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What is Self-Harming? Basics for Parents to Know Posted April 2020 This module has been developed to support parents and caregivers with basic information about what self-harming behaviour is,...

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Dr. Jean Addington, the inaugural Alberta Centennial Mental Health Research Chair, is one of the leading researchers in the area of early detection and prevention of psychosis, via early intervention in the prodromal phase of the illness. Schizophrenia often strikes young people in their early 20s, but there is reason to believe that individuals with pre-psychotic symptoms can be identified, at a point when early education, psychosocial intervention, or medication could either prevent or delay the onset of a more serious psychotic illness.

It is believed that this disability develops in the years preceding the onset of psychotic symptoms, the prodromal period, in which social withdrawal and the evolution of negative symptoms form the foundation on which psychotic symptoms develop. Working with adolescents as young as 13 years old, Dr. Addington seeks to determine whether symptoms can be predicted and treated prior to a full blown psychotic episode. The goal of Dr. Addington's research is to minimize the impact of the disease early on, thus moving psychotic illness from the category of severe and persistent mental illness into the same realm as disorders such as anxiety, depression, or chronic medical conditions such as diabetes. She argues that, "if you encourage people to get help before they become psychotic, hopefully the symptoms can be controlled before they become severe and more disrupting and disabling."

The Chairs Program aims to address two major, related goals: increasing Alberta's excellence and output of mental health research findings, and the translation of these findings into practice improvements. Dr. Addington's research suggests that, if the long-term disability so often associated with schizophrenia is to be addressed, it is likely going to require the development of approaches to identifying and treating individuals during this critical very early phase of the illness, childhood and adolescence. Moreover, this research can serve to inform mental health policy about the delivery of preventative approaches to mental illness, potentially reducing personal, social, and healthcare costs. Through knowledge gained regarding prodromal symptoms in psychosis and associated practice improvements, Dr. Addington's research will help fulfill the Program goals by promoting evidence-driven changes in mental health practice.

Read more about Dr. Addington's work at her University of Calgary website here.

Research Summaries

Dr. Addington has numerous publications related to her research. Here are a few abstracts from some of her more recent publications.

Auther, A. M., Cadenhead, K. S., Carrión, R. E., Addington, J., Bearden, C. E., Cannon, T. D., McGlashan, T. H., Perkins, D. O., Seidman, L., Tsuang, M., Walker, E. F., Woods, S. W., Cornblatt, B. A. (2015). Alcohol confounds relationship between cannabis misuse and psychosis conversion in a high-risk sample. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 132(1), 60-68. http://doi.org/10.1111/acps.12382
Background: Cannabis use has been examined as a predictor of psychosis in clinical high-risk samples, but little is known about the impact of other substances on this relationship.
Methods: Substance use was assessed in a large sample of clinical high-risk participants (N = 370, mean age = 18.3) enrolled in the multisite North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study Phase 1 project. Three hundred and forty-one participants with cannabis use data were divided into groups: No Use (n = 211); Cannabis Use without impairment (n = 63); Cannabis Abuse/Dependence (n = 67). Participants (n = 283) were followed for over 2 years to determine psychosis conversion.
Results: Alcohol (45.3%) and cannabis (38.1%) were the most common substances. Cannabis use groups did not differ on baseline attenuated positive symptoms. Seventy-nine of 283 participants with cannabis and follow-up data converted to psychosis. Survival analysis revealed significant differences between conversion rates in the Cannabis Abuse/Dependence group compared with the No Use (p = 0.031) and Cannabis Use without impairment group (p = 0.027). Cannabis Abuse/Dependence also significantly predicted psychosis in a regression analysis, but adjusting for alcohol use weakened this relationship.
Conclusion: The cannabis misuse and psychosis association was confounded by alcohol use. Non-impairing cannabis use was not related to psychosis. Results highlight the need to control for other substance use, so as to not overstate the cannabis/psychosis connection.

McAusland, L., Buchy, L., Cadenhead, K. S., Cannon, T. D., Cornblatt, B. A., Heinssen, R., McGlashan, T. H., Perkins, D. O., Seidman, L. J., Tsuang, M. T., Walker, E. F., Woods, S. W., Bearden, C. E., Mathalon, D. H., Addington, J. (2015). Anxiety in youth at clinical high risk for psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. http://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12274
Background: High rates of anxiety have been observed in youth at clinical high risk of developing psychosis. In clinical high risk, anxiety often co-occurs with depression, and there is inconsistent evidence on anxiety in relation to transition to psychosis. The aim of this study was to examine: (i) the prevalence of anxiety disorders in individuals at clinical high risk; (ii) clinical differences between those with and without anxiety; and (iii) the association of baseline anxiety with later transition to psychosis.
Methods: The sample consisted of 765 clinical high risk individuals and 280 healthy controls. Clinical high risk status was determined with the Structured Interview of Prodromal Syndromes, mood and anxiety diagnoses with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders, and severity of anxiety with the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale.
Results: In the clinical high risk sample, 51% met criteria for an anxiety disorder. Clinical high risk participants had significantly more anxiety diagnoses and severity than healthy controls. Anxiety was correlated to attenuated psychotic and negative symptoms in clinical high risk and those with an anxiety disorder demonstrated more suspiciousness. Clinical high risk participants with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exhibited more severe symptomatology than those without OCD. An initial presentation of anxiety did not differ between those who did or did not transition to psychosis.
Conclusion: In this large sample of individuals at clinical high risk, anxiety is common and associated with more severe attenuated psychotic symptoms. Treatment not only to prevent or delay transition to psychosis but also to address presenting concerns, such as anxiety, is warranted.

Addington, J. (2011). Clinical presentation of and social risk factors in young people at clinical high risk for psychosis. Biological Psychiatry, 69, 106s.
Background: NAPLS 2 is a multi-site study investigating predictors and mechanisms of conversion to psychosis.
Methods: The midpoint sample consists of 275 prospectively identified clinical high risk (CHR) participants who meet Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes criteria and 155 controls. The sample was assessed on a range of clinical measures and social risk factors for psychosis.
Results: More than 40% of CHR individuals have a comorbid diagnosis in particular mood, anxiety and substance use. The CHR group rate significantly higher on anxiety and depression than controls (p<0.0001) and have an increased use of tobacco and marijuana (p<0.0001). Furthermore, the CHR group reported higher rates of childhood trauma including bullying, emotional neglect, and psychological, physical and sexual abuse compared to the control group (p<0.0001). The CHR group perceived that they were discriminated against significantly more often than controls did (p<0.01 to p<0.0001). The CHR group rated significantly higher on ratings of self schemas. The groups did not differ in early childhood head injury or the use of cannabis before age 15.
Conclusions: As has been previously demonstrated, there is no doubt that these young people, in addition to being at risk of developing psychosis have evidence of other clinical problems. Furthermore, there are higher rates in the CHR group of childhood social adversity that is considered to create risk for psychosis. Finally, there is support for the link between childhood social adversity and the self-schemas that may play a role in the development of psychotic symptoms.

