The Social Psychology of Substance Abuse among College Students: Analysis and Intervention Substance abuse impacts people in society every day, from teenagers to adults. Specifically, abuse happens among a large number of students across college campuses in the United States. While advancing in college, numerous students obtain habits that have negative effects on his or her health, emotions, and relationships. While the main drug of abuse across college campuses remains alcohol, the problem of drug abuse today goes far beyond that to illicit substances. Since the early 1990s, the degree of students abusing controlled substances has dramatically increased; abuse of painkillers increasing by more than 300 percent, abuse of stimulants increasing to more than 90 percent, and 110 percent increase in proportion of students using marijuana daily (Califano, 2007). In the most recent years, this issue of abuse has become far too common with the rate of illicit drug use of 22 percent among full time college students between the ages of 18 and 22 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2013). This percentage of substance abusers continues to dramatically increase annually. As college is a time for new friends and new experiences all the while being a stressful time for all students, the most common motives for the use of drugs among college students include help for concentration, happiness, experimentation, and social interaction or merely to get “high” (Boyd, 2006). This need in college students for experimentation or academic support can lead to a number of effects. Short-term and long-term use of such substances can lead to numerous injuries, health problems, and neurological problems. More deaths, illness... ... middle of paper ... ...e abuse, the best way to do so is through the use of the social exchange theory and therapy through the Substance Abuse Reduction Program. Using the social exchange theory, substance abuse can be reduced when students acknowledge and understand the distinction between the permanent and temporary benefits and costs substance use. Therapy can help increase a person’s sense of self-worth and create secure attachment styles that ultimately reduce substance abuse. If you are suffering from substance abuse or know of someone who is, seek help whether it is from books, counselors, etc. While it can be hard to cure everyone of a substance abuse problem, there is always a chance to reduce the number of abusers. The more educated people are about their problem and acknowledge the need for help, the easier it will be to help. Have faith that things will change and get better.
The drug is a big problem at many colleges today, and is getting worse by time. There are more and more drugs circling in college atmospheres, where many students aren’t aware. If people learn what is happening around them, and watch out for each other, the problem should be able to be contained.
Substance abuse is the habitual use of mind altering substances (Substances). Addicts have a false or altered look on reality; they need help seeing what is wrong with the life style they are living. Nikki Sixx once said,” Addiction- When you can give something up at any time, as long as it’s next Tuesday!” Recovery is teaching a person to break old habits. Substance abuse counselors are very important, not only in the mental health field, but in society as well.
The point at which a person comes to the level of desperation to risk the rest of their lives for a decent grade in secondary and postsecondary education occurs all too often. Many college students around the largest universities of the United States have experienced this feeling of desperation, so naturally they tried to find a solution. The solution falls into the hands of Amphetamine or Dextroamphetamine, known better as Adderall, a staggering amount of the time. Students obtain Adderall illegally, as it is a prescription drug, for the common belief around United States college campuses that it improves students’ focus and attention span, while also prolonging the time students can go without sleep. Adderall can be better understood through the explanations of its legal and illegal uses along with the success of both, the side effects and legal consequences of its illegal use, and with how the illegal uses of Adderall and the drug itself will continue into the future.
There are many contributing factors and political issues that address substance abuse. Throughout the years, many researchers have designed many interventions and social policies designed to treat people who have used, abused, and became addicted to substances. Today, there are many new studies that address substance abuse at the individual, group, family, and community or policy levels. Today, there are many services that are effective for decreasing recidivism in youth who have completed a substance abuse program. A substance abuse treatment program or center is the best way to treat individuals who have abused substances.
In conclusion there are many interventions and strategies available to persons who suffer from drug abuse. Treatment for individuals who suffer from substance abuse must be unique and tailored made to fit the client’s needs. Clients can use group or individual counseling as well as self-help groups as possible interventions. Relapse can occur in any client’s quest to sobriety but once clients know the stages they can better prepare to fit against the symptoms and warning signs. Staying sober can be a lifelong process but with counseling and knowledge any person who suffers from addiction can break free from its grips.
One of the main reasons students feel the need to binge drink is peer pressure. They do this because their peers are doing it and they want to fit in better. College dorm rooms offer many different places for students to drink. Dorm rooms give a great place for a few people to get together, and before you know it “everybody’s doing it”.
On college campuses across America, the use of alcohol has been an topic in need of explanation for many years. The concept will be explaned with emphise on the negative effects of hooch. Alcohol in cardio-sport athletes is especially harmful. But at any rate the negative concepts apply to all student. Besides the fact that a large number of students are underage when they drink, alcohol can put students in dangerous situations and give them a headache long after the hangover is gone. The short and long term effects alcohol has can impair students physically and mentally, impacting their education and health.
Drugs cause an overall disturbance in a subjects’ physiological, psychological and emotional health. “At the individual level, drug abuse creates health hazards for the user, affecting the educational and general development of youths in particular” (“Fresh Challenge”). In youth specifically, drug abuse can be triggered by factors such as: a parent’s abusive behavior, poor social skills, family history of alcoholism or substance abuse, the divorce of parents or guardians, poverty, the death of a loved one, or even because they are being bullied at school (“Drugs, brains, and behavior”) .
Clearly, college is a unique period in which students begin to develop their own identity and establish a social network. Often, alcohol and other substances are part of this process, and many college students develop unhealthy drinking or substance abuse patterns that put them at risk for adverse consequences that can continue during early adulthood. College counselors and student affairs professionals need to keep informed of the various signs and symptoms of substance abuse in individuals in higher education settings. More importantly, educators should be familiar with various treatments for drug and alcohol abuse so they can refer students to receive additional help and support.
University drug tests could be the most effective method in preventing young adults from future drug addiction. According to a research conducted by the National Drug Control Policy, random drug testing in academic facilities has effectively reduced drug use from 18.5% to 11.8% among young adults (Anonymous-NDCP). This research suggests that if universities conduct drug tests, there would be a significant decrease in students who use prescription stimulants illicitly.
White, H. R., & Rabiner, D. L. (2012). College drinking and drug use. New York:
A study that sampled western United States universities had a pool of 448 participants, and it showed that the overall prevalence of the recreational use of stimulant drugs was 18%. Recreational use is any nonmedical use of a drug. study of 119 different colleges found that ¼ colleges had 10% prevalence for non-medical stimulant abuse (McCabe 2005). One reason why college drug abuse rates have surged is because students are starting to use these drugs even before their college experience (Varga 2012). High school students' use of anabolic steroids reportedly increased 126% between 1991 and 2003, and students may be exposed to these drugs as early as middle school (Varga
Drug abuse dates as far back as the Biblical era, so it is not a new phenomenon. “The emotional and social damage and the devastation linked to drugs and their use is immeasurable.” The ripple of subversive and detrimental consequences from alcoholism, drug addictions, and addictive behavior is appalling. Among the long list of effects is lost productivity, anxiety, depression, increased crime rate, probable incarceration, frequent illness, and premature death. The limitless consequences include the destruction to personal development, relationships, and families (Henderson 1-2). “Understandably, Americans consider drug abuse to be one of the most serious problems” in the fabric of society. And although “addiction is the result of voluntary drug use, addiction is no longer voluntary behavior, it’s uncontrollable behavior,” says Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Torr 12-13).
It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.
Drug abuse and addiction not only has negative effects in the lives of the people involved, but also in the lives of their close relatives, friends and immediate society. It leads to disintegration, failure in school, loss of employment and violence. Although intake of drugs is a voluntary and conscious decision initially, continuous intake of drugs changes the brain and challenges the self-control of the “addicted person” and inhibits the ability to resist extreme desire for drug intake.