Seeking Addiction Therapy In College

"You can't be an alcoholic in college!" "Experiment with drugs while you're young!" Chances are, you've heard statements like these which seem to suggest using drugs and alcohol irresponsibly in college is normal and nothing to be worried about. But if you've reached the point where your reliance on drugs or alcohol is interfering with your ability to learn and work, you've realized statements like this are simply not true.

The best thing to do in your situation is admit you have a problem and then seek treatment. That can be tough to do when you're young and everyone around you is so flippant about drug use, but with the tips below, you can succeed and recover.

1. Enroll in an inpatient program, even if only for a short time.

Outpatient therapy programs are rarely as effective as inpatient programs. It will be tough to pursue sobriety with an outpatient program alone, especially if other students around you are still using and trying to pressure you into using. See if you can use a summer or winter break to enroll in an inpatient program and get your recovery off to a good start. After a few weeks in inpatient treatment, you can then enroll in an outpatient program with a greater chance of success.

2. Change your living situation, if needed.

If your roommates enable your drug or alcohol use, then your recovery will likely depend on finding different living arrangements. Consider moving into a single apartment, or look for a room with friends who do not use drugs. You might make some new friends in a similar situation when you attend addiction therapy. See if any of them are interested in moving in together. If your parents or other relatives live near your school, you may even consider moving back in with them.

3. Take a semester off, if needed.

Recovering from addiction can be very demanding. Even once you are out of inpatient treatment, you will have numerous therapy appointments and group meetings to attend. If you struggle to juggle all of this and still attend your college classes, consider taking a leave of absence for a semester. You can focus on recovery, and when the next semester rolls around, you will be in a better place to focus on academics.

Recovering from addiction in college is not easy, but with the help of a good treatment program and the tips above, you can and will succeed. Contact an addiction therapy program to learn more.