Cadenhead, K., Addington, J., Cannon, T., Cornlatt, B., McGlashan, T., Perkins, D., et al., (2011). Greater prepulse inhibition prior to the onset of psychosis. Findings from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study, Biological Psychiatry, 69, 13.
Background: The use of biomarkers in the study of the prodromal period of psychosis provides a means of not only identifying individuals at greatest risk for psychosis but also understanding neurodevelopmental abnormalities early in the course of illness. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is an important translational paradigm that is deficient in schizophrenia, heritable and reduced after developmental manipulations in animal models.
Methods: PPI was assessed in 103 at risk (AR) and 75 healthy comparison (HC) subjects from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS) consortium at baseline assessment.
Results: There was a significant group effect (F[1,173]=8.21, p<0.005) with the AR subjects demonstrating greater PPI than the HC group. There were no significant effects of gender, site or age on PPI and these results were independent of startle reactivity that was also larger (F[1,181]=6.00, p<0.05) in AR subjects.
Conclusions: This finding of greater PPI in AR subjects from the NAPLS sample, along with separate findings from a San Diego sample that demonstrate greater PPI in a small group of AR subjects who later convert to psychosis, suggests that PPI may reveal compensatory changes prior to disease onset. Further investigation of this novel finding with longitudinal assessment will be essential as we gain new insights into the early course of psychosis.

Stowkowy, J., & Addington, J. (2011). Maladaptive schemas in young people at clinical high risk for psychosis. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 37, (S1), 282-283.
Background: In depression research it is accepted that adverse early socialexperiences can lead to enduring cognitive vulnerabilities that are characterized by negative schemas or beliefs about the self, others and the world. In schizophrenia research there are studies suggesting a role for social risk factors (eg child abuse, early social adversity, urban upbringing, social isolation, immigrant status) in the development of schizophrenia. One proposal by Selten (2005) is that social defeat may be the mechanism that links these ''adversities'' and is a contributing factor to psychosis. At the same time the development of cognitive models suggesting that people's beliefs and appraisal processes are very important in the onset and persistence of psychosis. The aim of this study was to examine if maladaptive schema and self beliefs are a link between social defeat and the onset of psychosis, ie that young people at clinical high risk (CHR) of developing a psychotic illness, who were characterized by a sense of social defeat would also have developed maladaptive self beliefs and self schema that increased their risk of developing psychosis.
Methods: In a sample of 38 CHR individuals (28 males, 10 females, mean age 19.7 years) who met criteria for prodromal risk syndrome based on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes, we examined attenuated positive symptoms (SOPS), social defeat and cognitive schemas (Brief Schema Scales, Attitude Scale, Schema Questionnaire).
Results: Relative to published norms the sample demonstrated high levels of social defeat and feelings of both internal and external entrapment, endorsed negative evaluations of the self and others and demonstrated maladaptive schemas (eg emotional deprivation, shame, failure, mistrust). All negative evaluations and maladaptive schemas were significantly associated with a greater sense of social defeat and entrapment (r ranged from .47 to .82, P < .01 for all correlations) and with high levels of attenuated positive symptoms (r ranged from .41 to .47, P < .01 for all correlations).
Conclusion: In conclusion, those at clinical high risk of psychosis who have developed maladaptive self- beliefs and self-schema have higher levels of attenuated positive symptoms. This could offer some support for the notion that maladaptive self beliefs may play a role in the onset of psychosis and have implications for prevention because these maladaptive schemas are malleable factors for which we have effective psychological interventions.

Annual Reports

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research Chair | Alberta Health Services

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Dr. Jean Addington, the inaugural Alberta Centennial Mental Health Research Chair, is one of the leading researchers in the area of early detection and prevention of psychosis, via early intervention in the prodromal phase of the illness.

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What are Mental Disorders? What is Brain Injury? What is Stigma? We need to know as much about our minds as we do our bodies.site

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The AFWI Brain Story Certification will teach you how the brain develops, the neurobiology of addiction and the foundations for prevention and resilience.

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Learn Mental Health Literacy - MOOC @UBC

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Learn Mental Health Literacy - MOOC @UBC

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Professional Development & Community Engagement

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Register Now!

The program is a non-credit online course offered by the University of British Columbia, delivered on the UBCx Online platform. This is a self-paced course that consists of 7 modules. Modules can be completed in any order and participants may choose to complete all or only certain modules that most interest them.

This online program is asynchronous (no real-time events are scheduled).

This course is designed for teacher candidates currently in Faculties of Education and for educators currently working in schools including teachers, administrators and other specialized roles, e.g. Resource or Learning Support Teachers, or anyone who wishes to build their mental health literacy.

Developed by education and mental health professionals, this seven module (8 to 10 hours) course will provide you with a foundation of mental health literacy, including effective strategies to use in your educational settings and in your own life.

National surveys report that about 70% of Canadian teachers identify a need for more knowledge about mental health/mental illness. A national scoping exercise found that a comprehensive mental health literacy curriculum resource is not available in most Canadian Faculties of Education. This online mental health literacy for pre-service teacher education resource has been developed to address that gap.

Read an interview with Dr. Wendy Carr, Faculty of Education, on co-developing this project with colleagues at Dalhousie U., Western U., and St. Francis Xavier U.

This resource aims to:

1. Enhance mental health literacy of teacher candidates in Canadian Faculties of Education

2. Provide classroom congruent materials that can be used both during practicum and after graduation to help address mental health literacy of students

3. Identify strategies that can be used for obtaining and maintaining your own mental health

This resource does NOT educate how to diagnose or treat mental illnesses. If you are concerned about a student's mental health, talk to the leadership team in your school and consult with health professionals in your school or at the school district level and provide information they need to better support that student. As part of the school-based team of professionals, determine what your role will be to better support your student.

This online resource is free.

The optional Certificate of Completion is CAD $50 + GST.

Please note that all fees are non-refundable. If you have any questions about refunds, please contact us.

Participants may choose to opt into the optional Verified Certificate of Completion for CAD $50 + GST.
Learn more about our Verified Certificates on our Certificates FAQ page!

Our digital Certificates of Completion are issued by the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education on behalf of TeenMentalHealth, UBC, Western University. and St. Francis Xavier University.

Digital Certificate - a PDF will be sent to the email address that you registered with, within 2-3 weeks of completing the course.
*The listed wait times are approximate. We appreciate your patience in receiving your completed certificate, as we are processing a high volume of certificates on an ongoing basis.
While this will be unique for each participant, based on the course work the estimated commitment is approximately 8-10 hours in total. This is a self-paced course, with no real-time events. Learners progress at their own pace.
8. HOW DO I REGISTER?
Via the registration button, above!

Please make sure to use the same email address to register and make payment for the course.

Once you have registered for the course, you will receive an automated email from noreply@pdce.educ.ubc.ca with instructions to register for an account on UBCxOnline.

Once you have activated your account, you will see Learn Mental Health Literacy listed on your dashboard.

If you do not receive this email, please contact us at mh.educ.@ubc.ca.

Learn Mental Health Literacy does not provide a curriculum resource to use in the classroom. However, another MOOC, Teach Mental Health Literacy Literacy provides a curriculum resource suitable for use with students aged 12 to 19 and walks you through how to use it. Take a look at Teach Mental Health Literacy!

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LEARN - Professional Development & Community Engagement

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Register Now! The program is a non-credit online course offered by the University of British Columbia, delivered on the UBCx Online platform. This is a self-paced course that consists of 7 modules. Modules can be completed in any order and participants may choose to complete all or only certain modules that most interest them.

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Teach Mental Health Literacy - MOOC @UBC

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Teach Mental Health Literacy - MOOC @UBC

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Professional Development & Community Engagement

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Teach Mental health literacy is the foundation for mental health promotion, prevention and care and can be developed through classroom based curriculum implementation that has been scientifically shown to improve mental health related outcomes for students and also for their teachers. A Canadian-developed, nationally and internationally-researched resource, the Mental Health Curriculum Guide (The Guide) - previously available only through face-to-face delivery- is now available online.

