Preventing substance and alcohol abuse in college students, or anyone for that matter, is not always an easy task. Although school systems try to start students on prevention awareness at an early age with programs like D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse and Resistance Education), the fact is that numbers of students will start to abuse drugs and alcohol when they hit high school and even more will do so in college.

Keys to Prevention

Although it is important to start educational programs early, the key is to follow through with students as they reach the age for potential abuse. College-age students do not rely on facts and figures to determine if they are or are not going to abuse drugs or alcohol. These numbers may make a slight impression on them, but they will not usually work to deter students from drinking or drug abuse.

In fact, prevention is not always possible, but in some cases, intervention is. Friends and family of a student who may be abusing drugs or alcohol should learn to recognize the symptoms of abuse. The student may not realize he has a problem with abuse or is addicted to a particular substance. His personality and attitude may change, and he may become belligerent or refuse help. In these instances, recognizing the symptoms is key to getting timely help before anything else of a more serious nature occurs. Some good intervention and treatment methods include investigating the campus’s student health service, which often offers counseling to students who abuse alcohol or drugs.

Help and support from family and friends can be the biggest factor, although a student who is abusing drugs or alcohol may not seem grateful at first. Down the line, people recovering from addiction will appreciate the help and intervention of family and friends. The hardest part for addicts is recognizing the difficult truth. Students can also look into a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Many students may crack jokes about these types of groups, but in truth they can be of great help to recovering addicts.

Again, however, recognizing the symptoms and getting help as soon as possible are the keys to starting an abuser on the road to recovery and a better life.