College students will always be partiers, and there will always be a fraction of them who develop problems with the party drugs. Not only are college students more likely to suffer from addiction than most demographics—they’re less likely to seek help. Many believe they don’t have a problem at all, because to them, in their environment, the behavior seems relatively normal.
College student treatment barriers
Many high-success addiction treatment programs are engineered specifically for young adults, many of whom are college students. These clinics and their staff do their best to accommodate their patients’ busy, often stressful lives, but there are still a number of obstacles that patients and their families may have to overcome, such as:
- Denial
- Lack of health insurance
- Highcost
- Heavy class load
- Treatment-stigma
- Easy access to drugs or alcohol
- Prior failed treatment (distrust)
Important Skills Learned
Being flexible — Treatment itself is demanding, but its aim is to improve your life and productivity, not to take away from it. Recovery programs are flexible to begin with, but none more so than those targeted toward youth.
Positive support systems — Establishing a long-term support system outside the clinic is just as important as rehab. Full-blown relapse isn’t a guarantee for everyone in recovery, but most everyone slips eventually, and they need someone to grab their hand.
On-campus support — Far too few students take advantage of, or even know about, all the sober-minded organizations and activities at their college. Almost every university has sober dorms, sober clubs, etc.
Outpatient Vs Inpatient
Naturally, most students would prefer to detox and go home to continue their normal daily lives. However, inpatient treatment is sometimes necessary, even if it’s a massive burden. Serious addictions don’t just go away once the drugs are out of the bodily system; they linger on inside the brain.
Some colleges may be willing to make special adjustments for students who require inpatient addiction treatment. There’s also partial inpatient treatment. Like regular outpatient services, partial treatment allows patients time outside the clinic, but it also demands much more time and participation inside.
For help with addiction, call (949) 637-5499