In this course, educators will learn how to apply this classroom-ready, web-based, modular mental health curriculum resource as well as develop their own mental health literacy. Educators can then use this resource designed to be delivered to regular classrooms to successfully address mental health-related curriculum outcomes designed to be delivered by classroom teachers to students aged 12 to 19.

Participation in this online course is FREE.

Register Now!

If you would like to batch register a group to work towards certificates of completion, please contact us directly at pdce.educ@ubc.ca

INTRO VIDEO - Learn more about this MOOC!

Now, let's see if we can answer your questions in the FAQs below!

The program is a non-credit online course offered by the University of British Columbia, delivered on the UBCx Online platform. This is a self-paced course that consists of 6 modules, at 45 minutes per module. Modules are completed sequentially, and each consists of:

1. Classroom activities

2. Self-guided study

3. Module test

This online program is asynchronous (no real-time events are scheduled).

In this course, educators will learn how to apply this classroom ready, web-based, modular mental health curriculum resource (the Guide) as well as upgrade their own mental health literacy. Educators can then use this resource designed to be delivered by regular classroom teachers to successfully address mental health related curriculum outcomes designed to be delivered by usual classroom teachers to students aged 12 to 19.

Caring about and maintaining our mental health is as important as our physical health. We only have one brain and one body and they need to work together well to keep us healthy. So, it's our job to keep them running as best we can by paying attention to and working to improve both our mental and physical health.

Since 2013 teenmentalhealth.org has provided evidence-based training for teachers to apply the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide to enhance mental health literacy in the classrooms. Numerous studies conducted nationally and globally have reported this mental health literacy resource has improved outcomes for both teachers and students. It is the only program with solid research evidence developed in Canada and available for Canadian educators.

And now, this training program is available online to any teacher in Canada.

This online course includes classroom-ready modules that support provincial or territorial curriculum frameworks and strategies that can readily be applied in middle school/secondary school classrooms. Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a certificate of completion issued by the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia.

We invite you to sign up for this course, learn about mental health, and apply what you have learned in your own classroom, confident that what you are providing has solid evidence that it can help the students you teach.

1. How to apply a variety of first-voice and knowledge based classroom activities that have been shown to significantly, substantially and sustainably decrease mental health related stigma.

2. How to apply a variety of video and knowledge based classroom activities that have been shown to significantly, substantially and sustainably increase knowledge related to mental disorders and treatments

3. How to apply a variety of knowledge based classroom activities, personal exercises and other evidence based interventions that have been shown to significantly and substantially improve: health and mental health self-care; stress understanding and management; mental health help-seeking capacity.

4. Better understanding of all aspects of mental health literacy that can be applied not only in the classroom but to all aspects of an educator's own circumstances: understanding how to obtain and maintain good mental health; understanding mental disorders and their treatments; decreasing stigma; increasing help-seeking efficacy.

The curriculum resource (the Guide) was developed for use in middle and secondary schools. It has been used successfully in whole or in part as a resource for students aged 12 to 19 in many different countries. It is designed to be applied as a six-module component delivered over a specific period of time (typically 4-6 weeks).

Schools decide in which classes, how, and by whom the material is best applied. It has been applied with positive impact using a variety of different approaches and in various types of classes (for example: Health; Personal Development: Physical Education; etc.), but it is ultimately up to each school to determine how it can best be used. Here is an example of one province's curricular correlations to the Guide.

The Guide is designed to be flexible in delivery and to be responsive to the needs and realities of the school setting. Because the core of this approach is fidelity of content delivered by teachers trained in the application of the Guide materials, it does not require fidelity of delivery nor does it require specific teacher designations (such as PhysEd or Health) for its delivery - thus its flexibility.

This online resource is free.

The optional Certificate of Completion is CAD $50 + GST.

Please note that all fees are non-refundable. If you have any questions about refunds, please contact us.

Participants may choose to opt into the optional Verified Certificate of Completion for CAD $50 + GST.
Learn more about our Verified Certificates on our Certificates FAQ page!

Our digital Certificates of Completion are issued by the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education on behalf of TeenMentalHealth.

Digital Certificate - a PDF will be sent to the email address that you registered with, within 2-3 weeks of completing the course.
*The listed wait times are approximate. We appreciate your patience in receiving your completed certificate, as we are processing a high volume of certificates on an ongoing basis.
While this will be unique for each participant, based on the course work the estimated commitment is approximately 6-8 hours in total. This is a self-paced course, with no "real-time" events. Learners progress at their own pace.
9. HOW DO I REGISTER?
Via the registration button, above!

Please make sure to use the same email address to register and make payment for the course.

Once you have registered for the course, you will receive an automated email from noreply@pdce.educ.ubc.ca with instructions to register for an account on UBCxOnline.

Once you have activated your account, you will see Teach Mental Health Literacy listed on your dashboard.

If you do not receive this email, please contact us at mh.educ.@ubc.ca.

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TEACH - Professional Development & Community Engagement

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Teach Mental health literacy is the foundation for mental health promotion, prevention and care and can be developed through classroom based curriculum implementation that has been scientifically shown to improve mental health related outcomes for students and also for their teachers.

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Supporting and Enhancing Children’s Mental Health

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Supporting and Enhancing Children’s Mental Health

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University of Calgary - Werklund School of Education

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Supporting and Enhancing Children's Mental Health

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This course will examine mental health concerns that are most prevalent for elementary school aged children (ages 5-11). Possible topics may include self-esteem, anxiety and stress, divorce/separation, sibling rivalry, bullying, home/school collaboration, working with parents with mental health concerns, classroom management strategies, and school-based interventions.

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We immunize. We require seat belts in the car and helmets while biking. We insist on sunscreen. We do just about everything we can to ensure that our kids are healthy, safe and primed for success. But when it comes to drinking alcohol or even smoking marijuana, why does it seem so easy to shrug it off as "a rite of passage" or "just experimenting"?

Is teen substance use normal?

From mood swings to rebellion, many types of challenging behavior are normal during the teen years, but experimenting with substance use isn't one of them. We also need to rethink our perception of norms. It's not true that "everyone vapes" or "everyone drinks."

That said, a variety of common teen experiences can become an excuse or reason for substance use. Understanding why some teens drink or use substances is a valuable step toward keeping them healthy and safe.

Feelings of being an outsider and longing to be included and liked by others are pretty pronounced during the teen years. If the kids your teen wants to be friends with, or is hanging out with, are drinking or using substances, they may feel that they need to participate as well or risk being left out. Some teens see substance use as an easy path to making friends, fitting in or being accepted with the "right" crowd.

What parents can do:

Get to know your kid's friends and their parents, and talk with those parents about their approach to supervision and their stance on substance use.

Encourage your teen to use your home for socializing. Give them a private space if possible but keep an eye on them.

Assure your child that they can call you to be picked up whenever needed, no questions asked.

Talk about their need for acceptance and to fit in. Explain that real friends will give them space to be themselves and won't make them do anything they're uncomfortable with.

Socializing

Some teens use drugs and alcohol to overcome insecurities, let their guard down and feel socially confident. Substance use may make them feel like they are really open and connecting with others. In addition to more obvious risks, this can lead teens to feel like substance use is necessary to achieve a certain level of interaction.

What parents can do:

Find activities for your teen to socialize in a healthy, safe and supervised environment.

If your child is socializing at someone else's home, know where they will be. Call the parents in advance to verify the occasion, location and that there will be supervision.

Communicate your expectations and rules for when your teen goes out with friends, and include regular check-ins.

