The Impact of Substance Use: FINAL PROJECT  

 
DUE: TUESDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2018 
 
PART 1 
 
Description of Assignment: ​For this assignment you are asked to use your 
knowledge of the impact that substance use has on an individual, the people 
around them and their lives to design a poster. This poster is intended to be 
placed around the school to educate your peers about the dangers of substance 
use.  
 
Requirements: 
 
•Choose ONE way that substance use can impact a person, their life or the 
people around them. 
•Illustrate your chosen impact on a piece of standard size piece of paper (8 x11). 
•Write one sentence that explains the impact that you have chosen and that 
supports your illustration. 
•Your poster is required to be presentable (i.e., clear, creative and engaging). 
 
Success Criteria: 
 
•I have chosen ONE way that substance abuse can impact a person, their life or 
the people around them. 
•I have clearly illustrated this impact using an image on a poster. 
•I have written one sentence that explains the impact that substance abuse can 
have on an individual, their life or the people around them. 
•The message I am portraying is clear and understandable. 
•My poster is creative and shows that I have planned my design and message. 

PART 2: 
The Link Between Mental Health Problems & Substance Use

We know that mental health disorders d ​ o not cause​ addiction, and addiction​ does not cause
mental health disorders. When a person has both a mental illness and an addiction, they have
something called a ​concurrent disorder​. But even though they ​cannot cause​ one another,
there are definitely l​ inks​ between mental health and substance use.

Explain the ​connections​ between ​mental health problems​ and​ substance use​. Explain this
by using ​ONE​ of the following mental illness & substance combinations below. IMPORTANT:
You ​may not​ select a combination that does not appear on this list.
 1. Depression & Marijuana
2. Schizophrenia & Marijuana
3. Anxiety Disorder & Marijuana
4. Depression & Alcohol
5. Anxiety Disorder & Alcohol
6. Depression & Methamphetamine
7. Depression & Cocaine
8. Anxiety Disorder & Cocaine
9. Anorexia & Cocaine
10. Body Dysmorphic Disorder & Steroids
11. Muscle Dysmorphia (Bigorexia) & Steroids
12. Depression & Steroids
13. Body Dysmorphic Disorder & Diet Pills
14. Anorexia & Diet Pills
15. Depression & Heroin
16. Anxiety Disorder & Heroin

Your answer ​must​ between ​100-300 words​. A ​MINIMUM​ of 1

​ 00 words​, and a ​MAXIMUM​ of
300 words​.

Hint: Look into - societal influence (media, peer pressure, body image), genetics, and brain
activity.

EXPECTATIONS & GRADING SHEET 

 
ORGANIZATION 

Expectation  What it’s 

worth 

Name is clearly indicated on b

​ oth ​Parts 1 & 2.  /5 

Both Parts 1 & 2 are handed in on the instructed ​due date​. If 1 or both  /10 
are late, this section gets a 0.   
 TOTAL:  /15 

PART 1: POSTER 

Expectation  What it’s 

worth 

You have chosen O

​ NE​ impact that substance abuse can have on an  /5 
individual, their life o
​ r​ the people around them. 

You have i​ llustrated ​the ONE impact that substance abuse can have on  /5 
an individual, their life o
​ r ​the people around them. (​ Illustrations can be 
drawn, digitally designed, a collage of different images from different 
sources such as magazines, newspapers, internet images etc). 

You have d
​ escribed​ in one sentence the impact that substance abuse  /10 
can have on an individual, their life o
​ r​ the people around them. 

The message you are portraying on your poster is c

​ lear,  /15 
understandable,​ and d
​ emonstrates an understanding​ of the problems 
of substance use and addiction. 

TOTAL:  /35 

 
 
PART 2: T
​ HE LINK BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS & SUBSTANCE USE 
 

Expectation  What it’s worth 

You are within the word limit. Minimum of ​100 words​. Maximum  /10 
of ​300 words​. ​Any response under or over the word limit will get 
a “0” for this portion.​ It may also greatly influence your ability to 
meet the expectations below, especially if it is too short.  
 Your answer is either typed ​or​ written V
​ ERY​ neatly on a ​seperate  /5 
lined​ piece of paper. 

Your answer is d​ ouble spaced​. Double spaced if you’re typing your  /5 
answer on a computer, or Double spaced on a s ​ eparate lined​ piece 
of paper if you decide to write it by hand.  

Your answer explains the link between mental health and  /5 
substance use using only ​ONE ​example from the mental 
illness/substance ​combinations listed​.  

Your answer includes​ relevant learnings​ from the ​mental health  /10 
& substances unit. ​This would include any material from lessons, 
from handouts, homework assignments and/or teacher feedback. 

Your answer ​demonstrates an understanding​ of the connection  /15 

between mental health problems and substance use. 

TOTAL:  /50 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TOTAL GRADE 

Section  What it’s worth 

Organization  /15 

Part 1  /35 

Part 2  /50 

TOTAL:  /100 
ESL MODIFICATION PART 1

We know that mental health disorders ​do not cause​ addiction, and addiction​ does not cause
mental health disorders. When a person has both a mental illness and an addiction, they have
something called a c ​ oncurrent disorder​. But even though they ​cannot cause​ one another,
there are definitely ​links​ between mental health and substance use.

1. A ​concurrent disorder​ is when a person has 2 mental illnesses.

(a) TRUE (b) FALSE

​ ody dysmorphic disorder ​they may decide to take ​steroids

2. When a person develops b
​ iet pills.​ ​Why?
or d

( a ) Because body dysmorphic disorder is when you feel unhappy, and both substances
cure depression.
( b ) Because body dysmorphic disorder is when you are unhappy about 1 or more parts
of your body, and both substances can change your body.
( c ) Because body dysmorphic disorder is when you are unhappy about 1 or more parts
of your body, and both substances can make you taller.
( d ) Because body dysmorphic disorder is when you have extreme feelings of happiness
and sadness for no reason, and both substances block out the feelings of sadness.

3. When a person becomes addicted to ​marijuana​, they may develop feelings of

depression​. This is because marijuana lowers the amount of ____________, which is a
neurotransmitter ​in the brain. This is because ____________ is responsible motivation
and emotion.

( a ) Cerebral Cortex
( b ) Serotonin
( c ) Dopamine
( d ) THC
4. After repeated heroin use, users need more and more of the drug just to feel the same
rush, or feel similar effects. If they don’t take more heroin, they may develop withdrawal
symptoms such as insomnia, muscle and bone pain, vomiting, and cold flashes. These
withdrawal symptoms can lead to feelings of:

( a ) Euphoria & Depression

( b ) Anxiety & Happiness
( c ) ADHD & Pressure
( d) Anxiety & Depression

5. Peer pressure​ and different forms of ​media ​can greatly influence a person’s
_________. This can lead to different mental health disorders such as ​anorexia,
bulimia ​and ​muscle dysmorphia​. It can also lead to a person taking substances such
as ​steroids, diet pills ​or​ laxatives.

( a ) Decision to use methamphetamine

( b ) Body Image
( c ) Muscles
( d ) Decision to use cocaine