Education is part of the American dream. But so often getting through college can result in a person developing drug or alcohol dependency. The binge drinking at the frat house turns into drinking alone or needing a drink in the morning to get out of bed. With more freedom also comes having that more responsibility. Some kids go crazy because they are not under the constant supervision of their parents. And this can manifest itself in several ways, drugs, alcohol, sex or all of the above.
If people start to notice that you need a drink first thing in the morning or that you are missing class because you are hung over from the night before, you need to seriously think about getting help. College will always be there, but your life and health will not. It’s when it starts to conflict with your every day responsibilities that you need to think about going to an addiction treatment center.
If you are going into college, it’s going to be a place full of new experiences and you will have to navigate them on your own. You need to realize that you are in college to learn and earn your degree. If you set small goals for yourself, like for example, I want to have my degree in four years; you will be more likely to stick to those goals.
Also allow yourself some, in any form. Fun does not always mean getting drunk or high. College is full of clubs and places you can go searching for likeminded people. If you do need help, however there are lots of ways to enter into a dual diagnosis place to treat your addiction.
If you find yourself living the party lifestyle too much, just decide if that is what you really want. And if you don’t seek help.
