athletes at risk for substance abuse post

Jerry Pastore, Ed.M., MAC

Washington State University

ATHLETES AT RISK:

Who is drinking?

Women: Men: Soccer Hockey

Volleyball Baseball

Softball Football

*Rates for all sports have declined over last 12 years

How are they drinking?

80% use alcohol

More drinks per week

More heavy episodic drinking

More negative consequences

Team leaders drink more heavily

When are they using?

Off-Season

Saturday

Why Do They Use?

More highly value social relationships:

83% drink for social reasons but overestimate peer

alcohol use

Coping: 10%-15% experience psych issues which

could warrant counseling compared to 8%-9% of

general student population (related to highest level

of negative consequences)

Higher sensation-seeking in athletes correlated to

more heavy drinking than in general student

population

Use of performance enhancing substances

correlated to other drug use, heavy alcohol use and

more negative consequences

What are they using the most?

Alcohol

Marijuana

Cigarettes

What type of drug use is increasing?

Binge-drinking

Amphetamines

Opiates

Drug & Alcohol Abuse

“A pattern of recurrent problems associated w/use”

Academic

Athletic

Legal

Interpersonal

Engage in other high risk/dangerous behaviors

*23%-31% of college students meet this diagnosis

Drug & Alcohol Dependency (3 or more)

Tolerance

Withdrawal

Larger amounts or over longer period of time

Desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down

Great deal of time, finding, using, recovering

Activities given up

Continued use despite harm

*6%-12% College students meet this diagnosis

*Only 3%-5% seek/receive help

Troubling Numbers:

High School Seniors:

47% have tried an illicit drug

25% used drug other than cannabis

14% used opiates

15% “binge drank” in the last 2 weeks (5+)

Perceived risk of cannabis use decreasing

College Athletes:

60% believe alcohol/drugs has no effect on

performance

But 30% report that it did affect performance

in a game or practice

More….

Levels of Intervention

I. Prevention

II. Early Intervention

III. Treatment / Therapy

IV. Follow up

Drug/alcohol education

Harm reduction strategies, e.g. ASTP

Mentoring programs

Self-care skill building, e.g. stress & time mgt.

Opportunities to socialize outside of athletics

Civic engagement

Prevention:

Early Intervention:

Early identification system, e.g. behavior checklist

Drug/alcohol policy enforced consistently

Counselor available specifically for athletes

Educate athletic trainers on signs of drug/alcohol

abuse

Develop support system for injured athletes

Treatment / Therapy:

Confidential referral system to

UCC, community MH, other providers

Follow-up:

Case management by counselor and

athletic medicine

What can I do as an athletic trainer?

 Educate yourself about drugs of abuse

 Be aware of signs and symptoms

e.g. missed treatments, party talk, mood, hygiene

 Trust your gut

 Communicate your concerns

Resources:

National Institute of Drug Abuse

www.nida.nih.gov

HBO Addiction Series

www.hbo.com/addiction

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Admin.

www.samhsa.gov

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism

www.niaaa.nih.gov

Alcohol and Drug Counseling, Assessment and Prevention

Services (ADCAPS)

www.adcaps.wsu.edu/athletes

Sources:

1. “Risk Profile of Male College Athletes Who Use Performance-Enhancing Substances”

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs; November, 2009

2. “Substance Use Among College Athletes: A Comparison Based on Sport/Team Affiliation”

Journal of American College Health 2007; 55 (6)

3. “Athletic Participation and Wellness: Implications for Counseling College Student-Athletes”

Journal of College Counseling; Fall 2007, vol.10

4. “Alcohol, Tobacco, Illicit Drugs, and Performance Enhancers: A Comparison of Use by College

Student Athletes and Nonathletes”

Journal of American College Health 2008; 57 (3)

5. “Negative Consequences of Intercollegiate Athlete Drinking: The Role of Drinking Motives”

Journal of Studies on Alcohol; November, 2003

6. “Risk for Excessive Alcohol Use and Drinking-Related Problems in College Student Athletes”

Addictive Behaviors 2008; vol. 33

7. “A Systematic Review of College Student-Athlete Drinking: Prevalence Rates, Sport-Related Factors,

and Interventions”

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 2006; vol. 31

8. “Alcohol Abuse and Dependence Among U.S. College Students”

Journal of Studies on Alcohol; May 2002

9. “Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities”

2007 Report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University

10. 2006 NCAA Study of Substance Use of College Student-Athletes

11. Monitoring the Future, National Results on Adolescent Drug Use

National Institute on Drug Abuse; 2008

Case Study

Background:

21 year old male, “Fred”

Junior college transfer from SoCal

Low SES

Lived with mother, father died when Fred was10 years old

Near by uncles would come to his house and smoke cannabis

Presenting Issues:

Presently injured-unable to practice

Missing treatments

Academic issues

Reports from others that he is “not himself” and poor hygiene

Revealed in interview:

Reports feeling “down”

Problems sleeping

Problems focusing when studying

Uses cannabis for both sleep and concentration

Feelings of isolation due to injury and being new to team

Feeling stressed out about academics