Model healthy behaviors. Find opportunities to socialize and connect in environments that don't include alcohol.

Life transitions

Periods of transition in teens' lives - like moving, divorce, puberty, changing schools, an illness or death in the family - can become a time of upheaval, leading some to attempt to find solace in alcohol or drugs.

What Parents Can Do:

Ramp up the monitoring and communication during and after transitions.

Encourage an open dialogue with your teen about their experiences.

Set aside regular one-on-one time with your teen to bond and have fun together.

Emotional and psychological pain

Whether it's the pressure of everyday teen drama or the emotional toll of family problems, stress or trauma, some teens use substances to dull the very real pain in their lives. Loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety disorder and other mental health issues are commonly associated with teen substance use. Furthermore, many of these issues occur in combination with one another, each compounding the intensity of the others.

What parents can do:

Offer empathy and compassion. Let your child know you understand. Acknowledge that everyone struggles sometimes.

Remind your child that you are there for support and guidance - and that it's important to you that she or he is healthy and happy and makes safe choices.

Model healthy coping skills like exercise, meditation or mindfulness. Show your kids how to learn from mistakes and disappointments.

Brainstorm together to identify healthy ways to manage the stress in their life (e.g., more sleep, getting outdoors, one-on-one times, etc.). Let your child offer suggestions and help them think through their ideas.

If your child is suffering, reassure them that you will seek out appropriate professional help and then do just that.

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Is Substance Use a Part of â€œNormalâ€ Teen Behavior?

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We immunize. We require seat belts in the car and helmets while biking. We insist on sunscreen. We do just about everything we can to ensure that our kids are healthy, safe and primed for success.

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Drug addiction (substance use disorder) - Symptoms and causes

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Drug addiction affects your brain and behavior to the point where you can’t control your use of legal or illegal drugs, even when you know they cause harm.

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Teenage Drug Addition

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Teenage drug addiction is one of the most serious substance abuse problems in America. Luckily, early treatment can help prevent a lifetime of drug abuse.

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11 Reasons Why

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There is a common misconception that teenagers who experiment with drugs and alcohol are inherently "bad kids." Many parents assume that teenagers experiment because they are rebellious and want to lash out. That may be the reason a small percentage of teenagers try drugs and alcohol today, but the dangerous trend is not that simple or one-sided. In order to understand us, you have to put yourself in our shoes and imagine what we are really experiencing.

Do you remember what it was like to be a teen? Understanding is the first step to helping.

Here are 11 reasons why teenagers experiment with drugs.

1. Boredom

One of the most common reasons that teenagers begin experimenting with drugs and alcohol is that they are simply bored and have no deeper interests. They see drugs and alcohol as a pastime to be explored. Try giving your teenager more responsibilities or extra-curricular activities to get involved with so that he or she doesn't have the time to think about substance use.

2. A Bonding Experience

Many teenagers, usually around freshman year in high school, are shy and have trouble making friends (especially at a new school with older students). We turn to drugs and alcohol to help us feel more confident or to bond with a social group that is known for using these substances. This isn't the same as direct peer pressure; it stems from the need to bond and make friends. Encouraging your children to join clubs and sports can help them make friends in a healthy way.

3. Depression

Some teens turn to drugs and alcohol as a form of escapism. When they are sad or depressed they see these substances as a way to forget and feel happier. It's their attempt to self-medicate. You may see a sullen attitude as "just being a teenager," but there may be a deeper depression within.

4. Curiosity

Curiosity is a natural part of life and teenagers are not immune to the urge. Many teens begin experimenting with drugs and alcohol simply because they are curious and want to know what it feels like. As teenagers, they have the delusion that they are invincible. Even if they know that drugs are bad, they don't believe that anything bad can actually happen to them. Educating your child on the repercussions of drug and alcohol abuse may extinguish this curiosity.

5. Weight Loss

Female teenagers often turn to harder drugs-such as cocaine-for a quick way to lose weight. During high school especially, young girls become more body-conscious and may become desperate to slim down and attract the attention of popular boys. These young ladies may also be struggling with a co-occurring eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia.

6. Stress

During high school many teenagers are overly stressed with a packed schedule of advanced classes and extracurricular activities. A lack of coping skills can lead them to seek out an artificial method of coping with stress. They then turn to drugs such as marijuana in order to relax.

7. Low Self-Esteem

In teenagers, especially between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, low self-esteem due to physical appearance or lack of friends can lead to self-destructive behavior. The media, bullies, and often family put pressure on teenagers to act and look a certain way, and they lose confidence in themselves if they don't meet those high standards. Drugs and alcohol seem like an easy way to escape this reality.

8. Enhanced Experiences

Drugs and alcohol are often used to enhance certain experiences. Cocaine and Adderall are commonly used to enhance energy and focus when they feel like they can't do something on their own and need a little help. Ecstasy can be used for a lack of inhibition and enhanced sexual experience. Marijuana and alcohol are often used to relax and be more comfortable in social situations.

9. Peer Pressure

They all learn about it and think it won't happen to them, but often the classic tale of peer pressure is the reason they experiment with drugs and alcohol. This peer pressure happens most often between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, when teenagers begin to think "everyone else is doing it," so they should too. At a party, after prom, with friends or significant others-these are all common situations in which they feel like they need to join in to be able to fit in. This peer pressure is more obvious than the pressure to make friends and is sometimes instigated by older friends.

10. Now or Never

Teenagers often feel a social imperative to experiment and experience all that we can while they are still young. They feel like it is a "now or never" situation. They have to try drugs now, before they become adults and have responsibilities. They feel like if they don't try it now, they will be missing out. They feel like it won't be a big deal if they try everything once... or twice.

11. Genetics

If there is a family history of drug addiction or alcoholism, teenagers may be genetically predisposed to experiment with drugs and alcohol and become addicted. Although poor choices are part of being a teenager, they can't be blamed for their genes, especially if they haven't been educated. If there is a family history of addiction, be honest and open a dialogue about the real risks of substance abuse.

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Teenagers and Drugs: 11 Reasons Teenagers Experiment

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There is a common misconception that teenagers who experiment with drugs and alcohol are inherently "bad kids." Many parents assume that teenagers experiment because they are rebellious and want to lash out. That may be the reason a small percentage of teenagers try drugs and alcohol today, but the dangerous trend is not that simple or one-sided.

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ABOUT US

Talk on your terms.

ConnecTeen is a confidential peer support service for youth in Calgary and area. We are a program of Distress Centre. Being a teen can be tough. You have more independence, responsibility, and stress as a teenager, and you probably have more questions too.

We know there are some things you can't talk to an adult about and there's probably a lot of things your friends don't get about you. We can connect you with a peer who understands your unique situation and can help talk you though your issues. We don't judge. We are here to listen. Our service is confidential so no one needs to know you contacted us.
If you ever have a question, a problem or just need someone to talk to, give us a call, drop us an email, send us a text or chat with us online.
Beyond Monochrome

Check out "Beyond Monochrome", created by Ryan Costello.

Need to Talk?
Contact us by phone, online chat & text.

Social media and COVID-19

Social media use has only increased during the pandemic, as more and more people turn to the internet to cope with the lack of social interaction and stress during these times.

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Partners

Our Impact Funders

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Phone, text & chat peer support for teens & youth in Calgary

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Get teen & youth peer support through phone, text & chat. Weekly blog posts. Send your questions to our peer talk page. Volunteer opportunities for teens

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Exciting new funding partnerships are paving the way for two innovative DFKC projects that will have a positive impact on the mental and physical well being of young people across the country.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

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Mental Health and COVID-19

You found ways to make it this far. But it has been a long pandemic, and things are tough right now. We're here to help you find strategies to cope, and a path forward.

