Creating a 7th Grade Health Portfolio
Cover Page:
- Title: My Health Portfolio
- Your name
- School name and grade
- A creative design or image related to health and wellness
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Section 1: Recognizing Signs of Drug Abuse
- Section 2: Treating Drug Abuse
- Section 3: Staying Drug Free
- Drug Abuse Scenarios
- Choosing to Be Drug Free—Key Ideas
Introduction:
- Brief overview of the importance of health and wellness
- Explanation of the purpose of the portfolio
- Personal reflection on the significance of staying drug-free
Section 1: Recognizing Signs of Drug Abuse
- Definitions of key terms (therapeutic community)
- Description of behavioral, physical, and social signs of drug abuse
- Drug abuse scenarios with explanations
- Reflection on how to recognize drug abuse in others
Section 2: Treating Drug Abuse
- Explanation of the first step in treating drug abuse
- Description of treatment options (detoxification, therapeutic communities, supervised medication)
- How therapeutic communities help overcome drug abuse
- Personal response to treatment options
Section 3: Staying Drug Free
- Tips on refusing drugs and seeking help
- Suggestions for alternatives to drugs
- Reflection on personal activities that keep you away from drugs
- Goal setting for staying drug-free
Drug Abuse Scenarios:
- Presentation of scenarios for behavioral, physical, and social signs of drug abuse
- Discussion on the importance of recognizing and addressing these signs
- Personal insights on how to support friends or family members in need
Choosing to Be Drug Free—Key Ideas:
- Answers to key questions related to drug abuse and treatment
- Personal beliefs on the importance of staying drug-free
- Strategies for maintaining a drug-free lifestyle
Conclusion:
- Reflection on what you have learned in the portfolio
- Personal commitment to staying drug-free
- Thank you message to the reader
References:
- List of sources and materials used in creating the portfolio
By creating a 7th grade health portfolio on drug abuse and staying drug-free, you can showcase your understanding of important health concepts and demonstrate your commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. Good luck!
The Choice Is Yours
A young teen girl sits against a wall in deep thought.
In this course you have learned about physical, social, and emotional health and ways to keep yourself healthy. The knowledge you have gained and the skills you have learned can help you take responsibility for your health. Setting goals, making good decisions, and practicing healthful behaviors will move you towards wellness on the health continuum. Choosing to be drug free is an important step in moving towards wellness. People who become dependent on drugs spend almost all of their time either thinking about drugs, getting the money for drugs, or taking drugs. Drugs end up controlling their lives. By deciding not to use drugs, you can stay in control of your life. What’s your choice?
In this lesson, you will learn to recognize signs of drug abuse and learn about treatments for people who abuse drugs. You will identify ways to stay drug free.
Objectives
Recognize signs of drug abuse
Identify treatment options for people who abuse drugs
Describe steps you can take to stay drug free
Key Word
therapeutic community
Write down the key words and their definitions in your journal as you read through the lesson. The key words will be in bold type.
Recognizing Signs of Drug Abuse
How do you know if someone is abusing drugs? Many abusers will deny that they have a problem. It is helpful to be able to recognize signs of drug abuse; this could enable you to help a friend or family member seek help. Study the following information to learn about signs of possible drug abuse.
Even though you may recognize that someone has a drug abuse problem, it is often difficult to get the abuser to seek help. The first step is for the drug abuser to acknowledge they have a problem and be willing to get help. You might ask a trusted adult for advice about a friend’s drug problem.
A man and a woman talk to a female drug counselor.
Behavioral Signs
major changes in behavior or personality
lying, cheating
attention-getting behavior
denial of any problems
Physical Signs
poor coordination
changes in appearance
slurred speech
Social Signs
friends suspected of abusing drugs
withdrawal from normal activities
poor school performance
Treating Drug Abuse
Once someone recognizes that they have a drug problem, the next step is to explore treatment options. Treatment options for drug abuse include detoxification, therapeutic communities, and supervised medication. There are also programs for family members to help them cope with and understand their loved one’s problem.
Detoxification Most detoxification programs are in hospitals where the drug abuser stops taking the drug. In some cases, this involves gradually reducing the amount of drug over a long period of time so as to minimize painful withdrawal symptoms. In other situations, the drug may be completely stopped immediately. Either way, the patient is under close supervision by medical professionals. Detoxification programs also have counseling to help people cope with their abuse and the underlying problems that led to the abuse.
Therapeutic Community Some treatment programs involve a residential treatment center called a therapeutic community. In most cases, people must first go through detoxification prior to living in a therapeutic community. In these centers, former drug abusers live together and learn to live drug-free lives. Medical care and behavioral counseling are part of the program in therapeutic communities.
Supervised Medication A different option involves replacing the abused drug with a different drug that gives the user similar effects. By using a replacement drug, the user does not experience severe withdrawal symptoms. An example of supervised medication is the use of methadone for heroin abusers. Medical professionals monitor the administration of methadone and slowly lower the dose until the person is free from the drug. This option comes with some controversy because the replacement drug can also be dangerous to the user.
Staying Drug Free
A woman reaches her arms up to the sky overlooking a city.
You have learned that there are protective family, social, and personal factors that can help you stay drug free. In this section, you will learn some additional steps to help you avoid drugs.
Refusing Drugs Just as with tobacco and alcohol, refusing drugs can be difficult when you are faced with pressure to take them. You learned refusal skills and the proper body language needed to tell others you are not interested. Be sure to keep up on these skills and practice responses so you are ready when someone pressures you to take drugs.
Seeking Help If you feel that you cannot deal with the stresses and problems in your life, find someone to talk to—before you turn to drugs. Many people in your life—friends, family members, teachers, and school counselors—can help you. Drug-abuse hotlines are also available 24/7.
Alternatives to Drugs Try to find activities that you enjoy and that put you in a good mood. Physical activity naturally releases chemicals that boost your spirits, and it is also a good stress-reliever. Volunteer at the library, a retirement home or an elementary school. Volunteering is an excellent way to help others and boost your self-esteem. Join a club or youth group or get involved in a band. Being in a group gives you a sense of belonging, and you will form healthy connections to others.
Complete the following activities.
Drug Abuse Scenarios
Go back and study the information presented in the list on the first instruction slide about recognizing signs of drug abuse. Create a scenario for each of the signs: behavioral, physical, and social. Record your scenarios in your journal.
Sample Scenarios
Behavioral Scenario: Niki used to be shy and very studious. Lately, she has become really loud and kind of obnoxious. She also keeps lying to her mom telling her she is hanging out with me when I don’t even know what Niki is doing.
Physical Scenario: My friend, Josh, used to be the best player on our basketball team. Now he spends most of his time warming the bench because he turns over the ball a lot and can’t make most of his shots. I don’t know what’s going on with him.
Social Scenario: My older sister always got better grades than me until this year. She has turned into a slacker, hardly ever doing her homework. When I ask her if she wants to do homework together, she always says no and just goes into her room. She hardly ever comes out unless my parents make her.
Choosing to Be Drug Free—Key Ideas
Answer the following questions in your journal.
What is the first step in treating drug abuse?
What are some options for drug treatment?
Explain how a therapeutic community helps overcome drug abuse.
In what activities do you participate that keep you busy and having fun and away from drugs?
Answers
Recognizing the problem
Detoxification, therapeutic communities, and supervised medication
Therapeutic communities are places where former users live together drug free. They receive medical attention and also behavioral counseling to help them correct behaviors that led to drug abuse and teach them how to live drug-free
Make a 7th grade portfolio of that
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