Substance Use Awareness (1-2 Days)

This course offers background knowledge and understanding of the subject and aims to provide a basic model to begin working in this area. It highlights the effects on the individual and others involved and suggests treatment and support that is available.

The course promotes an eclectic non-judgmental approach to supporting service users.

This course is not suitable for those with extensive experience and previous training.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course participants should have understood:

• Definitions of alcohol use:
        -Binge drinking
        -Alcohol dependent
        -Alcoholic
        -Withdrawal
        -Intoxicated etc
• DSM diagnosis and criteria
• A cultural perspective:
        -attitudes to drinking in the UK
        -attitudes to drinking in other cultures
        -statistics
• Why people use alcohol in a damaging way
• Who it affects
• The affects of misuse on individuals
• The affect on others
• Related problems:
        -Violence
        -Domestic abuse
• How alcohol use can affect people lives: employment, health etc.
• Treatments available (A medical model)
• Other help and support available
• The role of the worker in supporting service users
• A non judgmental approach to working with this issue
• Definitions of substance use
• DSM definitions and criteria for diagnosis
• The various substances currently being used
• How culture and fashion influence
• The affects of different substances
• Why people use substances
• Current statistics
• How drugs are taken
• How to spot use
• The effects on users and others
• Treatments, help and support available
• The role of the support worker

Training methods:

• Tutor presentations
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Discussion in pairs, small and larger groups
• Role Play
• Chalk & Talk
• Handouts
• Role Play

CP105/5.9