changing how the cells in the brain, the neurons, relay their signals. This change in the functioning of the brain cells results in changes in a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When people become addicted to a drug, they lose control over its use—drug use becomes compulsive and getting the next fix becomes the most important thing in the addict's life. Although drugs do affect other parts of the body (either when a person is addicted or just a drug abuser), most scientists consider addiction to be a brain disease because the changes in the way the brain works lead to a desire to continuing to use drugs and eventually to the compulsive, uncontrollable use of drugs that is characteristic of addiction.
What do drugs do in the brain?
What are cravings?
What causes a drug abuser to become a drug addict?
Scientists are still learning about the changes that occur in the brain when a person uses drugs. The specific changes that cause a person to move from a drug abuser to a drug addict remain unknown. However, scientists believe that it is not a single gene or a single event that causes the switch between abuse and addiction. There are likely to be many genes involved. In addition, scientists recognize that different individuals have different levels of risk for addiction. A combination of genetic, environmental, and social factors seem to be involved in determining an individual's risk for addiction.
Why should adolescents know the science of how drug abuse and addiction affect the brain?
Having an understanding of how drugs alter the function of the brain is especially important for adolescents because of the developmental changes that are occurring during this time of life. Scientists now know that the human brain is still developing during the adolescent years. In particular, the part of the brain that controls impulsiveness and is important for decision making is still developing during the teenage years. This immaturity in this part of the brain is partly responsible for why adolescents don't always make good decisions and don't always recognize that their choices have consequences.
Who can become a drug addict?
Different people have different levels of risk for addiction. A person who has a family history of addiction has a higher risk for addiction than someone who doesn't have a family history. In addition to genetic factors, which are likely to be complex and involve many genes, environmental and social factors also play a risk. For young people, the younger a person starts using drugs, the more likely he or she is to become addicted.
Is drug dependence the same thing as drug addiction
Drug addiction and drug dependence are often used as synonyms. Because Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain is targeted to a middle school audience, the unit uses the term addiction to indicate the same thing as dependence. For this age group, we felt that distinguishing between the two terms was not necessary.
In reality, however, there is a distinction between addiction and dependence. A person can be dependent on a drug but not be addicted. For example, a person who receives drugs such as opiates in the hospital for treatment of severe, chronic pain may become dependent on the drug. The patient with chronia pain needs the drug to manage the pain but does not rely on the drug for fulfilling all aspects of life. The patient uses the drug with the expectation of relieving pain so that he or she can function normally. Addicts, on the other hand, have a compulsive need for drugs so they can escape reality and produce euphoria, even when they are aware that the drugs are causing negative consequences in their lives.
What do people mean by psychological and physiological dependence?
Many scientists view these as outdated terms and choose not to use them anymore because, in reality, both physical and psychological dependence are due to physical changes in how the brain works.
What happens in treatment?
Is treatment for drug addiction effective?
A relatively common misconception about drug addiction is that there is no effective treatment for drug addiction—once a person is an addict, they will always have problems. In fact, the success rate for drug addiction treatment is similar to that of other chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. Some people will be very successful, others will get better but may have some problems, and yet others will not succeed well. The length of time a person is in treatment is one important factor in the person's success.
One of the reasons that treatment for addiction is sometimes viewed as ineffective is that relapse is common. Most experts view relapse as part of the recovery process and that it indicates that the individual needs to continue with treatment.
Has drug use among adolescents increased or decreased in recent years?
The trends in drug use among adolescents have changed over the years, both in terms of overall use of drugs and the specific drugs that are most commonly abused. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has funded a multiyear research project to survey adolescents about their drug use. While in recent years, there have been some positive trends toward declines in drug use, drug abuse remains common. In 2007, a survey found that almost 28 percent of 8th grade students had used some type of illicit drug in their lifetime. Detailed results of the Monitoring the Future survey are available at www.monitoringthefuture.org.
What are hallucinogens?
Hallucinations are profound distortions in a person's perceptions of reality. Under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs, people see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. Some hallucinogens also produce rapid, intense emotional swings. LSD is perhaps the drug most people think about as an hallucinogen, but other drugs such as PCP (phencyclidine), peyote, psilocybin ("magic" mushrooms), and ibogaine are also hallucinogenic.
Can hallucinogenic drugs be stored in the body and released as flashbacks?
Hallucinogens are not stored in the body and "released" as flashbacks. Some former LSD users report experiences known colloquially as "flashbacks" and called hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) by physicians. These episodes are spontaneous, repeated, sometimes continuous recurrences of some of the sensory distortions originally produced by LSD. The experience may include hallucinations, but it most commonly consists of visual disturbances such as seeing false motion on the edges of the field of vision, bright or colored flashes, and halos or trails attached to moving objects. This condition may, for some individuals, persist for years after drug use stops. Scientists are still working to understand the causes of HPPD.
There is no established treatment for HPPD, although some medications and therapies may reduce the symptoms. See http://www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/RRHalluc.pdf for more information.
What are the problems related to the use of marijuana for medical purposes?
