Alcohol and Other Drugs: Prevention and Recovery

Everyone's relationship to substance use is unique to their individual context and experiences. During your time as a student, you will most likely encounter substances at some point, and whether you abstain, experiment, or use substances consistently will be your choice to make in that moment. We support you in making an informed decision based on your values and the policies of the university. At the Wellness Center, it is our job to make information available about how to abstain, harm reduction practices, and to offer spaces to explore recovery in community with other students.  

Prevention:  

• Have conversations with your friends: 
  • As you figure out your relationship with substances, it is important to know that your friends can be on your side. Your friends do not have to have the same substance use practices, but it is important that you have people around you who understand and respect what your boundaries are and aren’t.  

• If you use, stay safe 
  • Consider things that may put you at a higher risk of experiencing harm. Be mindful of your level of intake of substances, make sure to eat food, and avoid driving. Here are some resources that have helpful substance safety tips:
    • From UC Santa Cruz
    • From UC Berkeley

• Look out for each other 
  • When you are at parties or bars, it is always important to try to have at least one sober friend who can help to look after the group. Keep an eye out for behavior that makes you uncomfortable, and make sure your fellow Pilots are safe. Have a buddy, and never leave your friends alone if they/you are under the influence.  
  • Substance use can be a risk factor for sexual violence, which is one of the reasons why it is absolutely vital to be an active bystander when going out.  For more information on this check out our Green Dot Program.

• Avoid isolation 
  • Using alone can be dangerous for a variety of reasons, so make sure you have friends who know where you are and what you are doing. If you find yourself needing support check out Never Use Alone or reach out to Campus Safety if you think you may be in danger.

Recovery: 

• Consider your relationship with substances: SAMHSA's working definition of recovery defines recovery as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential”. Even if you don’t consider yourself as being in active recovery, it is important to be mindful of how your substance use is impacting your personal, work and school life. Recovery does not require fully abstaining from substances, but entails finding the best pathway for your wellness. Click here for more information.

• Join our Recovery Community: recovery is something that no one should have to do alone. Consider joining our recovery community, which is a drop-in meeting that students can attend to share their experiences and participate in activities that help build resilience and skills around recovery. Click here for more information.

• Reach out to resources: There are a variety of resources available to help you in your recovery journey on the UP Campus, feel free to check out the Health Center, Counseling Center, or submit a Care Team referral if you would like individualized outreach.  

• Find treatment if needed: Click here to find options for treatment, family support, or recovery housing.

To support a friend: 

• How to know when to check in: 
  • It can be a good idea to ask their friend how they are doing if: 
    • Their substance use is disrupting school, social life, or other responsibilities 
    • Their substance use is becoming more frequent or more intense 
    • Their substance use their behavior is abnormal based on what you know about them 
• How to check in: 
  • Name the behavior: it is important to mention what you’ve noticed as the reason for checking in.  
  • Come from a place of care: tell them that you are checking in because you want them to be safe and healthy. 
  • Ask them open-ended questions: Ask them how they have been and what they need to gain a better understanding of what is going on. 

• Examples: 
  • “Hey (insert name here) I’ve noticed you’ve been going out a lot more than usual, and I wanted to make sure you're doing alright, has everything been good lately?” 
  • “Dude, last night at the bar it looked like you were really really drunk, was everything ok? I was worried about you?” 
  • “I noticed that when we were at that party last weekend you were doing a drug that I thought you were against, what changed?” 

• Where to send them:  
  • If they mention thoughts of suicide get them connected to emergency resources. 
  • If they mention feeling lonely in their experience, tell them about the recovery community.  
  • If they need mental health support or support with getting sober get them connected to the Health Center and/or Counseling Center. 
  • If you don't know how to help, tell them you can submit a Care Team referral for them. 
  • If you need support, reach out to the Counseling Center to talk through your experience.