Read More

Gathering Evidence. Opening Up Possibilities.

Many people don't see mental illness in the same way, or even the same category, as other diseases medical science is working hard to find cures for. But Mental Health is Health. And with every new discovery, CAMH moves closer to treatments that will change the course of mental health forever.

Explore Science & Research

Help us change mental health care forever.

Your donation moves us closer to a future where no one is left behind.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

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Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres. Where Mental Health is Health.

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Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction 

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Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction 

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Publication

COVID-19 and Cannabis Smoking and Vaping: Four Things You Should Know [report]

Summarizes four important facts currently known about COVID-19 and how it can affect people who smoke or vape cannabis products. Topics covered include the potential impact of smoking or vaping cannabis on lung health, the potential impact on the immune system, how it can have an impact on peopl...

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Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction

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Publication Summarizes four important facts currently known about COVID-19 and how it can affect people who smoke or vape cannabis products. Topics covered include the potential impact of smoking or vaping cannabis on lung health, the potential impact on the immune system, how it can have an impact on peopl...

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What is mental health?

Does mental health feel like a confusing concept? Although it's communicated about now more than ever, it's OK if you're still unsure what it means. Mental health is different for everyone, and sharing about it can bring up strong emotions. Kids Help Phone is always open, offering young people across Canada mental health support and a non-judgmental space to Feel Out Loud. To learn more about mental health - and view an interpretation of an article about it in American Sign Language (ASL) - you can tap on the button below.

Learn more about mental health

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More than a helpline. Call, text, chat and more to get support using Kids Help Phone's 24/7 e-mental health services. For all young people in Canada.

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Addiction & Mental Health

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Alberta Health Services recognizes that teachers are in a unique position to influence their students' lives, both as educators and as mentors.
Addiction and Substance Abuse
In this section, you will find curriculum-aligned lesson plans and other educational resources to help you give your students knowledge and life skills that will empower them to make healthy choices about substance use and gambling.
Mental Health
For more information and to find an addiction office near you, please call the 24-hour Helpline at 1-866-332-2322 (Alberta only).

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Teachers & Schools | Alberta Health Services

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Alberta Health Services recognizes that teachers are in a unique position to influence their students' lives, both as educators and as mentors. Addiction and Substance Abuse In this section, you will find curriculum-aligned lesson plans and other educational resources to help you give your students knowledge and life skills that will empower them to make healthy choices about substance use and gambling.

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Drugs & gambling literacy

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (drugs) - this iMinds instructional idea uses Roald Dahl's famous book to explore "drugs that excite our brains." Students will explore the reasons we sometimes lose control when doing things that have both benefits and risks and how to build their capacity to enjoy the benefits without experiencing harm.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (gambling) - Roald Dahl's famous story provides a great entry for discussing issues related to gambling. This iMinds instructional idea provides teachers with everything they need to begin the conversation including a visual and a student worksheet.

Emotions, Metaphors and Gambling - This iMinds instructional outline and student handout uses a wonderful metaphor-laden children's story, The Red Tree (2001) by Shaun Tan, to begin a conversation about the depth and complexity of human emotions.

Explorers All - in this 5-lesson unit from , students become "explorers" who seek out and examine the benefits, risks and harms related to drugs and a range of options for managing everyday problems. Module includes background material, lesson plans, and black-line masters.

Probability and Games of Chance - Playing games of chance is an activity that can involve the use of mathematical concepts like probability. This instructional outline is meant to help students develop an understanding of basic probability concepts and how they can be applied to think critically about gambling.

Thinking about Bingo - This iMinds instructional outline uses Bingo as a teaching tool to discuss gambling and open up a conversation with students around how we need to learn how to be aware of our emotions and develop ways to manage them.

Tout Explorer - dans ce module de 5 leçons, les élèves deviennent des " explorateurs " qui recherchent et examinent les avantages, les risques et les inconvénients de la consommation de médicaments, de caféine et d'autres drogues. Les élèves explorent également une gamme d'options pour gérer les problèmes quotidiens et réfléchir à vers qui ils peuvent se tourner si ils ont un jour besoin d'aide. Le module comprend des documents d'information, des plans d'apprentissage, et des documents à reproduire.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (drugs) - this iMinds instructional idea uses Roald Dahl's famous book to explore "drugs that excite our brains." Students will explore the reasons we sometimes lose control when doing things that have both benefits and risks and how to build their capacity to enjoy the benefits without experiencing harm.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (gambling) - Roald Dahl's famous story provides a great entry for discussing issues related to gambling. This iMinds instructional idea provides teachers with everything they need to begin the conversation including a visual and a student worksheet.

Emotions, Metaphors and Gambling - This iMinds instructional outline and student handout uses a wonderful metaphor-laden children's story, The Red Tree (2001) by Shaun Tan, to begin a conversation about the depth and complexity of human emotions.

dans ce module de 5 leçons iMinds, les élèves participent à des tâches qui les encouragent à comparer le rôle du sucre dans notre société avec le rôle des médicaments et autres drogues. A la fin du module, les étudiants en savent plus sur les techniques de gestion autonome et sur la façon de trouver de l'aide pour résoudre les problèmes. Le module comprend des documents d'information, des plans d'apprentissage, et des documents à reproduire.

Probability and Games of Chance - Playing games of chance is an activity that can involve the use of mathematical concepts like probability. This instructional outline is meant to help students develop an understanding of basic probability concepts and how they can be applied to think critically about gambling.

Treat Island - i n this 5-lesson unit from , students compare the role of sugar in our society with the role of medications and other drugs. By the end of the unit, students know more about self-management techniques and how to find help with problems. Module includes background material, lesson plans, and black-line masters.

We Are All Change Makers - this iMinds lesson idea explores school connectedness and student engagement through an applied inquiry based on a Margaret Wheatley poem. A teacher's guide and student handout are available.

Becoming a Detective - through this 6-lesson module from iMinds, students learn how to be detectives. They examine "clues" about the potential influences on a young person's behaviour in order to solve a case involving three students who keep falling asleep in class. Module includes background material, lesson plans, and black-line masters.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (drugs) - this iMinds instructional idea uses Roald Dahl's famous book to explore "drugs that excite our brains." Students will explore the reasons we sometimes lose control when doing things that have both benefits and risks and how to build their capacity to enjoy the benefits without experiencing harm.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (gambling) - Roald Dahl's famous story provides a great entry for discussing issues related to gambling. This iMinds instructional idea provides teachers with everything they need to begin the conversation including a visual and a student worksheet.

The Giver - this iMinds instructional idea uses the popular dystopian novel by Lois Lowry to explore ideas about pain and joy and invites students to think about ways we can manage pain and joy for the benefit of both the individual and community. Useful in addressing current fentanyl crisis.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers - this iMinds instructional idea is based on the story of Philippe Petit's daring high wire performance between the Twin Towers in New York City. It provides a great background for exploring several themes relevant to building drug literacy.

Probability and Games of Chance - Playing games of chance is an activity that can involve the use of mathematical concepts like probability. This instructional outline is meant to help students develop an understanding of basic probability concepts and how they can be applied to think critically about gambling.

- This Rolling with Life's Challenges iMinds instructional outline is meant to help students learn about and experience alternatives to the riskier ways of dealing with life's challenges.

