PREVENTION

There are many different factors involved that could help prevent substance misuse and abuse. It is important to understand the impacts of drugs and alcohol and share this information with your kids, partner, family, and friends. Below we will discuss some of the ways you can be active in prevention.

Coping Skills

Stress is a part of life. We each go through different life events that can trigger us to engage in negative or positive coping skills.

For example, if you experience a death in your family, some people may engage in drinking alcohol excessively to “feel better”. This is a negative coping skill. You are doing an activity that is harmful and can lead to negative consequences. If it develops into a dependence then each time you experience stress or overwhelming emotions you turn to using alcohol instead of facing the issue, talking about how you feel, or seeing a counselor.

A positive coping skill can be a multitude of activities that are healthy and make you feel good, such as: creating art, exercising, listening to music, taking a walk, hanging out with friends and family, cooking, journaling, or gardening.

It’s important to identify and practice your positive coping skills in order to have an outlet that can help you manage your stress in a healthy way.

Positive Friend Groups

Surrounding yourself with positive people who do not engage in substance use is a good way to prevent substance use.

Negative peer pressure can influence individuals to use drugs or misuse drugs.

Having positive friends and family in your life is a great way to have support for healthy decisions. If your friends are doing healthy actions you are more likely to do them as well.

Healthy Spousal / Partner Relationships

Having a good relationship with a spouse/partner is part of having a healthy mindset and healthy lifestyle.

If you are in a domestic violence relationship, the risk of using a substance increases due to the attempt of trying to cope with the abuse.

If your partner has substance use issues you also fall into the risk of engaging in drugs with them.

Religious / Spiritual Services

If you are a person who is religious or spiritual, practicing your religion can be a way to build a sense of community and seek advice on dealing with stressful issues.

Activities such as meditation and praying can also be positive coping skills to ground yourself during a stressful time. Some church communities also offer religious support groups.

**Please note that some individuals may have different beliefs than others, or have had negative/traumatic experiences with religion. Please respect their boundaries when recommending religious/spiritual services.

Pain Management

If you are experiencing pain due to an illness, injury, or procedure, communicate with your doctor. There are different medications and therapies that your doctor can prescribe for you. Your doctor may even refer you to a pain management center/specialist.

If you feel like you are abusing prescription pain pills, talk to your doctor immediately. If you have a history of addiction, inform your doctor so they can avoid certain medications that might induce a relapse.

Primary Care

Attending your primary care doctor appointments is important for your overall health. Seeing your doctor regularly can prevent disease, can improve your chronic illnesses, and help manage your prescriptions.

Being actively involved in your health care can improve your overall health and prevent misuse of medications.

Behavioral Health

Seeing a behavioral health provider, or attending a behavioral health program regularly can help you manage your mental health conditions, manage your stress, and help you build skills to make positive decisions.

Attending self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous is also beneficial in preventing relapse or use of other substances.

Not attending your behavioral health appointments puts you at risk to engage in negative behaviors such as using drugs or misusing alcohol.

Positive Parenting

Research shows that parents play an important role in preventing teens from engaging in substance use. These six parenting skills can help you prevent or reduce your teenager’s use of drugs and alcohol:

  1. clear and calm communication
  2. regular encouragement
  3. negotiating problems and finding
  4. setting limits
  5. supervision
  6. knowing their friends.

See the Information for Parents Tab for more information.

Managing the use of legal substances:

Elder substance misuse can be avoided. Help your elderly parent or loved one manage their medications, make sure they take them on schedule and speak with their doctor to make sure they are receiving the right dosage.

If you yourself take prescription medications, make sure you keep them in a safe place and out of reach from children and teens.
Do not share your prescription medications with others.
Drinking alcohol poses a health risk. Binge drinking, drinking often, and getting drunk pose a greater health risk and can lead to alcohol dependence and addiction. It’s recommended to limit your alcohol consumption, and talk to your doctor about it.

Ready to get Involved?

Organizations and community members involved in SUD/OUD are welcome to join!
Email Yara Castro at info@sosaheal.org or call 520-375-6050 for more information.