Healthy Hits!

When Substances

Get Spooky

In this Halloween Edition, we discuss substance and abuse, and how to response in an emergency. Today is the last day of Substance Abuse Prevention Month!

Our next edition will be about the why and how of quitting tobacco use. Send us your questions!

This Health Promotion and Wellness Office Newsletter is student-run and student-centered. We want you to be heard! What health-related questions do you have, and what topics do you want to read about? Click below to let us know!

Submit a Question or Topic

Ask a Pio

Throwback: Drugs and Consent

In the April 2023 edition (Dem Darn Drugs) Sophia answered the question below (check it out here). You should read her answer for a detailed explanation of how different types of drugs impact sexual experiences!

Student-submitted Question: How does doing certain drugs affect sex? What are good things to keep in mind about consent while inebriated?

One way to think about consent and substances is to relate it to how we often escalate substance use as drugs begin to take effect. In other words, we might be more willing to do shots or go smoke with a friend after that first or second drink (or joint or pill).

Sure, we planned to drink. We went in with an informal plan for how inebriated we would like to be based on our own tolerance (and what time we have to be up in the morning). We may have planned to take an uber home, or stay with friends for the night. But then that first drink kicks in. The plans we made seem less necessary or sensical. We feel great, and in part because of that, we are more optimistic. How good we feel in the moment becomes more important in our minds than how bad we know we will feel later if we drink/smoke/take more than we should.

Sex and consent with substance use are similar We might expect to have sex with a partner beforehand, and we have conscious or subconscious expectations for what will happen, how we will check in with the other person, and how we will feel. But being drunk or high changes the way we percieve and respond to the boundaries or signs we had planned ahead of time. We might be dismissive of our own or others' discomfort, or we might impulsively try something new that we wouldn't have tried otherwise. It isn't just about whether or not we choose to have sex, it is also about how what we choose to do, who we do it with, and how we notice and process our own and others' changing consent/comfort throughout the experience.

It doesn't necessarily help to be scared of substances. If done carefully, they can be fun, and can help us enjoy experiences in a new way. In addition to checking out Sophia's answer to this throwback question (link), you can consider some of these harm reduction tips:

Link: Harm Reduction Tips for Consent While Inebriated

Health Promo & Wellness Site

In this issue

Use vs. Abuse
L&C Policy
Resources on + off campus
What to do in an emergency
Sociopolitical factors in drug stigma
Journal prompts

Addictionary (The Recovery Research Insititute)

Lots of substance, legal, diagnostic terms, etc.!

Upcoming LoveSHAC Event:

"Consent and Substance Use"

Want to learn more?Come join us for a LoveSHAC even and learn more about consent and substance use!

11/16/23, from 4-5 PM in Miller 102

What is Substance Use vs. Abuse?

Substance use is complicated! There are long- and short-term risks involved, and the only way to reliably prevent them is to abstain. Risks can be greater for those of us who may have other things going on, like mental health challenges, neurodivergence, physical health problems, trauma, etc.

That being said, there are, of course, benefits to certain substances, or people wouldn't use them. Certain drugs might:

Help us socialize or feel connected
Help us relax, rest, or focus
Help us experience things from a new perspective

Research has shown that certain substances can also have medical benefits, some of them for the groups I mentioned earlier as being at greater risk.

So how do you make healthy choices around substances, and how do you know when substance use has gotten out of hand?

Substance abuse can be defined as "use in spite of negative consequences" or "use which impairs social or occupational functioning." Substance abuse can include irregular occurrences which don't necessarily reach the level of addiction, but are still harmful (problematic use). Or, it can progress to addiction, which is associated with compulsive seeking of a substance (or activity) due to physical and/or psychological dependence. For example, it may be substance abuse if you use drugs to keep from sleeping in order to work, which could be detrimental to your health, but it may become addiction if you cannot get through the day or do any work without the substance.

Substance abuse and addiction are not moral failings. And while there is choice involved, there are also societal and biological factors which don't set many of us up for healthy substance use, or health in general. "Blaming" yourself or others doesn't account for context, and doesn't help motivate efforts to stop.