We Are All Change Makers - this iMinds lesson idea explores school connectedness and student engagement through an applied inquiry based on a Margaret Wheatley poem. A teacher's guide and student handout are available.

Ancient Peoples and Cannabis Use - This lesson uses the Drug History Timeline to help students explore the place of cannabis in human experience from early times to the present.

Ancient Peoples and Psychoactive Plants - this 6-lesson module from is designed to help students learn about the role alcohol and other drugs have played in human history and society. Module includes background material, lesson plans, black-line masters and a supplementary text.

The Gambler - a song made famous by country singer Kenny Rogers features a lifelong gambler who offers worldly advice, based on his experiences as a gambler, in exchange for a swig of whiskey and a cigarette. In this iMinds lesson idea students are encouraged to examine the song lyrics as a way to reflect on life and gambling.

The Giver - this iMinds instructional idea uses the popular dystopian novel by Lois Lowry to explore ideas about pain and joy and invites students to think about ways we can manage pain and joy for the benefit of both the individual and community. Useful in addressing current fentanyl crisis.

The Hunger Games (drugs) - this iMinds instructional outline exploits the numerous references to drugs in this popular novel to help students reflect on how we use different drugs in our communities. Different activities focus on opioids (like fentanyl), hallucinogens (like LSD) and alcohol.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers - this iMinds instructional idea is based on the story of Philippe Petit's daring high wire performance between the Twin Towers in New York City. It provides a great background for exploring several themes relevant to building drug literacy.

Peuples anciens et plantes psychoactives - ce module de 6 leçons est conçu pour aider les élèves à en apprendre davantage sur le rôle que l'alcool et d'autres drogues ont joué dans l'histoire humaine et la société. Le module comprend des documents d'information, des plans dⅱapprentissage, des documents à reproduire et un texte complémentaire.

Sticks, Stones and Broken Bones - This iMinds instructional outline gives students an opportunity to explore the meanings ancient peoples gave to gambling and reflect on what their early notions might tell us about gambling today.

We Are All Change Makers - this iMinds lesson idea explores school connectedness and student engagement through an applied inquiry based on a Margaret Wheatley poem. A teacher's guide and student handout are available.

Youth Voices on Marijuana - this iMinds instructional outline provides a variety of strategies for engaging students in meaningful conversations about cannabis. The lesson draws on the Blunt Talk report published by the McCreary Society and, in particular, quotes from students taking the Adolescent Health Survey.

The Giver - this iMinds instructional idea uses the popular dystopian novel by Lois Lowry to explore ideas about pain and joy and invites students to think about ways we can manage pain and joy for the benefit of both the individual and community. Useful in addressing current fentanyl crisis.

King James Trash Talks and Taxes Tobacco - this lesson idea looks at how King James I tried hard to reduce tobacco usage, not only by writing A Counterblaste to Tobacco but also by introducing a massive tax increase in 1604. Students are encouraged to reflect on the various ways to influence drug use and prmote health. A teacher's guide is provided along with three student handouts: King James Trash Talks ..., Anti-Smoking: Then and Now and A Cash Crop for Virginia.

Leaving it up to Chance - This iMinds instructional outline aims to engage students in a dialogue about chance-based games and encourage them to think critically about gambling.

Médias et culture adolescente - un module de 6 leçons dans lequel les élèves deviennent des spécialistes du comportement qui étudient les médias et leur influence sur le comportement des adolescents. Le module comprend le matériel de base, des plans dⅱapprentissage, et des documents à reproduire.

The Outsiders - an iMinds teacher's resource for using S. E. Hinton's novel, The Outsiders, to address drug literacy.

Youth Voices on Marijuana - this iMinds instructional outline provides a variety of strategies for engaging students in meaningful conversations about cannabis. The lesson draws on the Blunt Talk report published by the McCreary Society and, in particular, quotes from students taking the Adolescent Health Survey.

Alcohol or What? - this lesson idea draws on excerpts from an historical text to critically assess commonly held beliefs about the role alcohol has played in unravelling Aboriginal cultures since first contact with European explorers and settlers. A teacher's guide and a student handout with excerpts from G. M. Sproat's memoir and one comparing Sproat's observations with those of Bruce Alexander are available.

Cannabis: Stories, Questions and Life - this iMinds lesson idea uses Deborah Ellis's short story "Through the Woods" (in Lunch with Lenin and Other Stories) as a catalyst for conversation around questions that are useful in examining the impact of cannabis use and regulation on individuals and relationships. A teacher's guide and a student handout are available.

Cannabis and Relationships - With the help of Cycles, a film about youth and cannabis use, this iMinds lesson plan aims to engage students to think critically about cannabis use and how it can impact different types of relationships.

Cycles - this film-based resource, developed at UBC, encourages teens to talk openly and honestly about why some young people use cannabis (marijuana). Resources include a 28-min video in English and a version with French sub-titles as well as a facitator's guide in both English and French.

Divergent - an teacher's resource that offers suggestions for using Veronica Roth's dystopian novel, Divergent, to address drug literacy.

From Probability to the Gambler's Fallacy (Grade 9) - this iMindsmath lesson takes the study of probability back to its original roots in the exploration of games of chance. The lesson cannot make someone a more successful gambler. But it can help students develop an understanding of probability and its usefulness and limitations relative to gambling. Lesson includes a teacher's guide, a game sheet and a work sheet.

Health guidelines: Are they helpful? - this iMinds lesson idea introduces some of these guidelines and recommendations that can provide a springboard for critically reviewing particular behaviours (eating, physical activity, substance use) and exploring how such guidelines might be useful in making decisions about health and well-being. A teacher's guide and student handout are available.

Listening to Sugar Man - an teacher's resource that explores drug-related themes in the folk music of Sixto Rodriguez. A student handout is provided.

Lunch with Lenin - a 6-lesson module from that explores how drugs touch the lives of children. Lessons are based on Deborah Ellis' multi-cultural collection of short stories. Module includes background material, lesson plans, and black-line masters.

The Many Wines - this teacher's resource and a student handout support the use of Rumi's famous poem to explore and build drug literacy.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post - this teacher's resource draws attention to and provides discussion questions related to several themes critical to the development of drug literacy in the coming-of-age teen novel by Emily M. Danforth.

Pain Medications: Benefits and Risks - this iMinds instructional outline invites students to think critically about how we perceive drugs in our culture and how that may impact the way we perceive the risks associated with different drugs. It begins with a consideration pain medication using an episode from Degrassi.

Shel Silverstein's poem, The Perfect High - this teacher's resource suggests ways to use The Perfect High, to help students explore life, truth and drugs. A student handout is available.

The Power of Music - this teacher's resource suggests ways to engage students to consider the role that music has played - and continues to play - in the human experience - in society as a whole, as well as in their individual lives.

Smokes for Soldiers - this iMinds lesson idea provides primary and secondary sources to help students explore tobacco propaganda during WW I. A teacher's resource and a student handout are available.

Youth Voices on Marijuana - this iMinds instructional outline provides a variety of strategies for engaging students in meaningful conversations about cannabis. The lesson draws on the Blunt Talk report published by the McCreary Society and, in particular, quotes from students taking the Adolescent Health Survey.

A Solution without a Problem? - in this iMinds lesson idea, students are invited to explore a CBC article on how Canada's anti-cannabis policy was created and to examine passages from The Black Candle, Emily Murphy's collection of statistics and news commentary on drug use in North America in the early 1920s. The exercise prompts students to explore and assess factors that may have influenced drug policy in Canada in the past and consider those influencing drug policy today. A teacher's guide and student handouts ( CBC article and The Black Candle) are available.

