Many students feel the need to fit in socially, often leading to social alcohol or drug use, but at what cost will students make this choice?

What may have begun as recreational use while having fun at a party, the use of drugs and alcohol can end up having a lasting effect on your mental health. 

Jinay Patel, a biochemistry student minoring in addictions counselling at the University of Lethbridge, says substance abuse will often result in behaviour a student may regret in the long run.

“You’re going to participate in risky behaviour when you’re under the influence of a drug. If you’re under the effects of a stimulant, it’s known you may participate in riskier, more aggressive behaviours.”

This is backed up in the article “Reasons for Utilizing Mental Health Services as Predictors of College Students’ Alcohol Risk” by Shannon Kenney that was published in the Journal of College Counseling in 2018. The article says behavioural problems and impulsivity are some of the strongest personality predictors of alcohol problems.

Patel also noted what he believes to be a difference in how people tend to approach substance abuse and why students become addicted. 

“What’s interesting with substance abuse and students, is people like to talk about it as an effect or a cause. They believe students do drugs because they think it’s fun, however from what I’ve learned from my studies is that maybe it’s the other way around. Where students aren’t doing drugs because they’re fun, but because there is a need for the sense of community and a sense of want.”

Another issue that arises with substance abuse is that drugs affect each person differently, so even though a substance is legal, it can still be very harmful to an individual. 

Duncan van der Roest, a criminal justice student finishing his degree at Simon Fraser University, has seen this first-hand, seeing friends partake in similar activities, with drastically different results.  

“Drugs don’t interact with each person the same way. I’ve had friends that smoked marijuana every single weekend and were perfectly fine and happy and I had one friend kill himself. It’s hard to predict unfortunately, you can’t predict how people are going to respond to drugs.”

Van der Roest also warns of the legal implications the possession of illegal substances can have on a student’s education. 

“The risk you’re taking with just the possibility of light jail time or fines can end your possibility of getting a degree, so say goodbye to being a college student.”

Even alcohol and low-risk drugs can cause pre-existing mental health issues to come to the surface, issues people don’t even know they have until it’s too late.

“For people aged 19 through 25, that’s when disorders such as schizophrenia are going to set in. You don’t want to be doing psychotropic drugs before you know if you’re liable for some of these illnesses, which will have catastrophic lifelong effects,” says van der Roest. 

Students may also be at a greater risk during the times, with COVID-19 only increasing the feelings of loneliness and decreasing motivation. 

“The more isolated you are and the more away from loved ones you are, you’re going to want something to fill that void,” says Patel. 

The pandemic may also make it more difficult for students to reach out, but Patel says if a student is struggling with substance abuse, it’s not easy, but they need to talk to someone and get help. 

“When other people who care about you know what you’re going through, they’ll be more involved in your life. Finding a long-term solution whether it’s counselling or through some other therapy or maybe if it’s bad enough, a trip to rehab, those resources will work more efficiently as opposed to just keeping them bottled up inside.” 

For students looking to reach out and don’t know where to start, they can contact Lethbridge College Wellness Services to book an appointment. 

Wellness Services is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 4 p.m and offers virtual, phone and limited face-to-face sessions. 

They can be contacted by emailing wellness.services@lethbridgecollege.ca or calling (403) 320 3289 to set up an appointment.