Substance Use Disorders

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Overview & Risk Factors - Teen Temptations

  • Substance Use Disorder (SUD): Pattern of substance use leading to impairment or distress.
  • Common substances: Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, opioids (e.g., heroin, cough syrups), inhalants (e.g., glue, whiteners).
  • Adolescence: Critical period for initiation; brain still developing.
  • Risk Factors:
    • 📌 RISK Mnemonic:
      • Relatives: Family history of SUD, parental substance use, permissive attitudes.
      • Instability: Family conflict, poor parental monitoring, low socioeconomic status, abuse/neglect.
      • School failure: Academic difficulties, truancy, disengagement.
      • Kids using: Peer pressure, social normalization, desire for experimentation.
    • Co-occurring psychiatric disorders (ADHD, depression, anxiety).
    • Early trauma or significant stress.

⭐ Early age of initiation (typically <15 years) of substance use is a major predictor of developing severe SUD and other comorbidities.

Screening & Diagnosis - Spotting the Signs

  • Universal Screening: Key for early identification in all adolescents.
  • Screening Tools:
    • 📌 CRAFFT: Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends/Family, Trouble. Score ≥2 = Positive. Recommended for adolescents.
    • ASSIST: WHO tool; screens multiple substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs).
    • AUDIT-C: Alcohol specific (3 questions). Score ≥3 (Females), ≥4 (Males) = At-risk drinking.
    • DAST-10: Drug Abuse Screening Test (10 items).
  • Clinical Clues (Red Flags):
    • Physical: Weight changes (↓/↑), poor hygiene, track marks, recurrent epistaxis.
    • Behavioral: ↓ school performance, secretive behavior, new peer group, legal issues.
    • Psychological: Mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression, memory problems.
  • Diagnosis: Based on DSM-5 criteria for Substance Use Disorder (SUD).

⭐ The CRAFFT questionnaire (Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Family/Friends, Trouble) is a validated and widely recommended mnemonic-based screening tool for adolescent substance use; a score of ≥2 is positive.

Key Substances & Effects - Perilous Poisons

Commonly abused substances by adolescents include:

SubstanceIntoxication HighlightsWithdrawal Highlights
AlcoholSlurred speech, ataxia, disinhibition, nystagmusTremors, anxiety, seizures, Delirium Tremens (DTs); CIWA-Ar scale
OpioidsMiosis, euphoria, $↓$resp rate, $↓$bowel soundsMydriasis, 📌 flu-like, yawning, piloerection, N/V, diarrhea; COWS scale
CannabisConjunctival injection, $↑$appetite, euphoria, dry mouthIrritability, anxiety, $↓$appetite, insomnia
NicotineRestlessness, N/V (high doses)Craving, irritability, $↑$appetite, poor concentration
InhalantsEuphoria, slurred speech, ataxia, perioral/nasal rashMild: irritability, sleep issues

10 Most Common Drugs Abused by Teens

Management & Prevention - Guiding Recovery

  • Goal: Abstinence or harm reduction, improved overall functioning.
  • SBIRT Model: Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment.
  • Brief Interventions (BI):
    • Utilize 📌 FRAMES model: Feedback, Responsibility, Advice, Menu of options, Empathy, Self-efficacy.
  • Motivational Interviewing (MI):
    • Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a key evidence-based psychotherapeutic approach for adolescents with SUD, focusing on enhancing intrinsic motivation to change behavior.

  • Psychosocial Therapies:
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), family-based therapies (e.g., MDFT), contingency management.
  • Pharmacotherapy (Adjunctive & Cautious):
    • Naltrexone (AUD, OUD); Buprenorphine (OUD - specialist care). Prioritize treating co-occurring psychiatric disorders.
  • Prevention: Universal (e.g., school programs), Selective (for at-risk youth), Indicated (for those with early signs).

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • CRAFFT is the key screening tool for adolescent substance use.
  • Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis are most common; inhalants in younger teens.
  • High comorbidity with mental health disorders (e.g., depression, ADHD).
  • Confidentiality is vital, but safety concerns (harm to self/others) are exceptions.
  • Brief interventions & motivational interviewing are effective initial strategies.
  • Early use of gateway drugs (alcohol, tobacco) ↑ risk of other illicit drugs.
  • Family involvement is crucial for prevention and treatment success.

Practice Questions: Substance Use Disorders

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Which of the following is a validated screening tool for alcohol use disorder?

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Flashcards: Substance Use Disorders

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The earliest stage by which sperms can be found in the urine of a boy is SMR stage _____.

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The earliest stage by which sperms can be found in the urine of a boy is SMR stage _____.

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