Bicycle Day's Dilemma - this iMinds instructional outline uses excerpts from Albert Hofmann's writings about his discovery of, and experiences with, LSD to challenge students to think critically about the benefits and risks associated with substance use and how we manage those in our society.

Cycles - this film-based resource, developed at UBC, encourages teens to talk openly and honestly about why some young people use cannabis (marijuana). Resources include a 28-min video in English and a version with French sub-titles as well as a facitator's guide in both English and French.

Débattre la politique des drogues - ce module de 6 leçons aide les élèves à développer leur esprit critique tout en découvrant et en prenant part à des débats formels sur la consommation d'alcool et d'autres drogues. Le module comprend le matériel de base, des plans dⅱapprentissage et des documents à reproduire.

Drugs and Driving - this 6-lesson resource for Grade 10-12 classrooms is designed to promote literacy about the impact of alcohol and other drugs on perception, coordination and other aspects of safe driving. The resource features a range of dialogue-centred learning activities, web apps, and a free iPhone app to inform students as they develop a social marketing strategy for addressing drug-impaired driving in their community.

this iMinds lesson idea deconstructs a number of commercial marketing pieces related to gambling as well as a social marketing site to engage students in thinking critically about social messages and concepts and their influence on individual and community well-being. A set of teaching slides with images and dialogue questions is provided.

Gambling and Stigma - This iMinds instructional outline aims to engage students in exploring various issues related to gambling and stigma and challenge them to consider the potential impacts stigma might have on different groups of people: those who gamble, those with gambling problems, and the people around them.

Health guidelines: Are they helpful? - This iMinds lesson idea introduces some of these guidelines and recommendations that can provide a springboard for critically reviewing particular behaviours (eating, physical activity, substance use) and exploring how such guidelines might be useful in making decisions about health and well-being. A teacher's guide and student handout are available.

Is the Stock Market Gambling? - Some people suggest, ↑Investing in the stock market is just like gambling at a casino.↱ Investing and gambling both involve risk and choice. This iMinds lesson idea explores the similarities and differences between gambling and the stock market at the core of our economic system.

Lahal Game -This traditional Indigenous gambling game is used in this lesson outline to explore attitudes and ideas related to gambling. Using reflection, video and inquiry the lesson explores ethical and cultural issues related to gambling.

Rum and Spirits - this iMinds lesson idea explores the intersection of rum, religion and cultural identity in the Afro-Caribbean experience drawing on history and music. A teacher's guide and student handout are available.

Youth Voices on Marijuana - this iMinds instructional outline provides a variety of strategies for engaging students in meaningful conversations about cannabis. The lesson draws on the Blunt Talk report published by the McCreary Society and, in particular, quotes from students taking the Adolescent Health Survey.

Does War Cause Addiction - For many people, it makes sense that a surge of drug addiction follows the return of soldiers whoⅱve been physically and mentally traumatized by war, but ... This lesson idea explores the arguments and considers other possible causes. A teacher's guide and a student handout are available.

Drugs and relationships in "Perks of Being a Wallflower" - this iMinds lesson idea offers some strategies and ideas that teachers can use to help students explore themes related to drug use and wellbeing as part of a study of Stephen Chbosky's novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Friendly Fire - this lesson idea uses a series of excerpts from the book War and Drugs to examine the role drugs played in the 2002 friendly fire incident in which four Canadian soldiers were killed by American bombers in Afghanistan. A teacher's guide and a student handout are available.

Gambling and Addiction in Nineteen Eighty-Four - This iMinds instructional outline engages students in a critical examination of the social and economic structures of our own time and explore how they influence peopleⅱs excessive pursuits of happiness or oblivion.

Opioid Use: Deconstructing Media Messages - this iMinds instructional outline explores the topic of opioid use and the media. Students compare and contrast two media reports about overdose deaths in two BC communities and then, working with a small group of peers, try to write a fictional report. In the process they reflect on how language shapes our thinking.

Smoking the Pipe-Peace or War - this lesson idea looks at how ceremonial smoking pipes and tobacco were used by many First Nations peoples in North America in relation to both building alliances for war and in making peace. Students reflect on peace-making processes and the role of symbolic objects and actions. A teacher's guide and a student handout as well as a History of Treaty-Making in Canada are available.

Youth Voices on Marijuana - this iMinds instructional outline provides a variety of strategies for engaging students in meaningful conversations about cannabis. The lesson draws on the Blunt Talk report published by the McCreary Society and, in particular, quotes from students taking the Adolescent Health Survey.

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (drugs) - this iMinds instructional idea uses Roald Dahl's famous book to explore "drugs that excite our brains." Students will explore the reasons we sometimes lose control when doing things that have both benefits and risks and how to build their capacity to enjoy the benefits without experiencing harm.

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Scene from the video in which characters engage in realistic conversation

Developed by researchers at the UBC School of Nursing, Cycles is a film-based resource that encourages teens to talk openly and honestly about why some young people use cannabis (marijuana). The resource features a locally produced 28-minute film about fictional high school students and their relationships with cannabis. It also has a facilitator's guide with lesson plans, teaching tips, student handouts and quick facts about cannabis use. The facilitator's guide is available in both English and French, the video is available with and without French subtitles.

Teaching resources

Video options

Links to BC Curriculum

Physical and Health Education 9/10

Explore and describe factors that shape personal identities, including social and cultural factors

Identify factors that influence health messages from a variety of sources and analyze their influence on behaviour

Assess and evaluate strategies for managing problems related to mental well-being and substance use for others

Analyze strategies for promoting mental well-being for self and others

Propose strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships

Propose strategies for avoiding and/or responding to potentially unsafe, abusive or exploitive situations

Propose healthy choices that support lifelong health and well-being

Reflect on outcomes of personal healthy-living goals and assess strategies used

Identify and apply strategies to pursue personal healthy-living goals

Drug literacy objectives

Assess the complex ways in which drugs impact the health and well-being of individuals, communities and societies

Explore and appreciate diversity related to the reasons people use drugs, the impact of drug use and the social attitudes toward various drugs

Recognize binary constructs (e.g., good vs bad) and assess their limitation in addressing complex social issues like drug use

Recognize how official responses to drugs may have less to do with the drug than with other factors

Develop social and communication skills in addressing discourse and behaviour related to drugs

Develop personal and social strategies to manage the risks and harms related to drugs

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Developed by researchers at the UBC School of Nursing, Cycles is a film-based resource that encourages teens to talk openly and honestly about why some young people use cannabis (marijuana). The resource features a locally produced 28-minute film about fictional high school students and their relationships with cannabis.

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Cannabis health effects

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The interactive drugs and driving app explores impairment from different substances, as well as social capital within a students' network

Drugs and driving is a resource for grade 10-12 classrooms designed to promote literacy about the impact of alcohol and other drugs on perception, coordination and other aspects of safe driving. The resource features a range of dialogue-centred learning activities, web apps and a free iPhone app to inform students as they develop a social marketing strategy for addressing drug-impaired driving in their community.

During each of the six 1-hour lessons, students are invited to explore the complex mix of factors that may influence a person's decision to drive after using alcohol or other drugs. Students also learn about the role individuals and groups can play in influencing the thinking and behaviour of others, and strategies and tools for changing unhealthy social norms among their peers.

