Life away from home for the first time, at college, is a rush. You meet new friends, learn new things and get to manage your own affairs. Sadly, it’s easy to get yourself pointed down the wrong road and get caught up in college drug use. If this fits you, or a student you love, don’t waste time: Seek help from a young adult rehab center, or a similar resource located in your community.
College drug use is unfortunately common. It creates significant risks for the individual and costs for the college and society and large. Drug use can interfere with academic progress, lead to problems with the law and land you in with the wrong crowd.
College Drug Use
College drug use is a serious issue. The entire environment is one that encourages investigation and experimentation. Some of that is to be expected, but if it becomes more central to the experience — that’s a problem.
But it’s more than just the temptation to break out of the rituals of home life. College puts students, somewhat suddenly, into periods of intense stress. You’re asked to fit in almost immediately with a new group of people and to tackle and get organized around piles and piles of work.
Then you add in factors like peer pressure and curiosity, and the risks of falling into the wrong habits accelerate. It’s understandable for someone to look for relief. This is the reason that many recovery centers have created programs specifically for this age group, such as our young adult rehab programs. If you have concerns about a student in your life, seek help today.
Data on College Drug Use
Alcohol is typically the drug of choice for students, with a majority of students reporting drinking alcohol at least once in the prior year.
Right on the heels of alcohol is marijuana. According to the annual Monitoring the Future study, some 40 percent of college students report having tried marijuana at least once.
Study drugs have emerged into a major problem, with about 10 percent of students reporting the misuse of Adderall, Ritalin or other stimulants intended medically for attention deficit disorder.
College drug also includes more serious substances. An estimated 3 percent of students report illicit opioid abuse. The good news is, that usage figure is down by about half in the last few years.
The Dangers of Drug Use
The data on drug use in the United States is quite startling — and another reason to seek help when you can for college drug use. The Centers for Disease Control says about 70,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2018. About two-thirds of those deaths were linked to excessive use of either prescription opioids such as Oxycontin or illegal substances such as heroin.
In addition to overdose deaths, drugs and alcohol send tens of thousands of other students into the hospital for treatment for injuries or other problems. Long-term health problems can be significant, such as kidney or liver disease.
You might be worried about a college student in your life. Clues of drug use to look for include:
- Having problems academically
- Relationship or friendship challenges
- Sleep problems
- Mood swings
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
Treatment Resources
College drug use is costly for individuals and society alike. For the individual it can cause health and social issues; for society, the costs for health care, law enforcement, and lost productivity can be very high. If you are worried about a college student in your life, seek help today from treatment professionals at our addiction treatment programs in North Carolina, or some other facility in your community. Call today for a confidential consultation.
