Protecting Teenagers from Addiction to Substances

Pelican mouths are like big pouches. Their bills allow them to swoop down and grab a ton of food for survival. Symbolically, the pelican asks us to open up to all opportunities available to us. Scoop up all the good stuff you need to fly higher! Pelicans also fish in groups. Similarly when children reach adolescence, they are getting ready to strengthen and grow their flying wings, in order to leave the shelter of their family and to open themselves up to new and exciting experiences as they approach adulthood. Not all at once of course, because teenagers still need and want to be loved and taken care of while they figure out who they are and what they want.During this pivotal development period, adolescents can easily fall foul of the dangers of modern living; using substances just to fit in with peer groups or to alleviate depression and anxiety. Teenagers need to be taken care of, need productive and appropriate stimulation and social engagement. They also need appropriate freedoms. Like pelicans they are raring to fly and scoop up the good stuff.This three-hour workshop provides cutting edge information on how the teenage brain differs from the adult brain, how this makes them more vulnerable to substance use and looks at why teenagers might be struggling with anxiety and depression and what practical strategies can be used to minimize these risks of adolescence. It covers models of addiction and presents new evidence regarding how we understand this disorder. A must for anyone who has or works with teenagers.Course Outline:Section One: Introduction to GamblingResearch and gambling statisticsSigns of a gambling disorder according to GAHistory of diagnosisActivity: Case Study 1Section Two: Is it an addiction? The neuroscience of addictionRisk factorsActivity: Case Study 2Co-morbidityActivity: Case Study 3Section Three: When are you addicted?Types of gamblersActivity: Case Study 4DSM-VActivity: Case Study 5Activity: Case Study 6ConsequencesActivity: Case Study 7Online gamblingVideo-clipSection Four: Working with GamblersTreatment optionsActivity: Case Study 8Effects on gambling employeesSelf-care