Session 4:  Day Five We began our discussion on Methamphetamine.  It is considered one of the most, if not THE most dangerous drug at this time.  It's use  can have some of the most devastating physical effects of any drug.

What side effects does Meth have?  It may make you stay up for days, it makes your heart beat much faster, you lose your appetite and may not eat for days (lack of energy), and it is extremely addictive. And if you become addicted:  let's talk about rotten teeth, sores on your skin, malnutrition, and accelerated aging!

I encourage you to watch the "Above the Influence" commercials on the website for the Office of National Drug Control Policy with your son.  They are great conversation starters!!

Session 4:  Day Four  Today we reviewed how chemical messages are passed along by neurons and then began our discussion on Stimulants.  How many of you had a stimulant to get you going this morning?  A little coffee, tea, or chocolate?

The main Stimulant we discussed today was Cocaine and it's much stronger version Crack.  We talked about how the use of such a strong stimulant can rob your brain's ability to do it's normal functioning and can lead to the loss of normal pleasurable feelings.  Did you know that most Cocaine addicts did not start using Cocaine, but other drugs first.   It's normally the gateway drugs alcohol and tobacco.  It's there that drug use, then abuse, then addiction seems to start - how do we help them avoid letting it only be the beginning?  I pray that God will give you the wisdom and insight to help your child maneuver this slippery slope!

Session 4:  Day Three  Today we discussed the "pleasure circuit" in the brain and how chemicals are released into our body that makes us feel "happy" when we do something we enjoy - like riding our favorite ride at the Fair!  God designed our brain to naturally do this!  We then talked about how drugs use this pleasure circuit to act in the brain.  The dangerous part is that these chemicals can change how our brain naturally functions and can even cause our body to become addicted - feeling a need for this chemical.

An important point we tried to understand today was:  no one knows exactly what their personal chemical makeup is and therefore can not know exactly what drugs (chemicals) could cause changes in the brain that would lead to addiction.  Another important issue:  scientific studies have shown that persons with parents or grandparents that are alcoholic have a greater risk of becoming alcoholic themselves.  Just for fun - ask your son about the "switch" in his brain and if he knows what and when it might be "flipped"!

We spent much of the time talking about the drug marijuana.  Did you know that it doesn't fit very neatly into one of the major categories of drugs like - stimulants and depressants?  It acts differently on different people and may act differently each time it is used. The boys learned today that serious short-term memory loss can occur from marijuana use - so it's no good for studying for those tests!!

Session 4:  Day Two  We looked at how messages are sent by the brain through the nerve cells to all parts of the body.  These messages are sent by chemicals from one neuron to another and this happens amazingly fast.  Just do any "quickness" type of activity like raising your hand on a given cue and see how fast you can accomplish this.  Did you know that thousands of chemical messages had to be sent for that to occur, and you didn't even have to think about them!!  Tell me that we don't have a God with amazing creativity and order!

We then discussed how the various areas of the brain control certain functions.  Ask your son if Mrs. Faulkner scared him today!!  I demonstrated for them how the hormone adrenaline is secreted and activated in the brain to prepare us for "fight or flight".   If our brains are so complex and wonderfully made, we want to make sure the guys know that taking drugs can damage it.

Session 4: Day One  Began by exploring the drug education/testing policy at Trinity.  The boys have been given a copy of Trinity's drug testing policy which can be found on the Edline website under Upper School Handbook.  

I hope you will join us on our daily adventure!  I also hope you will find the information on the sidebar useful.  Watch for the Question of the Day!  Every day I try to share with you some of the questions or comments the students are asking.  Glad you're here!

Session 3:  Day 8  Moved on to Hallucinogens.  Learned what a "trip" was - yes, it's much like a dream, except you are not asleep!  Also learned what a "flashback" was and the extreme danger of these chemicals being stored in the brain and becoming active at any unexpected time.

After our discussion about hallucinogens, I had the opportunity to share with the guys that not many people try this type of drug, because it seems so extremely dangerous.  I really tried to drive home the point to them that people don't begin using such a serious type of drug.  When someone moves into such serious drug use, it's because they took the first drink, which led to the first time being "drunk", which led to . . .  Or took that first puff of a cigarette, which led to that first puff of marijuana, which led to . . .

Most people begin using drugs as recreation, not everyone moves from recreation to addiction.  BUT SOME DO.  It is my prayer, that no more of my students will suffer from addiction.  I also pray that the LORD will allow the spirits of these guys to be quick to follow Him so that He can provide the surest and most effective defense against drug addiction.

Please see the packet of brochures that your son should have brought home today.  We concluded  discussions on our final day with looking at what God's Word says concerning drug use.  May you and your son have many discussions in the future addressing this serious issue in the life of a young person.  Godspeed!

Session 3:  Day 7  Reviewed and reiterated information pertaining to the use of Tobacco.  Talked about second hand smoke and how some people have been diagnosed with diseases related to the second hand smoke that they have been exposed to for years.

We then began our discussion of Opiates.  You may have heard the term "Narcotics", they are basically the same.  This is a group of drugs made from the opium poppy plant.  They are EXTREME depressants.  The most common legal opiates are morphine and codeine.  The major illegal opiate used today is heroin.  Oh, and for the record, no, your future drug test will not come back negative because you ate poppy seed chicken.  Yes, it comes from the poppy plant, but no, it doesn't contain enough of the opiate to cause a "+" result on a common drug test.

Finally, STEROIDS, the drug that boys are much more interested in than girls.  An anabolic steroid is a chemical that resembles the male hormone testosterone.  It can cause an increase in muscle size, as we have all seen on television and in major sports.  However, it also causes emotional and physical consequences as well.   A loss of control of emotions and self-control is not uncommon with consistent steroid users.  It even has it's own name - "Roid Rage".  There are other physical consequences that include liver disease.  A buff body outside  makes for a diseased body inside when anabolic steroids are involved!

Session 3:  Day 6  Nicotine - believed to be one of  THE most addictive drugs in America.  THE number one drug from which people die in the United States.  More people die each year from a tobacco related illness than deaths from all other types of drugs combined.

Tried to make sure today that the boys understood that smokeless tobacco is as deadly as smoking tobacco. You won't get lung cancer from smokeless tobacco, but you can sure get mouth and throat cancer.  We looked at statistics today that say only 1 out of 10 teenage tobacco users will be able to permanently quit.  It  is so very important that they never start!!

Session 3: Day 5  We began our discussion on Methamphetamine.  It is considered one of the most, if not THE most dangerous drug at this time.  It's use  can have some of the most devastating physical effects of any drug.

What side effects does Meth have?  It may make you stay up for days, it makes your heart beat much faster, you lose your appetite and may not eat for days (lack of energy), and it is extremely addictive. And if you become addicted:  let's talk about rotten teeth, sores on your skin, malnutrition, and accelerated aging!

I encourage you to watch the "Above the Influence" commercials on the website for the Office of National Drug Control Policy with your son.  They are great conversation starters!!