Substance abuse and aboriginal people

In Canada, substance abuse among Aboriginal people is high. The reasons may vary. Loss of cultural identity over generations, negative impact of poverty and poor health are just a few examples. The historical impact of residential school has also had a long-term detrimental effect – such as families being torn apart, child abuse and children being torn apart, child abuse and children being taking away from their homes.

 

What is drug abuse?

Drug abuse is any use of a drug that causes a problem in your life or with your body. This means you could even abuse pills that help relieve your headaches – if you use them enough.

 

What are the effects of drug abuse?

Drug abuse can cause illness and physical damage to the body. It can give you personal problems like becoming dependant on the drugs or lead you into a life of crime as you try to support your habit. It also affects other people. Addictions and the person’s difficulty to break them can other become the cause of family break down.

But it is not only illegal street drugs that can be abused. People can become to dependant on prescribe medications and even over the counter drugs as Aspirin and Tylenol. Becoming too dependent on these medications can make you addicted.

 

What is a drug?

A substance which is taken to change the way the body or he mind functions. Of course, as you know there 2 difference types of drugs – legal and illegal drugs. Legal drugs are ones that have been approved by the government to be used for medicinal purposes. These are prescribe by the doctor, or are available over the counter and their purpose it to help us. We are going to focus on the illegal drugs. These hurt us, and exist to make other people, drug sellers or dealers, money. These are the ones that, by law, we are not to be using. Well there is a third type of drug group. These are both bad for you, and allowed to be sold in stores. These are things like alcohol and nicotine in cigarettes.

Psychoactive drugs are the type of drugs that are mainly abused because of their mind-altering effects. Mood-altering drugs change or affect the way you think, feel or act.

A large number of the drugs prescribed each year in Canada are psychoactive. Some of these mood-altering drugs can be used to relieve pain, to calm nervousness, or to aid sleep. But not all psychoactive drugs are prescription drugs. Some, like nicotine and alcohol, can be purchased and used by almost anyone. Others, like cannabis and cocaine, are illegal street-drugs.

 

How to drugs enter your body?

Drugs can get into your body in many different ways. They can be swallowed, injected, smoked, or put anywhere on the body with a thin membrane to be absorbed through the skin.

 

Task 1

Find the words in the text that have similar meaning to the following:

1) dependency on a drug;

2) against law;

3) to say what medicine or treatment a sick person should have;

4) the use of smth. in a way that it shouldn’t be used;

5) the effect or influence that an event, situation etc. has on someone or smth.

 

Task 2

There are 2 types of drugs – legal and illegal. Do you think that legalizing drugs:

1) would begin to end the drug pushers’ business;

2) will be beneficial only if no addicts continue to buy their drugs from pushers;

3) should not be treated as a crime.

 

Task 3

You are given 2 scenarios. Read them and answer the questions. Read them and answer the questions that follow. Work alone or in small groups.

 

Scenario 1

Alison was having a bad year. After years of getting along, her parents had finally decided to get a divorce. While there was a lot of tension in the house, her parents were trying hard to be polite to each other and considerate of Alison’s and her younger brother’s feelings.

Always a good student, Alison continued to comfort in studying hard and getting good grades in school.

Her best friend, Susie, had really been there for her, too. Every weekend Susie had planned something fun for them to do by themselves or with other friends. Over the past several months, Alison and Susie had gone ice-skating on a regular basis, seen many movies, and gone bowling. Alison had also continued to play soccer on her school’s team. Throughout the year, Alison had been able to talk to her parents about the pending divorce. Alison’s parents had been willing to listen to her concerts and discuss her anger about this big change in her life. Alison felt really sad, but she also felt that she was going to be all right.

 

Scenario2

Laura felt as if her life were falling apart. Her parents had just told her that they were getting a divorce. Although her parents hadn’t gotten along for years, Laura had always hoped that they would find a way to stay together so they could continue to be a family. Instead, her parent’s didn’t seem to have any time to talk to her about her feelings. Laura had always thought that she had a few good friends, but she wasn’t feeling like she could turn to them now.

Her friend Katy had a boyfriend, and she didn’t get a chance to see her soccer teammates much outside of games and practices. Laura had always been a good student, and she continued to complete her assignments on time, but had noticed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate on her schoolwork. Because she was feeling lonely and isolated, Laura was considering going to a party with Katy. She had heard that some kids brought drugs to these parties. For that reason, she had always stayed away. Now, however, she thought that it might be a way to get out of the house and forget about her problems for a little while. It might be fun. Laura was thinking that unless something else happened so that her social life improved, she might just go.

