Students with Substance Use Disorders Rarely Seek Help
Students who are most in need of help for substance abuse problems might be the least likely to seek it out. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported statistics that almost one-quarter of young adults (18-25 years old) met criteria for a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, of all age groups, young adults are the least likely to get treatment for their problem according to a new study. Kimberly Caldeira and her colleagues reported results using a sample of 946 undergraduate students from a large public university. The students’ substance use was evaluated using personal interviews during their first three years of college.
Approximately 47 percent of the students in their third-year of college met criteria to be diagnosed with a substance use disorder involving alcohol and/or marijuana. What is even more discouraging from these findings is that only 4 percent of students with a substance use disorder perceive themselves as needing help, and only 9 percent of cases actually sought out help.
So why aren’t more students getting help? It could be that these students have the attitude that their alcohol and marijuana use is normal and harmless undergraduate student behavior. However, this is not the case and their disorders will only hinder them further as they advance through college. Students might be unaware of the confidential help available to them.
Penn State offers a free intervention for those who think their drinking might be a problem. Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students is a brief intervention that consists of two sessions with a health educator. The health educator will provide you with harm reduction strategies and provide personalized feedback of your drinking compared to other Penn State students. http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/basics/
Have you heard of Late Night Penn State? It is alcohol free alternative entertainment that is held on Thursday-Sunday evenings. Late Night Penn State features bands, movies, games, and cheap food. Check out their website to see a schedule of events for this weekend. http://spa.psu.edu/latenight.html.