Adolescents/ Teenagers
Drug and Alcohol Treatment for College Students…Many Need It, but Few Get It
Drug and Alcohol Treatment for College Students…Many Need It, but Few Get It
College can be a lot of fun, hopefully educational and also very dangerous. The college years are a very high risk period for the development of alcoholism or drug addiction, and although many college students would benefit greatly from early intervention and treatment; very few ever get help.
- Index
Synopsis
One of the riskiest environments for the development of drug and alcohol abuse and dependency issues is the college campus. Long a part of college culture, recreational drug use and frequent binge drinking continue to plague college campuses throughout the nation, and although studies indicate that alarming percentages of college students meet the criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence, only a small faction of these substance abusers are getting appropriate college drug treatment for their substance abuse problems.
Why Is College Drug and Alcohol Ase and Abuse So Prevalent?
The high numbers of college students needing drug treatment stems at least partially from the university social culture that encourages binge drinking and drug abuse, and students attending so called "party schools", schools with a reputation for excessive alcohol and drug use, are far more likely to develop dependency issues.
Peer pressure towards alcohol use and abuse, as a part of socialization rituals (frosh week etc.) as well as a population that makes frequent use of the bar, club and house party for entertainment, causes increased exposure to drugs and alcohol, and increases eventual problems.
Additionally, for many students, college represents the first period living away from home and operating without parental supervision and guidance. Without restraints to behavior, some adolescent college students respond with unhealthy lifestyle choices. Some alcohol and drug abuse may be promoted from life stresses that occur as a result of the transition out of the family environment; and as a coping mechanism to the pressures of study, and the loneliness and stress of college, some students take to escapism through intoxication.
Studies indicate that although drug treatments for college students do exist, and that nearly all universities operate substance abuse support programming, the vast majority of people who meet the criteria for abuse or dependence report that they either do not feel a need to get help, or do not know how to go about attaining college drug treatment assistance.
The Tragic Consequences
While most students continue throughout their college years without developing debilitating substance abuse problems, a substantial percentage unfortunately do succumb to dependence and addiction. Even those students that do not meet dependency criteria may be negatively affected by their alcohol use through the consequences of binge drinking.
Binge drinking, which is defined as drinking more than 5 drinks in a sitting, is commonplace on college campuses and clinical research indicates that many college binge drinkers will consume as many as 10 to 20 drinks in a single setting. Directly resulting from college binge drinking is the tragic statistic of 1400 annual deaths attributed to alcohol on college campuses each year.
College students who survive their binge drinking and burgeoning dependencies are vulnerable to other social consequences of their abuse. About a quarter of college drop outs attribute their failures to alcohol or substance abuse, and 40% of people having academic difficulties cite drinking as a major influence in their academic failures. Alcohol abusing students also develop financial problems, and it is reported than an alcohol dependent student will spend more on drinking than on food, books, and other recreational activities combined.
60% of college transmitted STD's involve alcohol, and an equivalent percentage of college sexual assaults are alcohol related.
Because alcohol and other substance dependencies often increase in severity over time, many college drinkers may emerge from college only to find their dependencies overwhelming them later in adult life.
Varying studies place the number of college students meeting the criteria for alcohol or drug dependency at 20% or more, and it is estimated that less than 4% of college students get drug treatment for these dependencies.
Early Intervention Saves Lives
The single biggest factor towards success in drug treatment for college students is early intervention. Statistics reliably show that although an alarming percentage of students abuse drugs or alcohol at levels that induce dependency, a very small percentage of these students ever seek appropriate college drug treatment. Nearly all college campuses offer come form of drug and alcohol counseling and support services, and most colleges will allow for the participation in appropriate college drug or alcohol treatment programs without significant academic penalty. Unfortunately, these offered services are rarely taken advantage of.
College administrators need to do more to prevent substance use and abuse on campuses by enacting policy shifts that dissuade students from unhealthy use behaviors. Additionally, early intervention and counseling with students at risk to develop problems can be very beneficial.
Parents and concerned friends and family should be aware that the college years present a serious risk period for the development of substance abuse behaviors, and they should be observant for any behavioral or social indicators of dependency. Although the student is often living away from home, parents need to maintain an active involvement in their college children's lives to be able to diagnosis abuse and dependence, and intervene at the earliest possible opportunity.
Drug or Alcohol Rehab for College Students
Depending on the severity of abuse or dependence, college students seeking drug treatment may require a time away from college in a residential drug rehab inpatient facility. The needs of college students seeking drug treatment in rehab do not differ greatly from other adult recovering addicts, but for best results, the community of addicts will include others of a similar age and educational background.
Private therapy, group therapy, cognitive training, nutrition, health therapies and education all induce better recovery, and the facility should maintain strong aftercare links to the student after they complete the program and rejoin the college environment.
Family involvement in rehab is always beneficial, but the location of the facility is better near the college environment than the family home, to allow for full participation in aftercare.
Some programs are designed to allow the college student to continue with some college level courses while attending a residential rehab, but most shorter duration programs prefer to have the recovering college addict concentrate solely on the process of addiction recovery, and to rejoin academic involvement only after a consolidation of the lessons of rehab.
Drug Treatment for College Students In Summary
The attendance in college increases the odds of the development of a substance abuse problem or dependency. College students should be educated as to the risks of excessive drug or alcohol consumption, college administrations need to provide better access to drug treatment and early intervention services, and parents and family need to be aware of the risks, and be on the lookout for indications of substance abuse problems.
Many college students develop addictions throughout the college years, and as such early intervention in college increases the likelihood of successful treatment, successful sobriety and completion of a college education.
- Categories :
- College substance abuse