 

Questions

a. Which girl is more vulnerable to becoming involved with drugs? Why?

b. What role do friends play in both girls’ lives? Do you think friends are an important influence? Give reasons to support your ideas.

c. What role does family in the girls’ lives? Do think the family is an important influence? Give reasons to support your ideas.

d. Do you think That Allison is going to turn to drugs? Why or why not? What factors in her life will help her decide not to use drugs? How do you think those factors will affect the way she makes decisions about other issues in her life?

e. Do you think that Laura is going to turn to drugs? Why or why not? What factors in her life will affect the way she makes a decision about drugs and other issues in her life?

f. What do you think are some characteristics of people who turn to drugs? What are some characteristics of people who cope in other ways? Give examples to support your ideas.

 

Task 4

1. Make a class list of characteristics of people who begin using drugs. Students will probably say that people who turn to drugs have the following characteristics.

· They are lonely.

· They are unhappy.

· They feel isolated.

· They are looking for ways to ease their pain.

2. Then make a class list of characteristics of people who don’t turn to drugs, include the following:

· They are involved with people.

· They find satisfaction in outside interests.

· They are able to talk about their feelings in order to ease their pain.

3. Compare the 2 lists. What healthy actions could Laura take to feel better?

4. Answer the questions.

· How do you make decisions in your lives?

· What role does family play?

· What role do peers play?

· What role do teachers, coaches, or other adults play?

· How can these influences help young people make healthful choices?

Task 5

1. Do you see peer pressure as positive, negative, or both? Give examples.

2. Describe a situation in your life where you had to make a difficult choice. What factors influenced you during that time? What choice did you make?

3. Imagine that you are Laura’s best friend. What advice would you give her? As her friend, what would you do to support her during this difficult time in her life?

 

Task 6

Render the text into English.

 

Компьютерный синдром

Психиатры отмечают увеличение обращений родителей, которые обеспокоены болезненным пристрастием своих детей к компьютеру. У медиков даже появился специальный термин «компьютерный синдром». Они однозначно считают, что это болезнь, и она тяжело лечится.

Вначале болезнь развивается банально – ребенок проводит много времени у компьютера, играет, а в итоге это переходит в неуемную потребность проводить за компьютером все больше времени, сообщает РИА «Новости».

Так, один подросток просидел за компьютером в Интернет-клубе семь дней. Домой он вернулся, после того как его разыскали встревоженные родители. Во время беседы с психиатром мальчик сообщил, что, увлекшись компьютерными баталиями, потерял чувство реальности. Для него самого было неожиданностью, что он столько времени не был дома. По словам подростка, в клубе он ел булочки, запивал их фантой, после этого снова садился за компьютер. «Что было дальше, я не помню», – сказал мальчик.

 

Helpful vocabulary

Syndrome (синдром), disease (болезнь), to cure (лечить).

 

Text 2

Pre-reading task

1. Can you describe a time in your life when you were really hooked on a hobby?

2. Can you describe a time when you were overly enthusiastic about a new product coming on the market?

 

Reading

Read the article about different types of addicts and decide which person you think has the most serious problem.

 

Are You Hooked?

 

No one likes to admit they're an addict. They are sad creatures ruled by deadly substances such as tobacco or alcohol. But there are others less damaging to the health. Like it or not, large numbers of us are addicts. Addictions can be chemical (caffeine), emotional (shopping), physical (exercise) or downright strange ‑ such as picking your spots! You're the odd one out if you don't have at least one everyday addiction. What do you do when you feel under pressure, bored or depressed? Get lost in the world of TV? Go shopping? Eat one bar of chocolate after another?

Becci has been a chocoholic for ten years. 'I just get an urge for it ‑ a need,' says Becci. 'I really don't know why, it's just so delicious. People say that chocolate can make up for lost passion I don't know about that, but I love the way it melts in my mouth.' Every day, Becci gets through several bars of her favourite Cadbury's chocolate (the one with the soft caramel centre is the best). But it’s not only the bars she goes for – hot chocolate drinks and chocolate cakes are also essentials. Towards exam time, Becci feels she has to increase her intake to cope with all the work. 'If I get up late, I’ll have chocolate for breakfast, then more and more during the day. I am addicted. It's like smoking, I suppose, but I have no plans to give it up. If I like it so much, why should l?'

Addiction to exercise can ruin your life, Janine learnt to her cost. 'I was swimming at least fifty lengths a day, jogging to the gym and doing three aerobic classes a week. At home, I used an exercise bike and keep‑fit videos. My husband said that I didn't have time for him, and he was right. But I couldn't believe it when he left me. Finally, I came to my senses, I wanted to get fit but it all got out of hand and my addiction ruined my marriage. Now, I'm seeing a counsellor and gradually reducing the amount of exercise I do.'

Well‑known Member of Parliament Tony Benn, just can't live without his favourite drink. He has on average eighteen pints of tea a day and his addiction has raised concern about his health. When he collapsed recently, some people blamed his excessive tea drinking. Mr Benn has calculated that, over the years, he has drunk enough tea (around 300,000 gallons) to displace an ocean‑going liner. If he ever tried to stop, he would find it agonising.

