ADCO 1020 - Introduction to Drugs and Alcohol

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture None Lab None
Course Description: This course provides an overview of classification of mood altering addictions, signs and symptoms of addicted behavior, treatment, prevention, and cultural issues. The course meets the academic coursework requirement for Minnesota Statute 2005, Chapter 148C:  “Overview of alcohol and drug counseling, focusing on the transdisciplinary foundations of alcohol and drug counseling and providing an understanding of theories of Substance Related Disorders, the continuum of care and the process of change.”  Service learning is a component of this course.
MnTC Goals
None

Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: None

Major Content
I. Psychoactive Drugs: History and Classification

1. Introduction
2. History of psychoactive drugs
3. Classification of psychoactive drugs

II. Heredity, Environment and Psychoactive Drugs

1. How psychoactive drugs affect us
2. Levels of drug use
3. Theories of addiction
4. Compulsive behavior

III. Uppers

1. General classification
2. General effects
3. Different uppers - cocaine, amphetamines, etc.

IV. Downers: Opiates/Opioids and Sedatives - Hypnotics

1. General classification
2. Opiates/opioids
3. Sedative-hypnotics
4. Other problems with depressants

V. Downers Alcohol

1. Overview
2. Absorption, distribution and metabolism
3. Addiction
4. Desired effects, side effects and health

VI. All-Arounders

1. History
2. Classification
3. General effects
4. LSD, mushroom, MDMA, other psychedelics

VII. Other drugs, other addictions

1. Introduction
2. Other drugs, inhalants, sport drugs
3. Other addictions: compulsive gambling, compulsive shopping, internet addiction

VIII. Drug Use and Prevention

1. Introduction
2. Prevention
3. Concepts of prevention
4. Prevention methods

IX. Treatment

1. Introduction
2. Treatment effectiveness
3. Treatment continuum
4. Principles and goals of treatment
5. Individual and group therapy
6. Cultural /large populations
7. Interventions

X. Mental Health and Drugs        

1. Introduction
2. Dual diagnosis (co-occurring disorders)

XI. Multicultural Contexts

1. Impact
2. Outcomes
3. Treatment
4. Stigmas

1. List the six levels of alcohol and drug use.
2. Describe how addiction affects the central nervous system.
3. Define Substance Related Disorder in accordance with the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-V).
4. Describe three signs and symptoms of addiction in behavioral, emotional and physical terms
5. Outline the stages of attitudinal and behavioral change as described in motivational interviewing.
6. Compare and contrast cultural issues related to addiction.
7. Explain prevention methods of alcohol and drug use.
8. Prepare for an intervention of an addicted person.
9. Describe an intervention of an addicted person.
10. Discuss two theories of addiction.

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