* Am I good to go? (iPhone app)
* Drugs and driving (website)
* Drugs and driving: Facilitator's guide
* Drugs and driving: Guide for community coalitions

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Drugs and driving - University of Victoria

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Drugs and driving is a resource for grade 10-12 classrooms designed to promote literacy about the impact of alcohol and other drugs on perception, coordination and other aspects of safe driving. The resource features a range of dialogue-centred learning activities, web apps and a free iPhone app to inform students as they develop a social marketing strategy for addressing drug-impaired driving in their community.

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Help students avoid drug problems

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Supporting positive behaviour involves raising a student's awareness of their developing strengths and the role they can play in their overall health and well-being. It means helping youth both see their strengths and how to nurture and use them to build motivation, confidence and self-efficacy for changing any problematic behaviour, including harmful use of alcohol and other drugs.

How can I be supportive?

The best way to support a young person is to help them identify their strengths. One way to do this is by asking questions that get them talking about their habits, qualities, values, skills and resources for support (e.g., family, faith, community). Here are some examples:

"How do you stay healthy?"

"What are you good at?"

"What do you do to help others?"

"Who are the important adults in your life?"

"What are your responsibilities at home? At school?"

"If I were an employer, what are all the things that would make me want to hire you?"

Tip: Try using the Strength Meter to guide the discussion.
During your discussion, listen for cues that illustrate the strengths important in making a person feel balanced and "whole." Consider using the strengths emphasized in Navajo culture: generosity, independence, mastery and belonging. For more details, see the Circle of Courage.

Here are some examples of how to do this:

Note: Some of these questions may identify both a risk and a strength. For example, if a student says, "My boyfriend is my family," you could recognize "belonging" as a strength. Or, if a youth says, "I don't have time for school because I work a lot," you could recognize their show of independence.

What can I say to show my support?

Here are some examples of ways to respond when you recognize a trait worthy of praise or see that a student needs some cheering on:

Supporting change means openly recognizing the ways in which a student is making good choices (e.g., choosing not to smoke cigarettes) while giving them strategies and information on ways to reduce their risk of harm (e.g., low-risk drinking guidelines). It also involves drawing out the student's thoughts about both the possibility of change and potential ways to change.

An overall framework

It's important to understand what exactly we're trying to do, where our responsibilities lie, where our influence is, and how we can help young people make healthy decisions and encourage positive change. The following framework involves movement that leads to increased motivation on the part of the student.

Engagement and safety: Showing empathy and respect toward young people (being curious and skillful at asking questions to understand their interests and concerns) is a good way to start.

Self-awareness: An emotionally safe environment encourages youth to develop self-awareness and to critically assess their current situation.

Discrepancy: Exploring the possibility of change or maintaining current patterns can uncover discrepancy between goals and values and current actions.

Motivation: Greater awareness of discrepancy and greater belief in their own ability leads to greater motivation to change.

Solidifying changes involves helping students build their capacity for, and commitment to, change. This means helping them develop skills and supportive networks to continue their healthy behaviours while avoiding lapsing back into their old patterns of harmful behaviour.

Applying a health lens

Helping young people continue to make positive changes is not just about addressing individual behaviours (e.g., those related to personal choices about substance use). Students' choices and behaviours are often the result of what they see, hear and experience in the world around them. Therefore, it is crucial that we try to identify and influence opportunities at both the school and community level to build healthier environments in which to grow and learn.

Creating a school that enhances the health and well-being of students requires that a health lens be applied to all of the school's structures, policies and programs. For instance, when developing a new policy, these two core questions deserve consideration:

What impact will the policy have on the healthy development of students?

Will this policy increase or decrease school connectedness?

Connectedness and building bridges

Connections with family, school and community are significant protective factors for harms related to using alcohol and other drugs. The more protective factors young people have in their lives, the more resilient they will be in the face of obstacles or challenging circumstances.

This is especially important for students returning to school from a service or program in the community. Relationships with friends, teachers and family members may have been negatively affected by the student's previous behaviour. Therefore, bringing the student back into a normal classroom situation will of course involve helping them restore relationships and build connections within the school and community.

Some ways to support a student's return to school include

engaging with parents or guardians around how the school and home might work together to support the student, and

facilitating discussions with teachers about ways to ease the student's integration back into the classroom.

Preventing relapse

Students who are trying to maintain positive behavioural changes need affirmation that they're doing a good job. They also need encouragement to stay on track, even if they lose their way sometimes. We can do this by checking in with them about their progress and praising them for the changes they've maintained (or for their continuing to stay connected to us despite not sticking to their goals such as reducing their use of alcohol or other drugs).

Since preventing relapse is a routine part of the relationship, it's best not to think of the process in terms of linear steps. Nonetheless, the following elements are involved.

1. Remind them of their commitment to change
One way to do this is to help the young person create a list of benefits and suggest they carry it around as a reminder and motivator. For example, this may involve reviewing the costs associated with using alcohol and other drugs, and the benefits of change. Another way is to encourage them to acknowledge everyday at least one good thing that happened because of the positive changes they made.

2. Help them identify high-risk situations
A high-risk situation is when a student finds it particularly difficult to stay on track with the changes they are making because of one or more of these factors: emotions, thoughts, places, events, or people. Self-monitoring is one way for a young person to identify times when they're particularly prone to lapse into old patterns (e.g., harmful use of drugs). Other options include simply asking them about situations that have caused them difficulties in the past, or using a worksheet such as Identifying and Managing High Risk Situations to help guide the conversation.

3. Help them manage high-risk situations
During the early stages of change, young people may find it easiest to simply avoid high-risk situations. But it's not always possible to steer clear of risky situations. For this reason, they may need help in developing a plan to cope with situations if/when they arise. This could involve introducing various problem-solving techniques and practising them through role-playing. Or it could involve introducing them to harm reduction strategies. Harm reduction strategies are also useful when dealing with youth who are using drugs alone because of shame or fear of detection. (Note: These situations put young people at higher risk of overdose, intoxication and assault, so it's crucial to address them as safety issues.)

4. Support them if/when they relapse
When a young person has a relapse, they should not be made to feel guilty. Instead, they should be encouraged to brush it off and try again. Remind them that relapse is a normal part of the change process for many people. And repeat the techniques used to get them on track in the first place.

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Art of motivation - University of Victoria

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Supporting positive behaviour involves raising a student's awareness of their developing strengths and the role they can play in their overall health and well-being. It means helping youth both see their strengths and how to nurture and use them to build motivation, confidence and self-efficacy for changing any problematic behaviour, including harmful use of alcohol and other drugs.

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Child and Adolescent Addiction and Mental Health Community Clinics

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Child and Adolescent Addiction and Mental Health Community Clinics

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This service provides psychosocial assessment and treatment to children.

The service offers a wide range of psychosocial assessment and treatment services to children 5 to 18 years with moderate to severe mental health issues, and their families.

Services include individual, family, and group therapy in a community clinic setting.

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East Calgary Health Centre - Child and Adolescent Addiction and Mental Health Community Clinics | Alberta Health Services

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This service provides psychosocial assessment and treatment to children. The service offers a wide range of psychosocial assessment and treatment services to children 5 to 18 years with moderate to severe mental health issues, and their families. Services include individual, family, and group therapy in a community clinic setting.

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Get to know our project

Legalization has shifted the conversation and increased the need for
public education about non-medical cannabis use in Canada.

We're here to support young people to learn more about cannabis through
information created by youth, for youth - science based and relevant.

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Get to know our project Legalization has shifted the conversation and increased the need for public education about non-medical cannabis use in Canada. We're here to support young people to learn more about cannabis through information created by youth, for youth - science based and relevant.