Anne shopped for thirteen hours a day without leaving her living room she was addicted to TV shopping. When she got home from her job as a nightcare worker at 8.30 a.m., Anne would immediately tune into a satellite TV shopping channel and buy everything in sight. Her home was soon an Aladdin's cave of household goods and trendy clothes she didn't need. When her cash ran out, she stole money from the elderly patients in her care and was charged with theft. 'It seemed so easy,' she says. 'I didn't realise I'd become so addicted.’ Anne’s family have now removed her satellite receiver.

 

Task 1

Find words or phrases in the text with the following meanings:

1. the exception, the unusual person (para. 1);

2. a desire (para. 2);

3. to compensate (para. 2);

4. to change from solid to liquid (para. 2);

5. to destroy (para. 3);

6. to realise what is happening (para. 3);

7. to stop being under control (para. 3);

8. to make people worried (para. 4);

9. to fall down (para. 4);

10. too much (para. 4);

11. very difficult and painful (para. 4);

12. fashionable (para. 5);

13. to come to an end (para. 5).

Task 2

What advice would you give to the four addicts (and their families) in the article?

 

Task 3

Would you say you were addicted to anything?

 

Text 3

 

Pre-reading task

Read the statements and give pros and cons.

1. A person who sends 15 to 20 hours a day using a computer could be called an addict.

2. It's as easy to get addicted to the computer as it is to get addicted to nicotine.

3. Communicating with friends and family via a computer is cold and impersonal.

4. People become dependent on their computer to avoid work and social activities.

 

Reading

Read the text and answer the question:

Why is Internet addiction becoming more common?

 

Bill, a student at the University of Maryland, says, «I have been using the Internet for about a year. Now I spend most of the day on-line. I am trying to cut my hours, but I simply don' t have the strength to. I'm like an alcoholic who can' tcontrol his habit." For years, people have been addicted to things like nicotine, gambling, or alcohol. However, now a new (1) high-tech addiction called Internet addiction is rapidly becoming the latest problem of the computer age.

College and university students, business people, and homemakers are just some of the people who are spending hours and hours in front of their computer screens. They are sending (2) e-mail, playing computer games, or entering (3) chat rooms where they can communicate with strangers all over the world on their computer.

At first, these individuals went on-line for work, study, or pleasure and spent one or two hours a day on their computer. However, the hours gradually increased. They began to (4) surt the Net for longer and longer periods of time.

Bill's (5) compulsiveness, his inability to stop thinking about his online activity, turned into a serious psychological problem. He gave up his friends, stopped playing basketball, and neglected his schoolwork. Instead he found (6) fulfillment by communication electronically with strangers.

Psychologists have become concerned about this growing problem. They feel that Internet addicts are avoiding the (7) intimacy that comes from live, non-electronic communication. Counselors worry that students will not go through the normal social (8) developmental (9) support groups, a special form of (10) therapy that is helping these students control their on-line habit.

 

Task 1

Find the word in the text that is similar in the meaning to the following and write the number in the blank.

__a. treatment of problems by talking about them

__b. technologically advanced

__c. periods of personal growth

__d. look for information on the Internet

__e. inability to control certain behavior

__f. an electronic way for individuals to send messages via the computer

__g. electronic discussion groups in which several people exchange written messages

__h. close personal relationships with others

__i. personal satisfaction

__j. people who meet to help each other with a problem they all share

 

Task 2

In what way can support groups be useful?

 

Task 3

Some psychologists have suggested that addictions begin as a habit, then move to a dependency, and finally end up as an addiction.

 

HABIT → DEPENDENCY → ADDICTION

 

1. Do you agree with this concept? Why or why not?

2. What factors may influence the change from habit to dependency and to addiction?

 

Final task

Organize your knowledge on the topic and present a report on one of the following points.

1. How does it happen that some of our attractions become addictions?

2. What are the most harmful addictions? Why?

3. The best way to win the war on drugs is to legalize them, isn’t it?

4. What helps people not to become addicted to anything?

5. What people are mostly subjected to drugs?

UNIT 3

NEIGHBOURS IN THE SKY

Almost every civilization that has kept a written history has recorded the sighting of strange objects and lights in the skies. Today, unexplained aerial phenomena are generally referred to as “unidentified flying objects” or flying saucers.

Text 1

Pre-reading task

Some people believe that Man’s progress on Earth has been watched by beings whose technological and mental developments make ours look primitive. What do you think?

Reading

Read the text quickly and answer the following questions.

1. Why was the name “flying saucer” chosen?

2. What is the significance of the following numbers in the text?

1) 1561; 2) 1,600; 3) 90 per cent; 4) 243.