GeneralThe Spiraling Issue of College Campus Drug Abuse

The issue of college students developing substance abuse disorders and becoming addicted to drugs is not a new trend. With new societal pressures, the ever-changing nature of education, and other important factors, is the issue spiralling out of control?

In a study on the changing landscape of substance use disorders, it was found that the substance abuse of drugs such as stimulants, cannabis, and other types of drugs was on the rise across the US in the 2010s. Moreover, the same study found that several negative outcomes were directly linked with continued substance abuse among college students.

These outcomes included the students being more likely to be unemployed after graduating, and being at a higher risk of being sexually assaulted.

Moreover, studies have found that for some students, the negative aspects of college life and the pressures that they may experience led to them misusing prescription medication and marijuana frequently.

What Is Causing College Students To Use Drugs?

Individualistic Factors

Some researchers claim that a major reason why students frequently use drugs is because of peer pressure, which is a common reason why many young people may feel the need to do drugs.

Elsewhere the pressure of achieving high grades, and completing their degrees to set themselves up for successful careers later down the line is another factor. The fear of failure in particular could lead some students to take drugs.

In addition, some students who have mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety might already be taking prescription medication for these illnesses and therefore might abuse these drugs or others if they are not coping well while at college.

College Life

The pressures of university life, such as the pressure to socialize, the busy and intense schedules that some students have throughout the year, and the intense exam season could all be contributing factors that cause students to turn to drugs.

Another important factor to consider is that for many college students, the university is their first time away from home. The difficulty of adjusting to a new way of life, together with adjusting to completely different surroundings, could also lead students down the path of substance abuse.

For some students, being away from home where they might have been sheltered from or have avoided drugs could present a problem for them at college. This is because drugs might be more readily available on campus, as well as being visibly used by students (e.g., people smoking cannabis).

Places Where Substance Abuse Among Students Is Likely To Occur

The use of drugs at college could occur anywhere, as students could be taking them individually or behind closed doors. However, certain environments could be particular ‘hotspots’ for such activities, where this behaviour is more likely to occur.

For instance, some colleges have fraternities or sororities. These groups of students are known to engage in drug taking, binge drinking, and the general use of recreational drugs as part of initiations, as well as in general.

Elsewhere, campus-based universities may find that drug-taking is more prevalent on their grounds as they include venues that serve alcohol, and just like regular nightclubs, drug-taking and the selling of drugs is likely to occur in these places.

Which Drugs Are Most Commonly Used At College?

In a study conducted by NSDUH in 2016, it was found that among full-time and part-time college students, the use of cannabis and alcohol was the most prevalent. However, a smaller subsection of part-time college students had also used illicit drugs for the first time.

In more recent studies conducted in 2019, researchers found that 33% of full-time college students between the ages of 18-22 were found to have taken part in binge drinking alcoholic substances.

In addition, several different forms of hallucinogenic drugs have reportedly become more popular amongst college students, with many students trying heavier drugs such as ecstasy and LSD out of curiosity.

Additionally, college students who have taken drugs may have also engaged in the activity of ‘micro dosing’. This activity involves taking smaller doses of a drug to experience a slight effect, as opposed to the full effects of the drug.

The Risks Of Frequent Drug Use

Research shows that teenagers who regularly use alcohol or other forms of drugs are at an increased risk of developing a substance use disorder, together with causing damage to their brain’s development, since it is still forming during these years.

In the 18 to 22 college student demographic, it has been reported that thousands of students in the US have died as a result of alcohol misuse, and the NIAAA has estimated that at least 1,519 of students between the ages of 18-24 had died due to incidents related to alcohol use, such as drunk driving.

Moreover, frequent drug misuse can lead to the development of an addiction. For a student, this is not only damaging for their physical health and mental well-being, but it is also a threat to their studies, so what can college students do to solve this problem?

Getting Treatment For Addiction

If students are campus-based, they are likely to find useful resources, advice, and access to care to help them with tackling a substance use addiction. If not, they might need to seek help researching treatment options for them within the local area.

Addiction treatment options can be flexible, and this would be ideal for students who are likely to require more flexibility. This flexibility will enable them to either temporarily pause their studies to seek the treatment they need or to create a treatment schedule that allows them to keep studying.

There are several forms of treatment available for people facing a substance use disorder, and they may include undergoing a medical detox with a rehab treatment centre, as well as counselling and therapy options to help people with the psychological side of the addiction.

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