RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AND/OR EMOTIONAL : Competencies STRESS #AND 4-5-6 SUICIDE PREDISPOSING

RISK FACTORS: DRUG/ALCOHOL USE

IN THE COMMUNITY
school

IN THE SCHOOL
Academic failure beginning in late elementary Lack of commitment to school Lack of parental support Frequent school changes Lack of school resources Disciplinary climate Frequent absences

IN THE FAMILY
Family history of the problem behavior Family management problems Transitions Family conflict Favorable parental attitudes and involvement in the problem behavior Lack of family support for school/child

Availability of drugs Community attitudes about drugs, firearms, and crime Media portrayals of violence Transitions and mobility of community Unstable neighborhoods Community disorganization Extreme economic deprivation

SUICIDE

Voluntary isolation from friends and Sudden improvement or deterioration in behavior Lack of awareness of symptoms or programs Sudden giving away of personal items

Significant increase in alcohol or drugs use Persistent physical complaints Dramatic mood changes Preoccupation with death Lack of awareness of risk factors by teachers and administrators Verbal cues ("I wish I were dead") Open talk of suicide Sudden giving away of personal items

Preoccupation with death Lack of awareness of risk factors by family Family verbal cues ("I wish I were dead") Open talk of suicide Sudden giving away of personal items Quiet withdrawn behavior Lack of family support or involvement

PROTECTIVE FACTORS: AGAINST DRUG/ALCOHOL USE/ABUSE

HEALTHY BELIEFS/STANDARDS AND VALUES Clearly stated standards and values Teach skills to follow standards Reinforce when children meet the standard appropriately and correct when children don't meet standard

BONDING
Opportunities to be involved in meaningful ways Develop skills to be successful in being involved in school and community activities Be recognized for skillful performance ("you did a good job") Strong family relationships

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS Resilient temperament (children who bounce back) Positive social orientation (children who are good-natured, friendly and sociable Successful in school (academic achievement and involvement in extracurricular activities) Not being involved in drugs or alcohol Sense of confidence Good social skills Practices faith regularly Resiliency

AGAINST SUICIDE

Positive self-esteem Having goals Meaningful relationships with peers, family, and adults Religion or spiritual beliefs Hopeful and forward looking attitude

Good communication skills Clear and reasonable expectations for self Stable emotional health Ability to maintain healthy family and social relationships Opportunities to participate

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COMPETENCIES

Competency: Recognize signs of alcohol and drug abuse in students and to apply counseling techniques with emphasis on intervention and prevention Competency: Recognize the signs of severe emotional distress in students and apply techniques of crisis intervention with an emphasis on suicide prevention and positive emotional development SYMPTOMS: DRUG/ALCOHOL USE Drop in school attendance or academic performance Change in friends Lack of interest in personal appearance Tardiness/skipping class Frequent absences Frequent behavior problems EMOTIONAL STRESS Low energy, frequent sleepiness Changes in eating habits Anger (unusual outbursts) Short attention span Nervousness Excessive weight loss or weight gain EARLY WARNING SIGNS FOR SUICIDE/CLASSIC SIGNS OF DEPRESSION Neglect of personal appearance Uncharacteristic decline in academic performance Preoccupation with death in speaking, writing and drawing Giving away of personal or valued items Alcohol and drug use Sudden behavior changes Inability to control emotions or uncharacteristic calmness Decrease or increase in appetite (weight changes) Withdrawal from friends or activities Acting out behaviors (refusing to go to school, sexual promiscuity, running away, fighting) Difficulty concentrating Feelings of low self-esteem/self-efficacy Feelings of failure and hopelessness Mood swings Extreme hyperactivity or underactivity Cries easily Changes in appearance or hygiene Drop in grades Defiance/rejection of authority Inactivity or excessive activity Drop in grades and completion of assignments Argumentative Avoidance of school or interests Increase in borrowing money Unaccounted-for cash, especially in small denominations History of arrest and crime in community

SCHOOL/FAMILY
Uncharacteristic withdrawal from family, friends, Unusual or persistent hostility and lack of cooperativeness Smell of substance on clothes or breath Physical changes (e.g., persistent runny nose, red eyes, coughing, wheezing, bruises, needle marks) Change in dress that may promote antisocial values

TEACHERS STEPS/STRATEGIES
Teachers should never attempt to diagnose Remember these are guide lines. Don't ignore signs, but don't assume based on one criteria Show that you care, ask questions and assist students in obtaining the proper help through referral to the proper person or agency Don't be afraid to ask a child if they feel troubled

PROCEDURE
Report to your guidance counselor or administrators any concerns about depression, suicide, or emotional stress. Contact with the parent will be decided at that time.

