Conquering Addiction – University Students Can Find Recovery!

College is a time of high hopes and great expectations. Unfortunately, it’s also a time for binge drinking and widespread substance abuse. Sadly, many addictions start in the college years, when young people should be laying a solid foundation for the future.

With recent studies showing an alarming increase in the use of alcohol and drugs among college and university students, experts have sounded the alarm. The good news is that there is still hope. With plenty of treatment options for addiction recovery, young people who suffer from substance abuse problems can still look forward to a bright future.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction is a disease. Precipitated by a number of environmental, biological, and emotional factors, it can have devastating effects. All too often, it destroys lives—the lives of those who sufferfrom addiction as well as the lives of their loved ones. Overcoming addiction requires both education and treatment. Only by learning about the disease and seeking help from a fully accredited drug rehabilitation or alcohol treatment center can patients and their loved ones hope to free themselves from the bondage of substance abuse.

Substance Abuse Among Young Adults

Addiction can affect anyone, young or old, rich or poor, employed or unemployed. There is no definite profile of an addict. That being said, some groups of people find themselves at greater risk of developing substance abuse problems. Foremost among those at-risk populations are young adults.

Studies have consistently shown that those in the 18 to 25 age group are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and are therefore more likely to suffer the negative effects of addiction. Exposed to a culture of binge drinking and casual drug use, full-time college and university students are often the most vulnerable.

The most recent statistics aren’t promising. With daily marijuana use among college students reaching its highest level since 1980, cocaine use on the rise, and prescription drug use hitting epidemic levels, experts are concerned. Add to that the ever-present problem of alcohol abuse on college campuses, and it’s clear the nation faces a problem.¹

Why Are College-Age Students at Greater Risk?

Late adolescence and early adulthood is a time of experimentation. It’s a time for pushing the limits. It’s also a time when young people work hard to lay the groundwork for their future success. That combination of new desires and magnified pressures can prove to be dangerous. Specifically, there are a number of triggers that lead to higher rates of substance abuse among college students. Those include:

• Stress – Increased workloads and heightened expectations can take their toll on university students. After working hard to get into a good school, many students feel burdened by the need to excel. Combine that with an increasingly tough job market, and the stress can be overwhelming. In such a pressure-cooker situation, many college students turn to drugs or alcohol to improve their performance or to take their minds off the daily grind. A performance-enhancing drug like Adderall, normally prescribed for those with ADHD, is alluring for students forced to cram for those all-important finals. Likewise, young people may be all too willing to turn to marijuana in order to relax after a long day of classes and extracurricular activities.
• Independence – Many young people get their first taste of freedom upon entering college. For most, it’s their first time away from the safety and restrictions of home, and the first time apart from loved ones. With this newfound freedom comes a whole host of fresh temptations. For perhaps the first time in their lives, college students are completely unsupervised. With no curfews and no parents to face when they arrive back home after a long night of partying, there is little to no accountability.
• Curiosity – Teenagers and young adults are curious. They’re itching to try new things. Unfortunately, that burning desire for fresh experiences can lead some students into bad habits and dangerous situations. College, in particular, is a minefield of seductions. In a new environment, young adults are more apt to meet new people and try new things. Drugs often top the list of new and exciting experiences.
• Peer Pressure – From childhood to old age, peer pressure is a fact of life. It’s a natural inclination to want to fit in and be accepted. Never is that pressure to conform stronger than in college. Even kids who managed to resist the pleas and taunts of their high school friends may cave in to peer pressure in a new environment. Universities are infamous for their wild parties, which feature binge drinking and reckless behavior. With such antics nearly ubiquitous on campuses around the country, heavy drinking and drug abuse can become the new normal for even the most level-headed student.
• Packed Schedules – All too often, there simply isn’t enough time to cram in everything that needs to get done. Between increased workloads, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities, and a budding social life, time is often in short supply. Sadly, many college students turn to stimulants in order to keep themselves awake and prolong the day, and stimulants don’t mean coffee. From cocaine to ADHD medication, there are many options for young people looking to burn the midnight oil.

Overcoming Environmental Handicaps Through Substance Abuse Treatment

At Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centers, we know the unique sets of challenges that college students face every day. That’s why we’ve developed a University Partnership Program to help young people regain their independence and start their adult lives with both feet firmly on the ground.

