College culture is surrounded by partying and binge drinking. Today there is a new piece to that picture, opioids. FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, is a motivation behind peer pressure and trying things that you normally are not comfortable with. Opioid use on college campuses has sharply increased since 2002. In 2015, 3,500 Americans under 25 years old died from opioid overdose. Stress from exams and papers have caused college students to turn to opioids to stay up longer to study or to deal with their anxiety. What starts as a quick fix to problems turns into an addiction that consumes their lives.
If you find yourself headed down that road it’s not too late. The first step is realizing you have an addiction. The next step is finding help. On college campuses all over the country, recovery groups have begun to address the problem of opioid addiction. Recovery groups are a place to ask for help and to feel safe. There are so many other people in the same situation looking for help. The stigma surrounding opioid use as being a “junkie” is fading away as more students are coming forward needing help. Recovery groups give you a place for support against your fight with addiction. These groups are a safe place to be open and honest.
Tips to Remember About Recovery
- You are not alone
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
- Join an on-campus recovery group
- Talk to school counselors
- Distance yourself from places that can cause you to relapse
The Road to Recovery
The decision to ask for help can save your life. Everyone reacts differently when thinking about addiction recovery. Opioids affect not only you but the people around you. Surrounding yourself with positive people can increase your chances of success. Follow this link to the Addiction Recovery helpline and maybe you save someone’s life.
http://www.recovery.org/topics/addiction-recovery-helplines/
Sources:
https://news.vice.com/story/collegiate-recovery-addiction-on-campus
http://monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/mtf-vol2_2015.pdf
