Lesson: Alternatives to Getting High

Teens in care use illicit drugs and alcohol at a higher rate than teens in general. Many of these youth are medicating depression, PTSD, and other mental disorders. Others are simply escaping the loneliness and insecurity of life in care.

In “The Dragon Inside,” Desmin B. describes his growing dependence on marijuana. After they read the story, ask the students what stressed Desmin out (anger at being disciplined at home and school; pressure to get better grades). Ask them if they can relate to those stressors, and how they handle them.

Picking Up the Habit

Ask them what benefits and what downsides Desmin found to smoking weed. (It made him less angry, but he forgot things and couldn’t concentrate in school.)

Ask the students to name two people in Desmin’s life who are important to him (his grandmother, his guidance counselor, a girl he likes). Ask them if they think taking drugs only affects the user or if it hurts other people too. Tell them to back up their answers with examples from Desmin’s story (Desmin’s grandmother is very upset when he smokes; girls don’t want to talk to him when he’s high).

Breaking the Habit

Ask the students to share their experiences breaking a bad habit. How did they find the willpower? Did they replace the habit with something healthier? Then direct them back to the story to look for answers to those questions in Desmin’s story. What are the practical steps he takes to stop smoking weed all the time? (He spends his money on other things and he stops buying it. If he feels like smoking, he talks to a girl instead.)

Finally, have the students talk about conquering their own bad habits. What unexpected benefits did they find? What are the ongoing struggles? Then point them back to the story. (Desmin finds a new ability to avoid trouble and also motivation to achieve his longer-term goals. He still gets angry, but rather than blotting it out with smoke, he studies the anger in order to know it and control it himself. And cutting back on smoking gives him a feeling of power and control.)