Our addiction treatment centers specialize in a holistic approach that focuses on the entire person. We also know the intense pressures that come with a university education, which is why we place special emphasis on ensuring that college students stay on track academically, so they can continue striving toward their long-term goals.

When treating patients, we take into account their:

• Physical health
• Psychological health
• Educational goals
• Spiritual well-being

Our drug rehabilitation and alcohol recovery programs in Palm Beach County and Lancaster County are built on the premise that no two individuals are exactly alike, and no two addictions are precisely the same. From one-on-one telephone consultations to Family Education Programs, we treat every individual as a unique human being, rather than another number in our files.

Tailoring our programs to the needs of each patient also means understanding the distinct challenges that come with each type of addiction. That, in turn, means knowing the peculiar effects that each substance has on the brain and on the psyche.

Commonly Abused Substances

College students face temptation in many forms. From prescription drugs to cocaine, the list of abused substances is long and growing longer every day. Each one brings with it a unique set of potential side effects and a specific risk of addiction.

• Prescription Drugs and Over-the-Counter Medicines – Research shows that college students continue to abuse prescription drugs as well as over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. According to a 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 4 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 25 used psychotherapeutic drugs for nonmedical reasons. That’s twice as much as any other age group. The same age group was also nearly two times as likely to abuse prescription painkillers, tranquilizers, and stimulants.2 One of the most commonly abused prescription drugs is Adderall – “the study drug.” A stimulant designed to help kids and adults who suffer from ADHD, it is commonly used illicitly by college students to improve focus and increase productivity.
• Alcohol Abuse – Experts call it the “college effect.” As soon as a young person enters their first year of undergraduate studies, they are far more likely to increase their intake of alcohol. Indeed, one Harvard study revealed that even those who avoided heavy drinking in high school changed their tune as soon as they entered college.³ According to the most recent data, college students were more likely than their non-college peers to use alcohol and to binge drink. More than a third (35.4 percent) reported binge drinking in the past two weeks, and nearly half (42.6 percent) said they had been drunk in the past month.
• Illicit Drugs – According to a 2014 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than one in five young adults has used illicit drugs. That’s a troubling statistic for those who are worried about drug addiction and the long-term effects of substance abuse on the nation’s youth. Recent years have also witnessed a worrying increase in the rate of illegal drug use. Cocaine use among full-time college students, for example, nearly doubled between 2013 and 2014 (from 2.7 percent to 4.4 percent). Daily marijuana use among university students also shot through the roof.The most recent statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show a more than threefold increase in marijuana abuse between 1994 and 2014. The increase has been so dramatic that, today, more college students smoke marijuana than drink alcohol.⁴

Conquering Drugs and Alcohol, One Student at a Time

At Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centers, we’re committed to freeing college students from the chains of addiction. From inpatient programs that help students safely and effectively manage alcohol withdrawal, to outpatient programs that provide drug addiction counseling, we specialize in treating the full range of substance abuse problems. In addition to medically supervised inpatient treatments, we also offer holistic approaches to recovery, including:

• Equine training
• Cooking classes
• Music
• Recreation
• Art

Our goal is not only to treat acute symptoms of addiction, but also to create an enduring web of support for university students. By raising student awareness, giving educators the tools to recognize warning signs, and incorporating family members into the rehabilitation process, we help put young people on the road to addiction recovery.

Our fully accredited drug and alcohol treatment centers offer a range of individualized treatment options, including:

• Substance abuse counseling
• Inpatient drug rehab
• Outpatient drug rehab
• Inpatient alcohol rehab
• Outpatient alcohol rehab

Thankfully, addiction doesn’t need to be a death sentence for college students. With plenty of treatment options, there is no reason to let substance abuse destroy your life or the life of someone you love. If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, contact us at Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centers to get help today.

Sources:

1. https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/college-age-young-adults; https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/drug-alcohol-use-in-college-age-adults-in-2014
2. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FRR1-2014/NSDUH-FRR1-2014.pdf
3. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/hec/product/first-year.pdf
4. https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/drug-alcohol-use-in-college-age-adults-in-2014