Here’s a simple way to think about substance use and substance use disorders: If your use of drugs or alcohol is interfering with your life—negatively affecting your health, work, school, relationships, or finances—it’s time to quit or seek help. People who are addicted to a substance continue to misuse it even though they know it can harm their physical or mental health, lead to accidents, or put others in danger.

The following video dispels some myths about who is at risk of addiction:

https://youtu.be/wCMkW2ji2OE

You can view the transcript for “Anyone Can Become Addicted to Drugs” here (opens in new window).

Know that first six weeks of the first semester is an especially critical and vulnerable time for most first-year students. Because lots of students get into the habit of drinking heavily and partying during these early days of college, there’s a risk that excessive alcohol consumption will interfere with successful adaptation to campus life. The transition to college is often difficult, and about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for their second year.

If you are concerned about your drug or alcohol use, or you need help quitting, visit the student health center or talk with your college counselor. These folks are there to help you—it’s their job to provide information and support.

There are agencies you can turn to for additional resources such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA’s National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

Additional resources from USA.gov can be found here for mental health and substance use disorders (SUD)—everything from reviewing signs and effects of substances to finding treatment programs for SUD, veterans, and local help centers for alcohol and drug addiction (i.e., support groups). Some of the support groups that people can attend are:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) helps people with problems controlling how much alcohol they drink, and who wish to stop drinking.
• Al-Anon is for family members and friends who are worried about someone with a drinking problem.
• Alateen is part of Al-Anon safe group to help teenagers who are affected by someone else’s alcoholism.
• Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.) helps people who want to stop misusing prescription medications or illegal drugs.
• NAR-Anon supports people affected by someone misusing drugs.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for people with substance use disorders and in recovery. Fortunately, there have been more options made available for people via telehealth and virtual meetings that people can attend. If you or someone you know needs assistance, the following resources suggested by NIH may help:

• COVID-19 and People Who Use Drugs or Have Substance Use Disorder, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Alcohol and COVID-19, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
• Shareable Resources on Coping with COVID-19, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• COVID-19 Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH)