Uppers and Downers: The Facts About Stimulants and Depressants
Running Time: 17 minutes
Captions:
| DVD | 8021 | $59.95 | |
| Stream 1 Year-1 user | 8021online | $59.95 | |
| Stream 1 year-5 users | 8021online 1-5 users | $179.85 |
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Hard-hitting docudrama presents the facts and provides expert commentary on how abuse of stimulants and depressants harms the brain and the body. After introducing a real teen who thought “harmless” stimulants would help him pull an all-nighter, an expert talks about the biological impact of using stimulants including caffeine, ADHD prescription medicines Ritalin and Adderall, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine, crack, and Ecstasy (MDMA). Discusses depressants, including alcohol, barbiturates and sleeping pills, tranquilizers, Rohypnol and GHB. Stresses the highly addictive nature of these drugs as the body’s tolerance increases, thus requiring larger and larger doses to get the same effects. The cycle of uppers and downers is examined, as is the escalation from “lower level” drugs like caffeine, to more perilous drugs.
Includes:
video, plus teacher’s resource book, student handouts and pre/post tests in digital format. Plus interactive quiz
Reviews
Recommended This video presents the dangers of many drugs used by adolescents, noting that all drugs affect the central nervous system. Using a roller coaster as a visual metaphor, stimulants and depressants are discussed. Several recovering drug users are recorded and their interview clips are shown throughout.
The physical and psychological dependencies are fleshed out with these personal stories, and experts provide informational commentaries.
The stimulants, including nicotine and caffeine, speed up the body’s functions. The depressants, ranging from alcohol to prescription drugs, slow the body’s metabolism, brain functions, and reaction time. These uppers and downers can be used in combination with deadly results.
HRM delivers the video with a current curriculum to lead discussions and engage students in the classroom, including an extensive bibliography with resources that are packaged in a 3-ring binder. The Teacher’s Resource Book is well done. The production of the video is professional and of high quality. But, it should be noted that some of the video clips are used in other HRM videos on substance abuse.
This resource is recommended for school media centers.
- Kristin M. Jacobi, J. Eugene Smith Library, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT
Educational Media Reviews Online (EMRO)
