Drug Abuse and Addiction

As a student-athlete, you may know of someone who is struggling with drug abuse and addiction. It may be a close friend, a teammate, classmate or family member. Substance abuse and addiction can cause problems in the classroom, on the playing field and at home. It can often times leave individuals feeling alone and helpless, a potentially dangerous combination. It is for these reasons, that it is important to have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of drug abuse and addiction.

Common signs of drug abuse and addiction:

-          Skipping class or flunking class, missing practice, and neglecting other day-to-day responsibilities

-          The use of drugs and/or alcohol during high risk situations (drinking and driving, before practice or a game)

-          Mood swings (fights with friends and/or family members, partners)

-          Legal issues (DUI, selling of drugs, possession charges)

-          A built up tolerance to drugs

-          Withdrawal symptoms

-          Constantly thinking about drug use

-          Understanding the risks of drug use, but continuing to participate

-          Losing interest in sports, socializing and other hobbies

Physical, behavioral and psychological warning signs:

-          Deterioration of physical appearance, grooming habits

-          Tremors, slurred speech

-          Bloodshot eyes, larger than normal pupils

-          Changes in appetite or sleep patterns

-          Sudden weight loss or gain

-          Always a need for extra money

-          Acting secretive about everything

-          Sudden change in friends

-          Lack of motivation

-          Anxious, fearful and paranoid

-          Angry outbursts and easily agitated

Recognizing that you or someone you know has a drug abuse or addiction problem is the first step, and often the most difficult step, on the road to recovery. Seeking help and finding support is crucial to any addiction recovery, and it takes a tremendous amount of courage to recognize that you or someone you know may need help.

If you feel that you or someone you know has an addiction problem, be proactive and contact any of the following individuals for support:

-          Family member

-          A close friend

-          A therapist or counselor

-          Your health care provider

-          Your athletic trainer, coach and/or another administrator

 Always remember, you are not alone and there are individuals that are willing to help!

 For more information on drug abuse and addiction, please visit the following resources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-addiction/DS00183 

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-abuse-addiction

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugabuse.html

Preventing and Overcoming the Female Athlete Triad

Female athletes are at risk of developing the Female Athlete Triad, which includes disordered eating, loss of menstrual periods (amenorrhea), and osteoporosis. The loss of calcium and bone associated with the triad can increase the risk of stress fractures and other injuries. The triad affects all aspects of the individual’s health and can lead to life-threatening situations.

What can you do to avoid the triad or overcome it?

1. As an athlete, your body NEEDS fuel to perform. Do not skimp on foods or skip snacks. Be sure to eat calorie dense and nutritious foods to help your body fuel its daily processes and your training. Keep in mind, as a female, you probably need to eat more than you currently think you should and definitely more than your non-athlete peers.

2. For an athlete, the scale does NOT give an accurate picture of how healthy your weight is. Muscle weighs more than fat. As an athlete, you may weigh more than you think you should, but have a very low percent of body fat. Use body composition as an indicator of how healthy your weight is.

3. Work with a registered dietitian to determine how many calories you need a day and to get help choosing foods to meet these needs.

4. It is easy to forget about your menstrual cycle, especially when you have the busy life of a student-athlete, but don’t. Pay attention and track your cycles to be sure they are regular. If you miss more than 3 in a row, or they become very irregular, talk with your trainer and a doctor. Irregular cycles or loss of cycle (amenorrhea) can lead to a host of health issues.

Resources:

http://www.femaleathletetriad.org/

http://www.drugs.com/cg/female-athlete-triad.html

Substance Abuse Prevention

The year was 2000 and I was a junior in college, I was in the best shape of my life having completed football season and in the midst of a track season that would prove to be my best collegiate year of competition.  I was on top of the world, school was going great, sports were stellar and to top it all off I was a bachelor that lived alone!  I lived next door to a great girl that would always wave when we saw one another, and if given the chance she could talk for hours.  She seemed to have the perfect life, nice car, great style, plenty of friends, and what seemed to be a good boyfriend.  One evening, I got a knock on my door and my neighbor was standing in front of me crying.  I instinctively invited her in and tried to console her, but noticed immediately that something was not right.  Her speech was slowed, she was stumbling, and she seemed distant.  I didn’t think she was drunk, but still asked if she was drunk, she said no and I proceeded to ask what she had done immediately before coming to my apartment, and she nonchalantly answered “trying to end my life”…Thankfully, I was somewhat knowledgeable about how to handle a toxic agent being ingested or an overdose.  I immediately gave her milk to drink and sat her upright in a chair.  I grabbed the pill bottle she had ingested, and took her to the emergency room, where they pumped her stomach and checked her into the psychiatric ward of the hospital.  This story has a happy ending because she was released days later, and started receiving the help and attention that she needed and had been calling for, for so long.  She later told me that she suffered from depression, substance abuse (oxycotin), and Anorexia Nervosa.  To say the least I was utterly surprised!  I tell you this story, to help you understand that perceptions are not always reality, and as the old adage goes, you cannot always judge a book by its cover, so don’t be afraid to ask for help or offer help, we all need a ear, shoulder and kind heart from time-to-time.

