Local substance use resources available to students during National Recovery Month

September is National Recovery Month. an annual observance recognizing the addiction and mental health recovery community. Whether a student is simply seeking education on substance use or looking for help with a substance use problem, there are a variety of on- and off-campus prevention, education, and treatment resources available to them.

Two of these resources include the on-campus Substance Abuse Prevention and Education (SAPE) program through the Office of Student Conduct and the off-campus substance use treatment center, the Gibson Center for Behavioral Change.

Substance use is prevalent on college campuses. The 2024 Missouri Assessment of College Health Behaviors, a report by higher education substance misuse education coalition, Partners in Prevention, states, “Most Missouri college students (60%) report using alcohol in the past 12 months. . . Missouri college students remained steady this year with 32% of students reporting use in the past 12 months . . . Approximately 13% of students report using at least one illegal drug/drug of concern in the past 12 months.”

While not all students who use substances will develop a problem they must seek help for, some students find their use spiraling out of control. Associate Dean of Students and Title IX investigator Randy Carter identifies consequences for all substance use, but notes a distinction between students who experiment with substances and students who develop a habit.

Some consequences for substance use include higher chances of unemployment after college, increased risk of experiencing or committing sexual assault and lower academic performance, according to a study by the National Library of Medicine.

Carter explains how short-term consequences of alcohol and substance use - such as experiencing a hangover - sometimes deter students from continuing their use before they reach long-term consequences.

“Sometimes [students] just kind of, they fit into what you'd say, ‘the social drinking category,’ where they may have a few beers, but they know that that negative thing that happened to them that weekend is like, ‘Man, you know, I don't want to do that again,’” Carter said.

This point of continuation or elimination draws the distinction between students who develop substance abuse issues and those who remain affected only in the short-term. Although all students can access education materials on safe substance use, students who continue their use to a point of developing a chronic problem may need additional help. They may benefit from accessing resources, but they also gain support when their peers notice their behavior and start a conversation about their drug use.

Adjunct graduate faculty in the Department of Psychology and Counseling and Gibson Center for Behavioral Change director of education and special initiatives Janice Ruesler emphasizes the importance of engaging in these conversations.

“I think many times people are afraid to sit down and talk with each other when they're concerned, because they're afraid of hurting somebody's feelings,” Ruesler said. “But if you talk to people who have been struggling with long term addiction, one of the things that they say most often is, ‘I wish someone would have said something to me.’ And so I really think those conversations are the most important and crucial thing that you can do.”

Ruesler explains that the best thing a person can do for someone who is struggling with substance use is to be present and listen. Carter lists steps to confronting and helping a person with a problem.

He highlights how noticing and identifying a problematic behavior in other students and talking to them about it helps the struggling student to assume responsibility. Once a student assumes responsibility, the SAPE program then figures out how to help them and provides education and directs them to resources. Students reaching out to one another about their substance use is a key factor in mitigating substance abuse rates for college students.

“We really need students to help other students,” Carter said. “You know, I'm not out there, I'm not out there at the house parties and things like that. So we really count on our students.”

On Saturday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m., the Gibson Center for Behavioral Change will host Recovery Fest at the 4H Building in Arena Park in celebration of National Recovery Month. The event will include various activities, food, giveaways and information about community resources.

More information about Recovery Fest and the Gibson Center for Behavioral Change is available on their website. To learn more about the SAPE program and to access a list of local mental health and substance use resources, visit the SAPE page on semo.edu.