Instead, we can think about empowering ourselves and others to get help, and to care for themselves and others. (See "Empowerment and Self - Organizations of Drug Users" (Link)) In other words, pursuing the resources, language, and types of support we need may help us feel we have power to change ourselves and/or our circumstances.

Everyone is different, but it may feel empowering to:

Learn about and be supported in accessing treatment
Learn about social, societal, and biological causes of substance abuse, and maybe engage in activist groups
Connect with others with shared experiences, who can give informed advice or support
Hear from people who care about us that they are concerned for us, but they believe we are capable of recovery and they want to help

Research Topics: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Drug use can have social benefits, and acknowledging this could improve rehabilitation

A study among gay and bisexual men living with HIV found those who were occasional or regular users of party drugs reported significantly better social outcomes than non-users.

Lewis & Clark Policy

Disciplinary Processes

Violations are addressed on a case-by-case basis. Typically, the student will be contacted by someone in the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR) office. There is usually a meeting to discuss the event and appropriate outcomes based on how the individual and community was impacted. Repeated, more complicated, or more harmful events may require a formal hearing.

Medical amnesty (link) applies when a student seeks help for themselves or others in a substance related emergency. Students can choose to go through SRR or Health Promotion and Wellness (us!). You should never wait to ask for help because you are worried about disciplinary action.

SRR FAQs

SAPES Substance Abuse Prevention and Education Services

Student Orgs & Campus Resources

Link: The Pio Support Network

PSN is an awesome peer support organization here on campus run by students, for students. Facilitators hold weekly meetings with small groups. A great place to hang with folks with no substances involved, or to talk through what is going on among peers!

Harm Reduction Community Outreach Club

@lc_harmreductioncoc on insta

harmreductioncoc@lclark.edu

This is a new club working to increase educational access/programming around substances, help provide harm reduction tools (sharp disposal, test strips, naloxone), and work with community organizations doing harm reduction work.

Health Promo & Wellness: Alcohol and Other Drugs (Check out the subpages for more resources, policies, organizations, etc.)

Counseling Center: Self Help You can set up an appointment with the counseling center, or check out these resources.

What to do in an Emergency

Signs of Overdose

Overdoes occurs when one consumes a toxic amount of a substance. One can be at a higher risk of overdose if:

They have low tolerance, mental or physical health challenges, or they are using alone
They mix multiple substances, ingest them in a more dangerous way, or unknowingly use a laced or impure substance.

Read more: Overdose Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment (signs listed below are quoted)

The main idea: Knowing signs and symptoms may help you recognize and respond to an emergency quickly. If you're confused or unsure about what's happening or if something just doesn't feel right, it's never wrong to call for help!!

Alcohol

Mental confusion or stupor
Difficulty remaining conscious (or unconsciousness)
Lack of responsiveness, or being unable to be roused or woken up by others
Seizures
Vomiting (particularly dangerous given the potential for diminished gag reflex)
Slowed or irregular breathing
Heart rate that slows or stops
Very low body temperature
Pale or blueish, clammy skin

Opioids

Loss of consciousness
Markedly constricted or pinpoint pupils
Breathing difficulties (slowed, labored, and/or irregular breathing)
Respiratory arrest (no breathing)
Choking, gurgling, or snoring sounds
Blue/purple lips or fingertips
Unresponsive to loud noises, shaking, or painful stimuli

Benzodiazepines

(e.g. Xanax, Valium, Ativan)

Profoundly impaired mental status
Marked confusion
Slurred speech
Slowed, labored breathing or respiratory arrest
Coma

Stimulants

(e.g. cocaine, speed, amphetamine)

Dangerously high body temp
Rapid breathing
Rapid/irregular heartbeat.
Very high blood pressure
Cardiovascular events (e.g., stroke, heart attack)
Panic, hallucinations, paranoia or other features of psychosis
Aggressive behavior
Seizures and convulsions

Responding to Opioid Overdose

If someone has overdosed, it is important to act fast. The steps to do so are similar to those you may have learned about if you've ever done CPR or first aid training.