Have you ever had a family member, friend or even neighbor that had issues with abusing drugs?  How about someone that had a body image disorder, anger management issues or the desire to end their life?  Well these are just a few of the topics that we covered the last two weekends with the APPLE Conference (1/21 -1/23 and 1/28 – 1/30.  The APPLE Conferences are led by the University of Virginia Gordie Center for Alcohol and Substance Education with assistance from the NCAA, Drug Free Sport, the Bacchus Network and the Gordie Foundation.  The great thing about the APPLE conferences is that they are focused solely on the student-athlete and the prevention of substance abuse and promoting health for student-athletes and athletics department administrators.  From the APPLE website,

“The goal of the APPLE conference is to assist colleges in promoting student athlete health and wellness by empowering teams of student- athletes and administrators to create an institution-specific action plan. “

There are individuals in our lives right now that could be experiencing or fighting and addiction, having trouble managing anger or image issues, and we could have no idea.  This is a problem, but we can do something to help, there are professionals at your schools, in your community and at the government level that can help you prevent substance abuse, but also recognize the signs of potential problems. 

I heard a number of wonderful presentations at the APPLE Conferences, and here are just a few of the professionals that spoke (power point presentations available to view here):

Linda Hancock is Director of the Wellness Resource Center at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Doug Everhart serves as the Manager of Alcohol Programs at the University of California-Irvine

Scott Goldman, Ph. D. is the clinical and performance psychologist for the University of Arizona's athletic department.

Matt Vogel works at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse as a Health Educator and an adjunct Instructor for the Department of Health Education and Health Promotion. 

Erica Upshaw travels the country speaking to high school and college audiences and has reached more than 50,000 students with her program Keep Friendship Alive.

Craig Littlepage is in his eighth year as the Athletic Director of the University of Virginia.

Dr. Kelli Moran-Miller provides clinical and performance enhancement services at Virginia Tech, servicing the Athletic Department and Cook Counseling Center.

Resources:

Professional Organizations

American Academy of Pediatrics:  http://www.aap.org/  

American College of Sports Medicine:  http://www.acsm.org/  

American Dietetic Association:  http://www.eatright.org/  

American Society for Nutrition:  http://www.nutrition.org/about-asn/  

American Medical Association:  http://www.ama-assn.org/  

American Public Health Association:  http://www.apha.org/  

Institute of Medicine of the National Academies- Food and Nutrition Board:  http://www.iom.edu/About-IOM/Leadership-Staff/Boards/Food-and-Nutrition-Board.aspx  

Keep Friendship Alive:  http://www.keepfriendshipalive.com/

National Research Council:  http://sites.nationalacademies.org/nrc/index.htm  

National Institutes of Health:  http://www.nih.gov/  

National Library of Medicine:  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/  

National Eating Disorders Association: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

The National Center for Drug Free Sport Inc.:  http://www.drugfreesport.com/

College Drinking – Changing the Culture:  http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries/snapshot.aspx

Consumer Lab (subscription needed):  http://www.consumerlab.com/

National Institute of Health:  http://www.nih.gov/  

Mayo Clinic:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/

myPlaybook:  http://myplaybook.drugfreesport.com/ 

Healthfinder:  http://www.healthfinder.gov/  

Partnership for a Drug-Free America:  http://www.drugfree.org/

The Resource Exchange Center:  http://www.drugfreesport.com/rec/

Supplement Safety Now:  http://www.supplementsafetynow.com/

The Cleveland Clinic:  http://my.clevelandclinic.org/default.aspx

Taylor Hooton Foundation:  http://taylorhooton.org/

Journals

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:  http://www.jneb.org/  

American Journal of Sports Medicine:  http://ajs.sagepub.com/  

American Society for Nutritional Sciences:  http://www.nutrition.org/  

Journal of American College of Nutrition:  http://www.am-coll-nutr.org/  

Journal of Applied Physiology:  http://jap.physiology.org/  

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior:  http://www.jneb.org/

Journal of the American Dietetic Association:  http://www.adajournal.org/

Physician and Sports Medicine:  http://www.physsportsmed.com/   

Nutrition Action:  http://cspinet.org/nah/index.htm  

News Letters

Insight Newsletter:  http://www.drugfreesport.com/newsroom/insight.asp

Nutrition Action Health Letter:  http://www.cspinet.org/