Substance Abuse

Recent studies confirm that college campuses continue to have significant alcohol and other drug use problems. Although the vast majority of college students are under the legal drinking age of 21, alcohol is the drug that causes the most problems. The Harvard College Alcohol Study found that of all U.S. college students, approximately 44 percent engaged in high-risk drinking and about 23 percent do so frequently. The rates vary considerably on different campuses.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse: Marijuana Update (2001) reported marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug in the United States, with approximately 33 percent of all Americans having tried it at least once. Nine out of ten college students using marijuana participate in other high-risk activities such as heavy drinking or cigarette smoking. Marijuana addiction has not been deemed fatal, but this doesn't mean the effects are not extremely damaging. Just because it is not physically addicting does not mean it is not addicting in any capacity.

In addition, alcohol and other drug use is a factor in the majority of accidents, injuries, vandalism, and crime on college campuses and is frequently a key factor when students encounter problems with their course work.

The SCS provides a screening and referral program. The first step is an assessment which includes an Intake, the SASSI-3 (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory - 3) and a written psycho-social evaluation which examines how alcohol affects the student's every day life.

The second step is an individual session with the counselor to review the intake, results of the SASSI-3 and the psychosocial evaluation to help the student understand how alcohol and/or drugs affect their daily life. Recommendations for continuing services at the SCS and/or referral to the community may be made.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Self Test for Alcoholism ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By the National Council on Alcoholism The first--and often the toughest--step in beating alcoholism is admitting the existence of a problem. To test whether alcohol is a problem for you, answer yes or no to this series of questions.

1. Do you occasionally drink heavily after a disappointment, quarrel or rough day?

2. When under pressure, do you always drink more heavily than usual?

3. Can you handle more liquor now than when you first started drinking?

4. On the "morning after," have you been unable to remember part of the evening before--even though friends say you didn't pass out?

5. When drinking with others, do you try to have a few extra drinks when they won't know it?

6. Are there certain occasions when you feel uncomfortable if alcohol is not available?

7. When you start drinking, are you in more of a hurry to get the first drink than you used to be?

8. Do you sometimes feel a little guilty about your drinking?

9. Are you secretly irritated when friends or family discuss your drinking?

10. Have you experienced memory blackouts more frequently?

11. Do you often want to drink more after friends have had enough?

12. Do you usually have a reason for occasions when you drink heavily?

13. When sober, do you often regret things you've done or said while drinking?

14. Have you tried to control your drinking by switching brands or following different plans?

15. Have you often failed to keep promises about controlling your drinking?

16. Have you tried to control your drinking by changing jobs or moving?

17. Do you try to avoid family or friends while drinking?

18. Are you having an increasing number of financial and work problems?

19. Do more people seem to be treating you unfairly without reason?

20. Do you eat very little or irregularly when drinking?

21. Do you sometimes have the morning "shakes" and relieve them with a drink?

22. Are you unable to drink as much as you once did?

23. Do you sometimes stay drunk for several days at a time?

24. Do you sometimes feel very depressed and wonder whether life is worth living?

25. After drinking, do you ever see or hear things that aren't there?

26. Do you get terribly frightened after drinking heavily?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you have some symptoms that may indicate alcoholism. "Yes" answers to three or more questions in various categories indicate the following stages of alcoholism: Questions 1 to 8: Early stage. Questions 9 to 21: Middle stage. Questions 22 to 26: Beginning of final stage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twelve Questions: Am I A Marijuana Addict?

Twelve Questions

•  Has smoking pot stopped being fun?

•  Do you ever get high alone?

•  Is it hard for you to imagine a life without marijuana?

•  Do you find that your friends are determined by your marijuana use?

•  Do you smoke marijuana to avoid dealing with your problems?

•  Do you smoke pot to cope with your feelings?

•  Does your marijuana use let you live in a privately defined world?

•  Have you ever failed to keep promises you made about cutting down or controlling your dope smoking?

•  Has your use of marijuana caused problems with memory, concentration, or motivation?

•  When your stash is nearly empty, do you feel anxious or worried about how to get more?

•  Do you plan your life around your marijuana use?

•  Have friends or relatives ever complained that your pot smoking is damaging your relationship with them?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may have a problem with marijuana.

For further information about Alcohol or Substance abuse, please contact the Southern Miss Student Counseling Services, Kennard Washington Hall, Room 214; 118 College Drive # 5075, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, 601.266.4829.