PROCEDURE
Report concerns about drugs or alcohol to your guidance counselor, administrator or complete a referral form for the Sutton Place counselor assigned to your school (ask guidance for forms)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Mr. Andreu Powell, Director Intervention/ Prevention 491-9883 www.theAntiDrug.com American Foundation for Suicide www.afsp.org Keeping Youth Drug-Free 1-800-729-6686 www.samhsa.gov. Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol www.niaaa.nih.gov 1-800-SUICIDE www.floridasuicideprevention.org

Information for this document was obtained from the following resources: 1. Keeping Your kids Drug-Free: National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, Office of national Drug Control Policy 2. American Council for Drug Education: online: www.acde.org/common/Symptom.htm 3. Center for Disease Control; online: www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs 4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention 2002 5. Florida Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Trainers Guide 2003 6. Families that Care: Guiding Good Choices : Channing Bete Company

(This document prepared by Lillie Marie Rogers, MSN, RN, Middle School Coordinator and Dennis Todd, Ph.D., Licensed/Certified School Psychologist)

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COMPETENCIES

Competency: Recognize signs of alcohol and drug abuse in students and to apply counseling techniques with emphasis on intervention and prevention RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE: School academic failure beginning in late elementary school Family family history of the problem behavior Community availability of Drugs RISK FACTORS FOR SUICIDE favorable parental attitudes and involvement in the problem behavior community laws and norms favorable towards drug use voluntary isolation from friends and significant increase in drugs and family verbal cues such as: "I wish I were dead" PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards Bonding: Opportunities: to be involved in meaningful ways Skills: develop skills to be successful in involvement activities Clearly State Standards Teach skills fo follow standards Reinforce when children meet the standard Recognition: to be recognized for skillful performance and/or effort Appropriately correct when children don't meet standard dramatic mood changes open talk of suicide sudden improvement in behavior alcohol persistent physical complaints preoccupation with death low neighborhood attachment extreme economic deprivation family conflict lack of commitment to school

Individual Characteristics: Resilient Temperament (children who bounce back) drop in school attendance or PROTECTIVE FACTORS AGAINST SUICIDE positive self-esteem having goals and adults SYMPTOMS: Emotional Stress low energy, frequent sleepiness changes in eating habits anger Drug or alcohol use drop in attendance or academic performance increase in borrowing money general lack of motivation Early warning signs for suicide/classic signs of depression preoccupation with death neglect of personal appearance uncharacteristic decline in

Positive Social Orientation: Children who are good-natured friendly and sociable

Intelligence: high intelligence helps protect against four of the five problem behaviors

good communication skills clear and high expectations religion or spiritual beliefs short attention span mood swings extreme hyperactivity

not being involved in drugs or alcohol sense of confidence opportunities to participate

meaningful relationships with peers stable emotional health

cries easily changes in appearance or hygiene defiance/rejection of authority

inactivity drop in grades backtalk hostility and lack of cooperativeness smell of substance on clothes or breath

physical changes (persistent runny nose isolation, depression, fatigue red eyes, coughting, wheezing change in friends pupils larger or smaller than usual

alcohol and drug abuse control emotions

decrease in appetitie (weight changes) school, sexual promiscuity, running away, fighting)

difficulty concentrating feelings of low self-esteem feelings of being a failure

sudden behavior changes; inability to acting out behavior (refusal to go to

WHAT TO DO IF YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS

Report concerns of depression and/or Refer to directly to Sutton drug use toschool guidance counselor Place counselor assigned to your and principal school for drug use (ask guidance counselor for referral form)

Call the office of Intervention and Prevention: Mr. Andreu Powell 491-9883

REMEMBER!!!

Show that you care, ask questions assist student in getting help by referring to the proper person DO NOT IGNOREWARNING SIGNS

THERE IS NO TYPICAL SUICIDE VICTIM, THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTE REASONS FOR SUICIDE, THERE ARE NO ALLINCLUSIVE PREDICTIVE LISTS OF WARNING SIGNS.

OTHER RESOURCES: www.TheAntiDrug.com American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org Mr. Powell, Director of Intervention and Prevention 491-9883

Keeping Youth Drug-Free

1-800-729-6686 www.samhsa.gov

Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol

www.niaaa.nih.gov

1-800-SUICIDE www.floridasuicidepreveniton.org