School Counselors and Fighting the Opioid Epidemic: Consequences, Impact on Academic Performance, and Treatment to Overcome the Battle

Year 2020, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 1 - 12, 29.06.2020

Allison PAOLİNİ

https://doi.org/10.32568/jfce.559554

Abstract

This brief manuscript
will address the prevalence of the opioid epidemic, short and long-term
consequences of opioid usage, as well as the impact that opioid usage has on
students’ academic performance.   Opioid
usage has a direct and deleterious impact on students’ academic, social
emotional, and psychological wellbeing. 
Sustained drug usage can lead to failure in school, dropping out,
delinquent behavior, as well as lead to lifelong addiction issues.  School counselors play a critical role in
raising awareness about the dangers of drug usage, as well as motivating
students to make healthy choices.  The
definition of opioid usage, statistics, consequences, as well as school
counseling best practices for reducing opioid usage will be addressed.

Keywords

School Counselor, Opioid Epidemic, Academic Performance

References

• Botvin Life Skills Training (2019). Evidence based prevention programs for schools, families, and communities. Retrieved from https://www.lifeskillstraining.com/
• Collaborative for social and emotional learning (CASEL) (2017). What is social and emotional learning? Retrieved from http://www.casel.org.
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2017). Drug overdose death data. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html.
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Opioid overdose. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/opioids/prescribed.html
• Drug Abuse Resistance Education (2018). School drug prevention program puts new focus on opioids. Retrieved from https://dare.org/school-drug-prevention-program-puts-new-focus-on-opioids/
• Discovery Education (2017). Operation prevention. Retrieved from https://www.operationprevention.com/classroom
• King K. M., Meehan B., Trim. R., & Chassin L. (2007). Substance use and academic outcomes: Synthesizing findings and future directions. National Institutes of Health, 12, 1688-1689.
• Healthline (2019). Opioids abuse and addiction. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/opioids-and-related-disorders#causes
• Health and Opioid Prevention Education (2019). The health and opioid-abuse prevention education curriculum. Retrieved from https://starttalking.ohio.gov/Schools/The-HOPE-Curriculum
• National Institute on Drug Abse (2017). NIDA for teens: Lesson plan and activity finder. Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/lessonplans?page=1
• Mayo Clinic (2019). How opioid addiction occurs. Retrieved from conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/in-depth/how-opioid-addiction-occurs/art-20360372
• National Institute on Drug Abuse Blog Team. (2017). Drug overdoses in youth. Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/drug-overdoses-youth.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (2016). Abuse of prescription (Rx) drugs affects young adults most. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/abuse-prescription-rx-drugs-affects-young-adults-most?utm_source=external&utm_medium=api&utm_campaign=infographics-api.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (2018). Opioid reversal with Nalaxone. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/opioid-overdose-reversal-naloxone-narcan-evzio
• National Institute of Health (2019). Opioids: Digital media kit. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/opioids-digital-press-kit
• National Institute of Health (2019). Principles of drug addiction treatment: A research-based guide. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/evidence-based-approaches-to-drug-addiction-treatment/behavioral-1
• National Institute of Health (2019). Opioid abuse and addiction treatment. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/opioidabuseandaddictiontreatment.html
• Partnership for Drug Free Kids (2014). Fact sheet: Preventing teen prescription medicine abuse. Retrieved from https://www.morepowerfulnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/MAP-Fact-Sheet-Preventing-Teen-Prescription-Medicine-Abuse.pdf
• Psychology Today (2019). Motivational interviewing. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/motivational-interviewing
• Overdose Lifeline (2015). An educational program designed to specifically address the opioid health crisis. Retrieved from https://www.overdose-lifeline.org/opioid-heroin-prevention-education-program.html
• Rafa, A. (2018). How is the opioid crisis affecting schools and our students? Retrieved from https://ednote.ecs.org/how-is-the-opioid-epidemic-affecting-schools-and-students/
• Russo, M. (2018). Wheeler’s special education spotlight: Student use of opioids and other illicit substances. Retrieved from https://www.wheelerclinic.org/your-student/wheelers-special-education-spotlight-understanding-student-substance-use-of-opioids-and-other-illicit-substances
• Romanowicz, M., Voort, J. L., Shekunov, J. Oesterle, T. S. , Thusius, N. J., Rummans, T. A., Croarkin, P. E., Karpyak, V. M., Lynch, B. A., &
• Schak, K. M. (2019). The effects of parental opioid use on the parent-child relationship and children’s developmental and behavioral outcomes: A systematic review of published reports. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 13, 1-8.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2017). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. SMA 17- 5044). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/.
• United States Department of Education (2017). Combating the opioid crisis and other substance misuse: Schools, students, and families. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/opioids/
• United States Department of Health and Human Services (2019). 5-point strategy to combat the opioid crisis. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/hhs-response/index.html
• United States Department of Health and Human Services (2017). HHS acting secretary declares public health emergency to address national opioid crisis. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2017/10/26/hhs-acting-secretary-declares-public-health-emergency-address-national-opioid-crisis.html.
• United States Department of Health and Human Services (2009). Alcohol and other drug use and academic achievement. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/alcohol_other_drug.pdf