Drug and Alcohol Abuse 101

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
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11Lessons
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20Exams &
Assignments -
7Hours
average time -
0.7CEUs
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1,913Students
have taken this course
Course Description
In this historic period in the United States, each one of us encounters some aspect of drug and alcohol abuse, whether it is a family member, a friend or neighbor, a student, a person on the street -- or yourself. We are all affected in some way, whether in terms of personal quality of life, or potential safety issues on the highway. You may view substance abuse as simply a social concern, or perhaps you are already experiencing a full-blown problem and seek answers for yourself or others. Regardless, it is important to educate ourselves about the causes, consequences, and solutions of this persistent condition in our society.
Divided into two parts, this course has been developed for educators, parents, counselors, teens, or anyone with the desire to explore these issues, and who may be looking for methods of recognizing, coping, and dealing with drug and alcohol abuse. Part I delves into drug and alcohol history, facts, abuse, and addiction. Part II presents some nuts and bolts of prevention, intervention, and treatment options, along with a plethora of resources.
You may know a troubled adolescent or teen who is experimenting, or someone whose addiction is clearly affecting his or her life. You may be one of these people. The aim of this course is to provide general guidelines regarding what we currently know about substance abuse, as well as helpful resources and possible solutions.
NOTE: Although it is universally acknowledged that tobacco and coffee are addictive substances, for the purposes of this course, they will not be addressed.
Today in the U.S., the most commonly abused drugs are alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, methamphetamines, LSD, and various prescription drugs, such as pain-killers and sleeping aids. Problems with alcoholism and addiction are prevalent among teenagers; however, many other sectors of our culture are affected, as well. Alcohol abuse, in particular, spans every age group and social class.
The most vulnerable and active group of drug abusers are, unfortunately, adolescents and teenagers. A tremendous amount of material has been written, recorded, filmed, and lectured about "peer pressure," a heavily used term. Perhaps "pressure" is not the best word, in this case. Teens and adolescents, who are developing an adult sense of self, may simply feel compelled to fit into their peer group as they search for some new meaning to their changing lives. Facing a time when they will no longer be under parental control, the adolescents' urge to begin asserting themselves is strong, and the desire for acceptance and belonging to a group that is not family feels like a matter of survival to some. In cases where the family unit is not strong, and where there is trouble, neglect, misunderstanding, or a host of other common problems in the immediate family, the urge to belong to a new family becomes even more powerful.
Adolescents and teens are the most susceptible to drug and alcohol use. In this period of life, all people are compelled to explore their options about who they want to be, how they want to be seen by others, and how they might fit in with their peers. When the family unit is not strong, (and sometimes even when it is) young people who are not feeling particularly stable at this age anyway, are likely to experiment with whatever their friends are using. Although statistics show that there are many bad outcomes to this behavior, teens often simply want immediate gratification, and cannot imagine the effects of drug use on their future.
Drugs, across the spectrum, are readily available to young people, who are, perhaps, the most vulnerable to addiction. Of course, people of all ages are subject to drug abuse. Prescription drugs have become as commonly abused as illicit drugs, since they tend to create a euphoric state. There are endless accounts of those who go from doctor to doctor for new prescriptions of the popular pain reliever, Oxycontin, often not only for personal use, but for the purpose of selling to others.
The elderly are particularly vulnerable, since they are often prescribed a number of different drugs for various conditions, including pain. If not monitored, elderly folks can become confused, or simply develop a preference for the drugs that make them feel the best.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Drug and Alcohol Abuse -- Awareness, Counseling, and Prevention
Lesson 1 Video
Take Poll: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Course
Complete Assignment: An Introduction
Complete: Lesson 1 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 1: Introduction - Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Awareness, Counseling and Prevention
Lesson 2: Availability of Drugs
Lesson 2 Video
Review 2 Articles: Illegal Drugs; Prescription Drug Abuse
Complete: Lesson 2 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 2: Availability of Drugs
Lesson 3: Why Do Humans Abuse Substances?
Lesson 3 Video
Review 2 Articles: Understanding Drug Abuse; Prescription Drug Abuse Causes
Complete Exam: Lesson 3: Why do Humans Abuse Substances?
Lesson 4: Dependence and Addiction
Lesson 4 Video
Review Article: Alcoholism
Complete: Lesson 4 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 4: Dependence and Addiction
Lesson 5: Effects of Use and Dependency -- Potential Social Consequences of Substance Abuse
Lesson 5 Video
Review Article: The Impact of Drugs on Society
Complete Exam: Lesson 5: Effects of Use and Dependancy - Potential Social Consequences of Substance Abuse
Lesson 6: Prevention in the Home
Lesson 6 Video
Review 2 Articles: Preventing Drug Abuse; Preventing Teen Drug and Alcohol Use
Complete: Lesson 6 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 6: Prevention in the Home
Lesson 7: Schools
Lesson 7 Video
Review 2 Articles: SADD; Drug and Alcohol Abuse on College Campuses
Take Poll: School Prevention
Complete Exam: Lesson 7: Schools
Lesson 8: Workplace Prevention
Lesson 8 Video
Review Article: The Workplace and Alcohol Problem Prevention
Complete: Lesson 8 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 8: Workplace Prevention
Lesson 9: Assessment and Intervention
Lesson 9 Video
Review 2 Articles: How Interventions Work; Drug Addiction Symptoms
Take Poll: Intervention
Complete Exam: Lesson 9: Assessment and Intervention
Lesson 10: Treatment
Lesson 10 Video
Review 2 Articles: Treatment Approaches; Alcoholism Treatment
Complete: Lesson 10 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 10: Treatment
Lesson 11: Following Up
Lesson 11 Video
Review 2 Articles: Understanding Addiction Relapse; Guide to Recovery
Take Poll: Let us know what you think of this course
Take Survey: Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
Complete: Lesson 11 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 11: Following Up
Complete: The Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Describe drug and alcohol abuse -- awareness, counseling, and prevention.
- Know availability of drugs.
- Describe why humans abuse substances.
- Know dependence and addiction.
- Know effects of use and dependency -- potential social consequences of substance abuse.
- Describe prevention in the home.
- Know schools and drug use.
- Know workplace prevention techniques and policies of drug use.
- Determine assessment and intervention of drug abusers.
- Determine drug abuse treatment.
- Know following up techniques, and
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
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- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

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Student Testimonials
- "The course was excellent and the instructor graded my assignments and exams quickly." -- Cheryl S.
- "I had taken a similar course years ago in college and that is one reason I took this course to not only catch up on anything new that might be available in this topic but also to see if I could do an online course, I found the whole course very helpful the information was good and up to date." -- Nancy D.
- "Information was written in down to earth terms. Instructor was very, very helpful in that she graded assignments in a very timely fashion, better than any online class that I have taken before." -- Carol B.
- "This course was extremely helpful and resourceful, it help me especially because I have a close friend who is a drug addict, addicted to IV heroin, cocaine and prescription pills. Helping me understand and giving me excellent advice! My Instructor was extremely accommodating and helpful to me and taught the course very well. Thank you I enjoyed it very much!" -- Dayna M.
- "This course provided a lot of important information and I am very satisfied." -- Jennifer S.
- "This class was AWESOME! I loved everything about this class. I learned so much from it as well. Most excellent!" -- Donna N.
- "This course was broken down in different sections that made it easy and very helpful to understand....Learned a lot and instructor was very helpful." -- Johnathon Y.