Long-term use of marijuana can lead to problems with memory and brain function as well as problems with lung function. Additionally, scientists know that marijuana use can be addictive. Under U.S. law, marijuana is a controlled substance and has no approved medical use. However, there are medications containing synthetic THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, that are used to treat nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and to stimulate appetite in patients with wasting syndrome (severe, involuntary weight loss) due to AIDS. Since the discovery of the cannabinoid system—receptors in the body that bind THC, and chemicals that act as these receptors—scientists are actively looking for ways to make use of this system for medical purposes. Several highly promising compounds are being tested for the treatment of obesity, pain, and other disorders. However, it is unlikely that smoked marijuana will be developed as a medication, both because of its negative health effects on the lungs and the brain and because of the numerous other ingredients in the marijuana plant that may adversely affect health. See http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj2.php
Facilitation Guide for Adult Audiences
Because adults may have many of the same misconceptions about drugs of abuse and addiction as adolescents, the video can be informative for parents, guardians, and other adults.
The Facilitation Guide for Adult Audiences (included in the teacher implementation guide) provides a plan for presenting the video to parents and guardians.
By having the parents see the same video that the students will see, parents may feel more comfortable discussing the topics of drug abuse and addiction with their children.
A brochure (located at the end of the masters) can be sent home with students to inform parents about the program. The brochure is provided in both English and Spanish.
Hear from professionals and recovering addicts
BSCS would like to thank the many people who contributed to the production of the Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain science education module. In this section, we hear from medical professionals and treatment facility experts about why they got into the field. Was it the science? The people? The challenge?
Also featured in this section – recovering addicts talk candidly about their experiences and difficult lessons learned.
David Self, Ph.D. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
John Knight, M.D. The Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse, Children's Hospital Boston
Susan Tapert, Ph.D. University of California, San Diego
Sharon Levy, M.D., M.P.H. The Center for Adolesecent Substance Abuse, Children's Hospital Boston
Paula Riggs, M.D. University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Widd Medford Arapahoe House Adolescent Treatment Center
Shannon Mulcahy Arapahoe House Adolescent Treatment Center
NIDA is the world’s leading supporter of research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. This site provides current and authoritative information about the latest research on drugs and addiction. One of the adolescent-centered components of the NIDA Web site is NIDA for Teens (http://teens.drugabuse.gov), where students in grades 5–9 can find additional age-appropriate information about the biology underlying drug abuse.
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)
NCADI is the world’s largest resource for current information and materials concerning substance abuse. At this site, you may obtain information about alcohol and other drugs.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) establishes policies, priorities, and objectives for the nation’s drug control program. The National Drug Control Strategy is available on this Web site. This site also provides information about specific drugs (including statistics on their use), treatment, research, and enforcement.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
NIAAA is the institute within the National Institutes of Health that provides leadership in the national effort to reduce alcohol-related problems. The NIAAA Web site provides a wide range of information related to alcohol use and abuse.
The Society for Neuroscience is the world’s largest organization of scientists and physicians dedicated to neuroscience. This site provides a wide variety of information on topics related to the function of the brain and nervous system.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine is the world’s largest medical library. This site provides extensive online information about health issues. This includes access to Medline and MedlinePlus to search for the information about specific health topics.
This address takes you directly to the home page of the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Science Education. This site provides access to a variety of resources for teachers and students, including NIH publications on drug abuse and brain function.
Correlation to the National Science Education Standards
Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain supports teachers in their efforts to reform science education and is aligned with the National Science Education Standards (NSES; NRC 1996). The Content Standards for Grades 5–8 addressed in this module appear in table 2 on page 13 of the module.
Middle school science (Grades 7–8)
Teacher implementation guide, DVD with interviews, animations, and real-life stories. DVD includes English and Spanish captioning (optional display)
Five to eight 45-minute class periods
Developed using the BSCS 5E Instructional Model
Correlated to the National Science Education Standards
Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain is an exciting and informative new curriculum supplement from BSCS that presents students with a new way to think about drug abuse and addiction. The program features five classroom lessons an an integrated video.
The module focuses on the science that explains the effects drugs have on the brain and helps students:
Understand that drugs of abuse change the way a person's brain functions, causing changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors;
Learn that adolescents respond differently to drugs than do adults; and
Practice identifying major concepts, the evidence that supports them, and summarizing and communicating scientific information.
The program features five classroom lessons; an integrated video with:
Interviews by leading scientists in the area of drug abuse research, treatment experts, and recovering drug addicts;
Animations to illustrate the effects of drugs; and
A Facilitation guide for presenting the video to adult audiences.
Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
This curriculum allows students to ask questions, collaborate with peers, and carry out investigations. It also provides teachers with the tools to make biology interesting for students by integrating reading, discussing, experimenting, presenting, watching, calculating, and writing—there is something for every student.
Drug Abuse, Addiction and the Adolescent Brain is standards based and meets science content, teaching, and assessment standards. The module includes a video as an integral part of the instructional materials.
The five lessons in the module form a conceptual whole that will provide students with a fundamental knowledge of drug abuse, addiction, and the effects of drugs on brain function. Click on each lesson to read a summary and the learning objectives for that lesson.
Because adults may have many of the same misconceptions about drugs of abuse and addiction as adolescents, the video can be informative for parents, guardians, and other adults.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain supports teachers in their efforts to reform science education and is aligned with the National Science Education Standards (NSES; NRC 1996). The Content Standards for Grades 5–8 addressed in this module appear in table 2 on page 13 of the module.
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