New Stressors for College Students

For many young adults, going to university or college is the first time that they’ve had the chance to live an independent life. But such a significant life transition with new responsibilities can be very mentally, emotionally, and physically stressful. A lot of young students find themselves struggling with adjusting to the new demands while away at college. As a result, they might turn to alcohol or drugs to deal with these stressors. But what makes this pattern so common during the college experience?

How Common is Substance Abuse During College?

The college setting is usually the first place or phase of life that young adults begin exploring drinking and experimental drug use. According to the 2018 statistics of college students between the ages of 19-22 from the National Institute of Drug Abuse, 28% of college students reported binge drinking; over 2% reported opioid misuse; over 11% reported Adderall misuse; and almost 11% reported marijuana vaping. College-aged students are at a higher risk of developing addictive patterns because of the demanding circumstances of university and college life. Many people aren’t aware of the central issues that college students face. These can cause them to turn to drugs and alcohol in attempts to relieve academic and social stress.  

What Are the Environmental Causes of Substance Abuse?

Stress: Many students face high demands of schoolwork, part-time or full-time employment, extracurricular internships, social activities, and family difficulties.. Many young adults in college struggle to balance these responsibilities. When they can’t achieve it, they often feel overwhelmed and turn to coping mechanisms to manage their stress.  

• Academic pressure: To help them keep up with the difficult coursework, many college students take stimulants, such as Adderall. Many of them don’t know that these drugs can become addictive and cause negative side effects leading to health problems.

 

• Experimentation: A lot of students see college as the ideal time in their lives to explore. Their personal, social, and professional boundaries are expanded. On this journey of self-discovery, their exploration can form patterns that lead to substance abuse.

 

• Social pressures: If students are surrounded by friends who abuse drugs and alcohol, some might feel social pressure. They may feel they need to follow suit in attempts to be welcomed into the group. It’s important for college students to choose their friends and company wisely (1 Cor. 15:33).

What’s the Link Between “Greek-life” and Alcohol Abuse?

“Greek-life” organizations like sororities and fraternities claim to offer positive and family-like environments. But unfortunately they are often places where alcohol abuse and drug use are most prevalent on college campuses. For example, studies have shown that living in sorority or fraternity houses increases a student’s likelihood of developing heavy drinking patterns. Other studies have examine other dangerous situations that Greek-life alcohol abuse can lead to, such as drinking and driving. It’s reported that a Greek-life student is twice as likely to ride in a car with a drunk person than a non-Greek-life student. The social pressures and what makes an environment feel “normal” can get students used to a certain way of life without realizing its destructive patterns. Such habits not only put the individual student’s life at risk, it can also compromise the safety of others. The effects of alcohol abuse can be very severe, ranging from extreme danger to low-grade addictive habits. Both can deteriorate other areas of a person’s livelihood. Knowing that heavy drinking is common among college students, it’s important to provide support early on to lower their risk of developing an addiction, whether it be to alcohol or other substances.

College Students and Mental Health Issues

Mental health issues with college students are also quite common and can become exacerbated by academic and social stress . Because of this, many try to cope with their symptoms by drinking and drug use. Depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and family difficulties can be overwhelming. Suicide among college students, for example, is often tied to an untreated mental health issues, most often depression. Therefore, drugs and alcohol can be a way for students to not only deal with academic stress but also with underlying symptoms of a mental health struggles.

Commonly Abused Drugs on University Campuses

While many people might associate college with alcohol or marijuana, college students abuse a range of different substances, including:  

1. Alcohol
2. Marijuana
3. Cocaine
4. Heroin
5. Prescription drugs (stimulants, depressants, and narcotics)
6. Over-the-counter drugs
7. Ecstasy
8. Hallucinogens

    Polysubstance abuses—the practice of combining different substances—are also common and can be used with alcohol. By combining different substances, students may not know that this increases their health risks. These may include alcohol poisoning, seizures, coma, addiction, overdose, and other dangers.

Moving Toward Healing After Substance Abuse

Movies and television popularize and glamorize alcohol and drug use. By portraying substance abuse in sororities and fraternities, they make it seem normal, fun, or even a necessary rite of passage. Many students think they are strong enough to stop whenever they want, and have the ability to get sober. But this is often not the case.   College students and their families should take substance abuse seriously. This starts with education and learning. Knowing the many physical, emotional, and psychological problems that result from drug and alcohol abuse in college may dissuade students from crossing that dangerous bridge.   In the apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy, he writes: “Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). Instead of discouraging his younger disciple because he’s young, Paul emphasizes the potential for life, health, and wholeness in his youth.   If you or your college student are ready to seek treatment for substance abuse and want to live a life of wholeness, contact our team at Adult and Teen Challenge.