Emotional Wellbeing and

Substance Misuse

Dr Funke Baffour-Awuah

November 29th 2014

Outline• Emotional Wellbeing

– What is it?

– Positive emotional wellbeing

– Emotional wellbeing problems

– Risk Factors

• Substance Misuse

– Alcohol

– Drugs

– Warning Signs

• Collaborative approach

Emotional Wellbeing

Sometimes our sadness is hidden with a smile. Our smiles need to smile too!

I’m

BROKENSometimes our OK means that we are feeling BROKEN.

Emotional Wellbeing

“to be yourself in a world

that’s constantly

trying to make you something else is one of the difficult

hurdles in life”

What is Emotional Wellbeing?

• Ability to understand the value of your emotions

• Use them to move your life forward in a positive way

Emotional wellbeing can be achieved:

• By understanding and looking after our emotions

• developing our emotional skills to deal effectively with

any challenges that arise in our lives.

Positive Emotional Wellbeing

Someone who is emotionally healthy:

1. Understands and adapts to change

2. Copes with stress

3. Has a positive self-concept

4. Has the ability to love and care for others

5. Can act independently to meet his or her own needs

Emotional Wellbeing Problems

Risk factors

• Trying to fit in

• Bullying

• Abuse (physical/emotional/sexual)

• Bereavement

• Expectations (Parents/teachers)

• Unhelpful comparison

Impacts on self-esteem and their ability

to learn.

How do teenagers deal with emotional problems?

Unhealthy

• Withdraw

• Over/under eat

• Oversleep/lack of sleep

• Neglect their personal needs

• Engage in unhealthy

relationships

• Excessive use of computer

games

Healthy

•Talk to friends

•Exercise

•Listen to music

•Reading/writing

•Seek appropriate help

•Watch movie-Scandal

Substance Misuse

Substance Misuse

Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioural change in an individual.

Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioural impairment in an individual.

Substances a person may misuse

Volatile substances (also called inhalants) – solvents, such as glue and

petrol

– gases, such as those found in cigarette lighters

– aerosols, such as spray paint

– nitrites, such as those found in room sprays.

– Shoemaker Polish/Glue

Substances a person may misuse

Cocaine

• powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America.

Substances a person may misuse

• Crack is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make a rock crystal (also called “freebase cocaine”) that can be smoked.

• Crystal is heated to produce vapours that are absorbed into the blood-stream through the lungs

Substances a person may misuse

Marijuana/cannabis

(gunja, yarndi, tawa)

Dried leaves, flowers,

stems, and seeds from

the hemp plant Cannabis

sativa, which contains a

psychoactive (mind

altering) chemical.

Substances a person may misuse

Heroin (smack)

Opioid drug that is synthesized

from morphine, a naturally

occurring substance extracted from

the seed pod of the Asian opium

poppy plant.

Appears as a white or brown

powder or as a black sticky

substance, known as “black tar

heroin.”

Substances a person may misuse

Ecstasy (E )• Ecstasy today can

contain a wide mixture of substances—from LSD, cocaine, heroin,

amphetamine and methamphetamine, to rat poison, caffeine, dog deworming substances

Substances a person may misuse

Alcohol– Loss of control: the

inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion.

– Tolerance: the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to get high.

Drug Dealers

• Currently in Ghana many give drugs for free.

• Pure uncut cocaine comes from parts of South America.

• Candy (Crack)

Shisha

• Different scents

– Strawberry

– Vanilla

– Toffee

• Shisha pens-smoke it

• Sometimes contains weed

Shisha

According to research carried out by the World Health

Organisation (WHO), the volume of smoke inhaled in an hour-long shisha session is estimated to be

the equivalent of smoking between 100 and 200 cigarettes.

Space Parties

• Space parties- laced with weed

• Drinks

• Brownies

• Chicken (medicated wings)

• Cakes

• Punch-laced with alcohol

• Shitto

Why do young people abuse substances?

• Stress relief

• To forget or escape problems

• Being a rebel and a risk-taker

• Relief of boredom/wanting to have fun

• A feeling of being special

• Being part of a significant group of people

• Addictive personality

• Curiosity

• Absence of parents (both physical and emotional)

Effects of Substance Misuse

What are the warning signs?

Should not be mistaken

for the normal

transition -adolescents

to adulthood

What are the warning signs?

1. Change in personality: shifts in energy, mood, and concentration as a result of everyday responsibilities becoming secondary to the need for the drug.

2. Social withdrawal: withdrawal from family and friends.

3. Change in daily habits and appearance: decline in personal hygiene; change in sleeping and eating habits; constant cough, running nose and red, glazed eyes.

What are the warning signs? 4. Neglects responsibilities: neglect of household

chores and bills; calling in sick to school or work more often.

5. Increased sensitivity: normal sights, sounds and emotions becoming overly stimulating to the person; hallucinations.

6. Defensiveness: becoming defensive and lashing out in response to simple questions in an attempt to hide a drug dependency, if users feel their secret is being discovered.

Collaboration

What can parents do?

• Be connected with your child-Communication

• Inform Your Teen -and Stay Informed Yourself

• Set healthy expectations and boundaries

• Be familiar with the company they keep

What can teachers do?

• Pseudo parents for students

• Communicating effectively with parents and students

• Look out for the warning signs.

• Set time to talk to students or make necessary referrals

What can students do?• Be Responsible • Understand how your own

behaviours can impact on others

• Find effective ways of dealing with emotions

• Talk to someone you trust • Hold on to your values-

avoid peer pressure • Be respectful of adults in

your lifeNever suffer in silence

Movie to Watch‘DRUG HER’ (Jackie Appiah)

The End

Thank you