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Mental Health Section 4

Alcohol & Drug Use

Alcohol and drug abuse can be very harmful to a person’s physical, mental and emotional health. Unfortunately, because substance use is so widely accepted in our society, it’s hard to know whether or not your drinking and/or drug using has become a problem. Ultimately, once alcohol or drugs have made an impact on your day-to-day life, it’s important to really examine your use.

How can I find out if I have an addiction?

It can be really hard to figure out if your use of drugs and/or alcohol are out of your control. One way to start to figure it out is by talking to someone you trust. This can be a friend or family member, and it could also be a therapist or healthcare provider. If you do decide to talk it over with a professional, you can then be assessed for addiction or substance abuse.

What is "treatment?"

Basically, there are two types of treatment for substance abuse, in-patient and out-patient. The difference is exactly what it sounds like: in-patient treatment is when you live in a program and out-patient treatment is when you go to a hospital or treatment center for services. In-patient treatment is usually any where from four weeks to three months and can be very intensive. Unfortunately, most often have waiting lists, depending on what kind of insurance you have. Out-patient programs can last up to a year long and usually aren't as intensive. Both can be very helpful in your recovery process. In fact, studies show that treatment over a period of time is much more effective than brief, isolated interventions. (The National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, www.ncadd.org)

How long do I have to be clean and sober before I can be a successful student?

How quickly you can go from a treatment program to success in college depends on a number of factors. Most importantly, it depends on what kinds of other things you have going on in your life. Oftentimes, substance abuse treatment reveals other problems you may have ignored or forgotten, such as child abuse or past trauma. Or, you might be dealing with the stresses of being a single parent or dealing with a new step in your life. When you deal with your addiction, you must also deal with those issues. Before you can be successful at anything, you must first learn how to live without drugs or alcohol and focus on your recovery. Most people say that it is best to be clean and sober for at least a year before starting college.