Note: while Naloxone does not help for overdoses caused by a substance that isn't an opioid, it doesn't hurt to administer it if you do not know what substance was taken. In the case of other substances, you should still call 911, stay with the person, provide rescue breaths and compressions if they stop breathing or have no pulse, and place them in the recovery position.

You never know when it could be useful to know how to administer Naloxone and how to provide CPR! To learn more, look for tutorials online that make sense to you, or you can consider attending a training:

Red Cross: First Aid for Opioid Overdoses Online Course

1: Assess the scene: Is the space safe for you and the person?

2: Call 911, and check if the person is responsive: You can tap on their shoulders, and loudly ask if they are alright.

3: Administer Naloxone: Naloxone (also called Narcan) is a drug usually sprayed into the nose which can reverse opioid overdose.

You can get Naloxone over the counter (Check GoodRx (link) for coupons) or through community organizations (read more) to keep in your home or emergency kit
You can also contact campus safety at L&C in an emergency as they have some, as well!

4: If no breathing and or/pulse, give rescue breaths and chest compressions: If there is no improvement following naloxone, first check that there is nothing in the mouth or throat that might get in the way of breathing. (See video below)

5: Put the person in the recovery position, and wait with them until help arrives: Help the person lay on their side, arm under the head and knees bent. This improves breathing.

How to respond to an opioid overdose with Naloxone (Narcan) and CPR

How to Use Narcan with the DOPE Project (National Harm Reduction Coalition)

Preventing + Responding to Overdose: True or False (Link)

Notes: Drugs and Addiction in a Sociopolitical Context

Racism and inequity are a big part of the "war on drugs," or the ongoing effort of the US government and law enforcement to reduce drug use throuh criminalization. Since the 1970s, rhetoric and policies that criminalize drugs have worsened mass incarceration and the harms of deinstitutionalization of mental health and long-term care facilities. Legal efforts have targeted people of color using substances rather than whites, resulting in the massive disparities in the number of Black Americans arrested and imprisoned for drugs. Understanding how we have drawn the line between "Acceptable" drug use (e.g. prescribed drugs, alcohol) and problematic use (e.g. in some cases the same drugs without a prescription) is vital to recognizing our own biases and moral perceptions around drug use.

Read:

The Pastoral Clinic by Angela Garcia (Ethnographic book)

Applying an Antiracist Framework to a Residential Treatment Center: Sanctuary, a Model for Change

Mass incarceration in America, explained in 22 maps and charts

Watch:

US Anti-Drug Laws Aren't Scientific — They're Colonialist and Racist

Decolonizing Global Health and Drug Policy: Colleen Daniels ay TEDxGVAGrad

The War on Drugs: Crash Course Black American History #42

Podcast: A Pinch of Salt, A Pound of Prohibition: The History of Drug Control With Vincent Rado

Harm reduction is an approach/movement to educate and empower drug users to use as safely as possible (making Narcan available, sharp disposals, etc.). This is an opposite of the criminalization approach, which punishes any drug use, isolating users from treatment resources and informed use. Learn more from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Link).

Journal Prompts

Here are some journal prompts for reflecting on our relationships with substances and/or addiction:

What role do substances play in my relationships? How does it feel to spend time with friends when we are inebriated? When we are sober?
How were you first introduced to substances? How has this influenced the way you think abd feel about them?

Music Mix

Check out our Healthy Hits Playlist on Spotify!

"Sober" by Pink
"Sedated" by Hozier
"This Is Me Trying" by Taylor Swift

Healthy Hits Playlist

More Resources

Great Leaders Do What Drug Addicts Do | Michael Brody-Waite | TEDxNashville

How skills learned in recovery can change one's life!

Watch

Thanks for Reading!

Check in next week for...

If you would like to chat about anything in this newsletter, you can reach out to me, Miri, at mrinehart@lclark.edu, or the Health Promotion and Wellness Office at healthed@lclark.edu, or you can utilize any of the resources throughout this email or below. You deserve to feel safe and well!